# How Classical Music Ruined My Life



## Klassic (Dec 19, 2015)

When I was a boy I heard this composer called Beethoven, his music was so interesting that I could not stop listening. But before this I would only pay attention to things for 30 seconds or less. Beethoven got me to listen for hours. This increased my attention span, and then, the next thing I knew, I was paying attention to lots of things for longer portions of time. Oh dear, this opened up the world of philosophy, and history, and poetry, and really long symphonies by Mahler, and many other things, and then all this attention-focus started to change me. I could no longer be convinced by sports and many other fast-paced mindless things. Soon I started thinking for longer periods of time, and now I cannot enjoy the pop world, so I am aloof and alone and more aware. Damn you Beethoven and your compelling music! When I could only pay attention for 30 seconds or less life was pure bliss. People could just tell me things and I would never think about them, I just believed they were true, and this made me feel good. But now, damn you Beethoven (and even more, after Beethoven, damn you Mahler) I pay too much attention to things! I want to go back to 30 second satisfaction.


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## arnerich (Aug 19, 2016)

Beethoven's got you covered, here's a piece that even a gold fish could enjoy


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Fascinating subject.

I have short-term memory loss and cannot remember for more than 30 seconds. So I write down 30-second fragments of a Beethoven symphony and when I'm listening to a particular segment, I tried to piece together what came before. It's like watching Memento in sound.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

TwoFlutesOneTrumpet said:


> Fascinating subject.
> 
> I have short-term memory loss and cannot remember for more than 30 seconds. So I write down 30-second fragments of a Beethoven symphony and when I'm listening to a particular segment, I tried to piece together what came before. It's like watching Memento in sound.


You mean, like the film Memento?


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

I can absolutely relate to the OP. Of course this is not to say classical music "ruined" my life in any way - just the opposite. But I did get a sense of dissatisfaction with the modern world, a sense that there used to be something in the world that does not exist anymore, something that once enabled people to create brilliant works of art and that we have lost.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Pugg said:


> You mean, like the film Memento?


Yes, the movie.

Actually, in my case, my attention prowess preceded my getting into classical music. It is perhaps the reason why I got bored with non-classical music - found it mostly bland and boring and shallow, musically speaking. Classical music used an elaborate musical language where I could follow musical thoughts and get immersed into a world unavailable in non-classical music.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Well, yes, but miniatures can be great too!


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## Mahlerite555 (Aug 27, 2016)

Sometimes life is more enjoyable if you don't think too much.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Classical music didn't so much ruin my life as ruin my wallet!!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Barbebleu said:


> Classical music didn't so much ruin my life as ruin my wallet!!


Very recognizable.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Stop blaming Beethoven - he's innocent! 
If it hadn't been classical music, it would have been something else - poetry, philosophy, art, nature?
If your brain's made that way, you'll be a thinker, willy-nilly.


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