January 11 2009
A recent article of The Economist (I love The Economist) went on at length about the theory that we love music for Darwinian reasons. Music is an attractor, which leads to great sexual activity for the musician, which leads to species survival.
I'm simplifying the article, but not my much. I'm not simplifying my reaction: Bah.
I understand that music and musicians have a sexy veneer. The ability to climb up on a stage and perform for an audience inspires a sense of power that attracts. If we like the music, the attraction is fortified by an emotional component. We are moved.
Power + emotional impact = turn on.
No doubt, there is an aphrodisiac culture in some sectors of the music business. Rock starts get laid.
By and large, though, the (ill-)reputed sybaritic nature of music and the music life is a myth. Spend some time with musicians. It doesn't take long to see that we are merely hard working stiffs, you should pardon the expression. We're normal people, with special gifts. We do manual labour (making music is very physical.) We do three full-time jobs: creating music, performing music, and doing the business to sell the music.
We are no more Darwinian Ubermeisters than the Wizard of Oz is an omnipotent providence.
And how about all those musicians who have died young, from Mozart to Schubert, Jimmy Hendrix to Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain to Selena. How does that help species survival?
The Economist is promoting evolutionary psychology. The article torques the characteristics of music to fit the theory. Uh uh. Doesn't fly.
What is Darwinian about music is its primal, survival of the fittest nature. The music business, as I have written before, is very much a business, and a tough one at that. There is nothing remotely romantic about it. Many are crushed by it, and many more let down, regardless of talent.
To survive in the music business, to keep on bringing the music to the public and put food on the table is a real achievement. It is the ones who succeed in doing this that natural selection should favour.
I'm so sorry if I've disappointed you. Those erotic fantasies you may have projected onto me or some other musician are now shattered.
But I don't have too much time to feel bad about that. I've got a ton of music work to do...
- Click here for the Economist article on music and human evolution
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