We should view artists the same way we view gooners. Continuous exposure to superstimuli has dulled their responses. They can no longer perceive anything “normal” (Linkin Park) as pleasureable or interesting, instead seeking ever more extreme stimuli (Animals as Leaders). If you stare at your reflection for long enough, you get body dysmorphia, and the same applies to music. Sad.
They are martyrs. Noble, and worthy of pity, but also worthy of at least a little disgust.
Your example of Linkin Park as “normal” is possibly one of the funniest examples you could have picked.
I do take your overall point though, I think basically everyone has their own taste preference for how much surprisal they enjoy in music, AND everyone has a degree to which they’re desensitised to surprisal because of prior stimulus.
We should view artists the same way we view gooners. Continuous exposure to superstimuli has dulled their responses. They can no longer perceive anything “normal” (Linkin Park) as pleasureable or interesting, instead seeking ever more extreme stimuli (Animals as Leaders). If you stare at your reflection for long enough, you get body dysmorphia, and the same applies to music. Sad.
They are martyrs. Noble, and worthy of pity, but also worthy of at least a little disgust.
Your example of Linkin Park as “normal” is possibly one of the funniest examples you could have picked.
I do take your overall point though, I think basically everyone has their own taste preference for how much surprisal they enjoy in music, AND everyone has a degree to which they’re desensitised to surprisal because of prior stimulus.