Musicians brains

[GLuft3]

Via: http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/05/brain-athletes.html
http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/05/18/do-musicians-have-better-brains/
[INDENT]New research shows that musicians’ brains are highly developed in a way that makes the musicians alert, interested in learning, disposed to see the whole picture, calm, and playful. The same traits have previously been found among world-class athletes, top-level managers, and individuals who practice transcendental meditation[/INDENT]

[Igziabeher]

whats it say about music fans?

[skalnbyc]

My research says:  Musicians usually lack private sector experience and often think the world should be tampered with their socialist fantasies (going against the grain of sound economic theory).

[Igziabeher]

"Musicians also exhibited higher levels of moral reasoning and had more frequent “peak experiences”– intense moments of happiness and feelings of transcending limitations."

I\'d take that over sound economic theory.

[skalnbyc]

My point is that a lot of musicians (and actors) spew leftist idealism that doesn\'t work in practice.



Glad I could derail this thread!

[Igziabeher]

yes, but they can cuz they have a microphone and people that will listen.  also most of the ones that speak out the loudest get paid the most thanks to capitalism.

[skalnbyc]

We can reduce all the noise I\'m making to this: as a finance geek, it is hard to listen to musicians spout political goals based on economic falsehoods.  



:exits thread to resume reading his Wall Street Journal:

[Igziabeher]

then don\'t.  i try not to see bands that preach to me(michael franti) or listen to the rest that do(u2), the only political thing i heard tim palmieri say during a show is a phatty boom batty intro, which i don\'t mind since some of them can be good.

[Vassillios]

then don\'t.  i try not to see bands that preach to me(michael franti) or listen to the rest that do(u2), the only political thing i heard tim palmieri say during a show is a phatty boom batty intro, which i don\'t mind since some of them can be good.

add eddie vedder to that list

[bdfreetuna]

Interesting. Not you guys personal views on musicians\' politics, which doesn\'t seem to have anything to do with the point of this thread. But the part about playing music sharpening up your brain and making you a subjectively better person.

I wonder if amount of time playing music or how skilled or creative you are at the craft makes a big difference. Maybe I\'ll read the whole article later.

[jking]

funny that the articles say that musicians see the whole big picture stuff better, yet some economists still swear that their short-term profit-oriented policies are best...

[skalnbyc]

yet some economists still swear that their[-] short-term[/-] profit-oriented policies are best...

"capitalism is the best path to prosperity"

[jking]

yet some economists still swear that their[-] short-term[/-] profit-oriented policies are best...

"capitalism is the best path to corporate prosperity"

fixed that for ya...

[bezerker]

this thread pwns.  sweet find gluft

[kindm's]

As much as I would like to believe what this is saying when the summary says things like this :

"Fred Travis emphasizes that everything we do changes our brain. Transcendental meditation and making music are activities people should devote themselves to if they wish to change their mind in the right direction. But you can make good progress by following common health recommendations: get enough sleep, work out physically, eat healthily, and don\'t do drugs. How you think also plays a role.

"If you are a very envious, angry, mean person and that\'s the way you think about people that\'s what\'s going to be strengthened in your brain. But if you are very expanded and open and supportive of others, there will be different connections," says Fred Travis."

So people with "High Mind Brain Development" show increase activity in EEGs and they answer questionnaires about having transcendental experiences.

Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. They also make a differential between professional musician vs. amateur. Their control group was classical musicians. this sounds like a psychological study claiming to have roots in hard science.