I know this is of no surprise to anyone who has paid attention to me for any length of time, but I just spent some time today thinking about how the industrial and post-industrial world is such an anomaly in human history.
We live in an aberration.
When was the last time you sang?
@ajroach42 I was humming when I saw this! and was singing earlier in the hour, mostly game & cartoon related songs. I think I sing every day?
@Korcenton That's very normal and also good. So many people don't.
@ajroach42 I was singing Danger Zone to my dog this morning.
@ajroach42
I sang along with folks at our local May Day rally today.
@ajroach42 I don't think I can go an hour without someone (usually multiple people) singing in my house.
@ajroach42
Today.
Anytime I have a thought like this, I ask myself, am I really worried about me, or am I maybe wanting to see people do something thing do with their people but not when I see them in public?
I once discovered the "businessman" that sat across from me often on the train was my favourite local DJ. How many people could look at you and think TV executive?
@edwardclaytonandrew I think you may be projecting worry onto me.
I'm not worried, I was just thinking about how common it was until recent history for people to sing a lot more often, and in groups.
Remembering that today's world is exceptional compared to most of history is freeing.
@ajroach42 Well hmm. I was playing music with my friends an hour ago. Does that count?
@lemgandi Absolutely. The world is better when you play music with friends.
This is not a tale of despair.
It is freeing to know that the modern world is unusual in many ways compared to most of human history.
This means that things have been different! And it means that they can be different again!
And it means that we can look at the examples of the past and see what things made people unhappy and what's different today. And we can look at what makes people unhappy today and what used to be different.
We are not *worse* than history, or *better* than history, we are just different right now. Sometimes in ways that are good, and sometimes in ways that are bad.
We are alienated from one another, and from ourselves, in ways that are unusual and mostly bad.
But we are also connected to one another, and able to connect with our post, in ways that are unusual and mostly good!
But things have been different, and can be different again.
@ajroach42 yesterday in the car! Afterward I was thinking I should do that more
@nyquildotorg I'm glad that organized religion has been waning for the last 100 years, but we really do need something to replace the social functions of the church.
Singing in groups, gathering with your neighbors, sharing food and telling stories.
@ajroach42 last night, actually, at our regular (Irish music) session…
