This is that most wonderful time of the year when we all ask the question: Is it ethical for society to subject us all to music that some people enjoy, and others do not?
Sure, some people have a net gain from the music. Probably even most people. In fact, it's probably a net gain overall. But if the gain requires coercively harming a minority, is it truly worthwhile? It's sort of like the Omelas situation, where the success of a utopia relies on perpetually torturing a little kid.
I'm being facetious here, and anyway the rest of the year we're subjected to pop music.
Lately I've been listening to Penderecki. He's a living classical composer, considered influential in the avant-garde movement. Here's one of his most famous pieces, from 1960:
Do you think it would be ethical to play this music in public spaces?
In case you prefer something a little more tonal, later on Penderecki moved away from avant-garde music, and composed things like this Christmas Symphony:
It sounds practically like 19th century music.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
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