Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Being Bored Is Good

thewalrus.ca

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 230 posts

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#131

Post by travbrack »

z2 wrote: post #66

Maybe it's a language thing, but I wonder if for the most of human history, people simply weren't bored in the same sense as they are today. Wikipedia's article on boredom seems to suggest the concept only gained traction in the 17th century, while the term 'boring' took off in sync with 19th century industrialization! 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boredom 2: https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=bored%2Cb…

Makes sense. When you're on the lunch menu for a saber-toothed tiger, your life is anything but boring.

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#132

Post by bittercynic »

bradhoffman wrote: post #81
growlist wrote: post #71

There is definitely too much sensation and information for me these days. When I was a kid and being a natural geek I had so little technical literature in the house that I used to pore over it. I'd read my computer magazines cover to cover until I virtually memorised the whole thing. These days, I don't even know where to start. It's terrifying! I'm moving to the country soon to get away from the overload.

This is a topic I've been pondering lately. Even looking around the internet for technical information/assistance has become harder due to all of the information that is now out there. How can we find sources or information that are truly meaningful and provide great value, rather than just mediocre or non at all?

I think there could be a real opportunity for a hand-curated search tool that addresses this need.

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#133

Post by PavlovsCat »

GenghisSean wrote: post #116
Will_Parker wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Music is a matter of taste I'm mostly with you with one exception. If there's one thing that may be objectively evolved, it is the power of the raw human singing voice. With all its expressivity, dynamics, range, colours, individualism, and overtones. I claim that anyone who studies carefully the pure sound of the voice and what it is capable of will always hear synth vocals as superficial. (I don't care genre, whe…

Another class of instruments that has evolved in all of the ways you named is the synthesizer. Certainly vocal performance is a very old tradition but to write off synth vocals as superficial is in my opinion throwing the baby out with the bath water. Sound synthesis has gone from an experimental and avant-garde playground to one of the most expressive and versatile fields of music composition. Techniques like additi…

I agree with you both.. and offer as common ground an example of pure vocal bliss, yet in a song enabled by technology:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7OYsGAp_QY

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#134

Post by JauntyHatAngle »

stcredzero wrote: post #112
SolaceQuantum wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Modern music is a mirror image of the internet culture as well. Blasted with as many synth hooks and processed vocal melodies as possible" I don't know if that's entirely fair- orchestras have always been quite overwhelming to the senses, as have choirs and organs, IMO. Swing dance music is also quite fast and filled. Similarly, in my music spheres, minimalism is quite familiar- popular music "unplugged" has made a…

I don't know if that's entirely fair- orchestras have always been quite overwhelming to the senses, as have choirs and organs, IMO. But those were rare, special events which people went to a lot of trouble to attend. Between those orchestral performances, people had to make their own music. Contrast that with today, when orchestral music can be background noise somewhere, accorded no special value.

So that's more to do with availability rather than the style OP originally posited.

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#135

Post by warent »

ACow_Adonis wrote: post #96
warent wrote: post #91

> Modern music is a mirror image of the internet culture as well. Blasted with as many synth hooks and processed vocal melodies as possible. This seems a little bit like a fist-shaking "back in my day!" kind of judgemental statement. Music is a matter of taste and what you're approaching here doesn't relate to the topic.

like fashion, it's both a matter of taste, but is also a matter of culture, technology and tools. Invention of the radio, coupled then with the automobile, supported by advertising during drive time shows, has created a popular genre focused on simple short repetitive themes repeated 3 to 4 times, identifiable and quotable in a few second segments, and with a run time limited typically to 2 to 4 minutes. As a social…

I think we're talking past each other a little bit here. There's no denying that taste isn't augmented and influenced by "external forces or manipulation" (what, in all of society and culture, isn't?) and current pop is a fairly well-defined genre. I'm agreeing with everything you're saying.

But that has nothing to do with the commenter relating "modern music" to a "constant bombardment of shit" which is what my reply was addressing.

