Constant Blasting

So I'm pretty sure this might not be well received, but this is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. What is with our generations need to constantly have music blasting in our ears? Don't get me wrong, I love music. Truly. I think it is amazing the way that it can change the mood and much of the time it is pleasing to listen to. I love almost every genre. There are a few that I could do without, and of the ones that I like, some I like exponentially better than others. But I still enjoy them all. I have a rich musical background. I grew up with music in my home, we all learned how to play piano, some the violin, viola, oboe, and various other musical instruments. All of my sisters have beautiful singing voices, and a majority of us chose to develop that in choirs and through private lessons. I can see this being perceived kind that I only like classical music. But as embarrassed as I sometimes as I am to admit it, I love artists like Ke$ha, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, even LMFAO. I am in no way a music snob. I will listen to almost any song and like it, and will not need to have known the song before it was popular.

Okay, so now that all of that is established Sometimes I need a break from music. I love to listen to it, but I've noticed when I am listening to music while trying to go about my daily life, I miss things. On campus a large portion of student's that I see have ear buds in while moving from one class to the next. I never do. And I'm glad. Because if I did I would miss some pretty awesome things; such as eavesdropping on other people's conversations, which, trust me, is always a good form of entertainment. But it isn't just things I can hear without the music, but things I am able to think while I'm not listening to it. While I believe that sometimes music can help inspire, I also have observed in my own life that it keeps me from thinking about things that might be important. In C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, there is a part, that I won't even try to accurately quote, but it basically says that while we always think of the adversary putting thoughts into our head, sometimes he is most effective when keeping thoughts out. When I listen to music all the time, I tend to be thinking about the music. And I use the term thinking very loosely. Normally it just kind of zones me out, my mind is transported to a place where I just have to nod my head to the beat and murmur lyrics under my breath. Perhaps this is just me. I just know that I have very little higher cognitive thinking going on while I am endlessly pumping music into my ears.

I don't entirely know where I am going with all of this, but maybe if you read this you can try to go one day without the ipod. I don't mean no music at all, but just try to go without the constant noise that could be distracting you from thoughts you didn't know you were able to think. And of course, other people's conversations. :)