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Post by EK - Shadow of Death on Dec 7, 2003 23:54:09 GMT -5
My philosophy teacher posed this question to me (and the class) a few years ago, and I'm going to bring it up here:
You have a choice between only one of the following:
1) Being the pinnacle of musical perfection. Being able to play anything, anywhere, and with impeccable skill.
2) Being the pinnacle of journalistic perfection. Being able to write anything and convince anyone based on the strength of your writings.
In both cases you are mute and unable to speak.
If you had to sway the emotions of a group of people, and you could only choose one of the above talents with which to do it, which would you choose and why?
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nodwyck
Soldier
A henchman isn't just for Christmas, it's for life!
Posts: 261
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Post by nodwyck on Dec 8, 2003 8:11:39 GMT -5
good one.
I'd be the journalist.
Don't know why, but I've always respected people that have the talent of putting things into words. I've always envied those musically talented folks, but never wanted to be a rock star or pianist or anything like that.
Perhaps a talent in music is kinda narrow or something (to me).
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Post by Merkuri on Dec 8, 2003 9:32:09 GMT -5
Musician of course. Music is the ultimate emotion-creator. You can make people feel anything with the right tune, and in most cases there is not mistaking what the listener is "supposed" to feel. Journalism, on the other hand is more often misinterpreted or misunderstood. You don't need to be learned or intelligent to "get" music, but you might need some sort of intelenct to understand a very eloquently written paper. Plus, nowadays people would be more apt to stop and listen to a street musician or go to a concert than they would to read a paper or book.
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Post by RowanMoonWynd on Dec 8, 2003 13:00:22 GMT -5
I would be a journalist. The power of words and the way they are used to write a story can have a profound effect on the way a person feels, thinks, and sees things.
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Post by Wyrmfire on Dec 8, 2003 17:27:26 GMT -5
Music, definitely. Not because it is necessarily better at communicating emotions (although, I think it is), but because when you're really good at playing an instrument, you yourself gain something. It's hard to describe to someone who doesn't play, but it's as much an act of creation as of communication.
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Post by Merkuri on Dec 8, 2003 21:01:42 GMT -5
I think some people are missing the point of the question. If you had to sway the emotions of a group of people, and you could only choose one of the above talents with which to do it, which would you choose and why? If that part wasn't there, I'd pick journalism. I already consider myself a good writer, and although I'd like making music, I think I'd enjoy writing more. But that isn't the question. The question is about which can sway the emotions of a group of people better. |
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Post by Sharess on Dec 8, 2003 23:44:10 GMT -5
Musican, It a lot easyer to make people feel though musci then by just words not to metion I like music moer then reading a times
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Anaximander
Peasant
From the city of Miletus comes the first great thinker
Posts: 5
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Post by Anaximander on Dec 9, 2003 7:30:16 GMT -5
My philosophy teacher posed this question to me (and the class) a few years ago, and I'm going to bring it up here: You have a choice between only one of the following: 1) Being the pinnacle of musical perfection. Being able to play anything, anywhere, and with impeccable skill. 2) Being the pinnacle of journalistic perfection. Being able to write anything and convince anyone based on the strength of your writings. In both cases you are mute and unable to speak. If you had to sway the emotions of a group of people, and you could only choose one of the above talents with which to do it, which would you choose and why? Most assuredly I would wish to be gifted with journalistic perfection. Stephen Hawking one of the world's greatest thinkers, writers and orators has proven that even while being unable speak with one's own vocal chords does not prevent you from using a voice synthesizer. Hence if I wished to sway the emotions of a roomful of people I would have my case prepared and simply insert my case into the electronic voice box so that I could sway the crowd with my brilliant arguments and oratory prowess. A musical mute could never hope to convey all his thoughts and desires with a piece of music as concisely as the pinnacle of journalistic perfection could. Further more the muscial mute could never, ever win any further rational/logical arguments with anyone because were he to use an electronic speech synthesizer his argument would be far less persuasive than my own. Add to that that in the longer run the journalistic genius could and would be employed in the government and be able to get anywhere with his convincing arguments. Even in the long term the journalistic mute would be far superior to musical mute. |
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Post by Shura on Dec 9, 2003 15:47:57 GMT -5
Actually, I find that music is tends to be misunderstood or more open to a wide range of interpretations than peices of writing. I am a huge music fan, and amateur musician, but my dream is to be a writer, so I would go for the writing talent. Also if I was mute then it would be infintely more pratical to be able to write words than play notes. Also a wider variety of ideas with infintie subtelties can be produced through writing than through music, which can affect people on a proufound level emotionally but cannot get ideas through to most without words.
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Post by Sightspitter on Dec 9, 2003 16:27:01 GMT -5
[glow=blue,2,300]Musician. If we are trying to sway emotions, music is the most powerful tool, except maybe the soft words of a loved one. The right note on the right instrument played just the right way can convey a feeling that consumes the body and soul. A master musician able to play anything would know how to convey exactly what they want be it power, hate, greed, sexual lust, love, calm, comfort, joy, happiness, fear or anything else I missed. We are talking about a master musician, not these new bands who are only in it for the money and sex. Music can turn a horribly depressing day into a good day. One minute you can walk into a room and feel alone in the world, pop on a CD and walk out feeling like the center of the worlds attention.[/glow]
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