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#136

Post by nothrabannosir »

copperx wrote: post #114
alxlaz wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing that makes it sound so much like a fist-shaking "back in my day" is that it reduces modern music to popular, heavily-promoted, commercially-successful popular music. There is money to be made out of superficial music, fit for consumption as a background to parties and dance, tailored for the least common denominator in terms of intellect. But that has always been the case; nostalgia aside, the "current" mus…

There has been absolutely wonderful music in every single decade, and I dare say every year since recoded music has existed. I can't help but roll my eyes when people say that 80s music was bad. Sure, popular music was an abomination (when hasn't it?); but even if you searched a bit you would have found great music lurking in the shadows.

Agreed, though I would sooner say the 80s were the only decade where popular music was actually good. :)

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#137

Post by lisper »

brootstrap wrote: post #10
stcredzero wrote: post #6

If it weren't for the crushing boredom of the suburbs when I was a child, I might not have learned how to program computers. I would never have thought so much about spaceships. The original Star Wars trilogy wouldn't have been nearly as cool to discover. I also play traditional music, though boredom wasn't part of my discovering that. However, silence was a big part of traditional music, in the past. You need empty…

Modern music is a mirror image of the internet culture as well. Blasted with as many synth hooks and processed vocal melodies as possible. I was recently turned onto this band called Wand. If you want to feel some delicious space in a song, check out Scarecrow by Wand. The video is amazingly simple too. The constant bombardment of shit is so real though. I want to spend time with my wife and kid. Sometimes it's hard…

> Scarecrow by Wand

Wow, that is so not what I was expecting from your description.

For "space in a song" I was thinking something more like "Brothers in Arms" or "Comfortably Numb".

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#138

Post by brokenmachine »

ALittleLight wrote: post #68
soverance wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For a majority of people, their greatest and most satisfying achievement will be their children. This sentiment is grossly nauseating, to me. Having children is not an achievement. It may be satisfying and fulfilling, but it is in no way an "achievement". If your greatest contribution to the world is birthing a child, you have failed as a person.

Having children is immensely satisfying and fulfilling. It's challenging, time consuming, expensive, and productive. All the accomplishments of humanity stem from having children. The vast, vast, majority of humanity will never accomplish anything that will rival raising children well. The remainder are those who invent, discover, build, and market those things that let us live and have children better.

>All the accomplishments of humanity stem from having children.

And all the failures.

There's already too many people on this planet for it to be sustainable.

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#139

Post by brokenmachine »

jokoon wrote: post #35

I often have this weird fear that I wont accomplish anything in my life like it is some sort of personal failure. Meanwhile I'm able to write about game ideas, code them, create some characters and story and background, even though it doesn't lead to anything since it's more of a hobby, but I fail to make it into a job. I love to think, create, try to design little things, and honestly that's the best pleasure I have…

>I always wonder: when their week is over, where do people find refuge? Sports, hobbies, entertainment? I just don't understand how people can think about leaving this world without having something that is really their own. How do you live when you're just a consumer? What happens if you lose friends? In my own conception of life, I just don't understand how people can not feel lost if they don't create something that stems from their own selves.

Everyone reading this will be dead in 90 years. We are stranded on a giant rock spinning through frozen space.

At the end of it all there will be nothing but the heat death of the universe. Nothing and nobody will survive.

There is no larger purpose. There will be nobody alive to remember any good or bad deeds you may do.

Fortunately, you have the choice to either be depressed about it, or try to enjoy as much of it as you can while you can.

I enjoy listening to and producing music and playing sport. Also enjoying nature and peace and quiet. I like nice food and spending time with my partner.

I love my life, except work which to me is an unfortunate necessity. I just try to maximize my enjoyment and that makes me feel alive.

Re: Being Bored Is Good

#140

Post by winchling »

growlist wrote: post #71

There is definitely too much sensation and information for me these days. When I was a kid and being a natural geek I had so little technical literature in the house that I used to pore over it. I'd read my computer magazines cover to cover until I virtually memorised the whole thing. These days, I don't even know where to start. It's terrifying! I'm moving to the country soon to get away from the overload.

I think the answer is to stick with a few problems rather than trying to consume or know everything.
Post reply on HN