There is a force in this universe, a that of which there is no other. We, all of us, our systems, everything, are all various manifestations of it. The illusion of self, of being apart from this, is one of the many games we play.
Music is one of these physical manifestations of this primordial, impersonal self. When one of us creates music, it is a way of being that comes from the soul. If we do it right then it continues on from one soul to another.
I am the kind of enthusiast interested in seeing just how good we can get at this.
I do not see this as a hobby. for me it is a lifestyle. I have enjoyed music and bought my 1st record at about 8 yrs old. (62 yrs ago) I play music, (drums & vocals) as well and have since early teens. My musical system is a vehicle used to transport my lover. I enjoy her presence whether she rides in on a bicycle or a Bentley. I like it immensely when she comes in the Bentley or Maserati or Ferrari because I get to take a fabulous road trip with her. But if she comes on the bike, that’s alright with me because its her presence that counts the most.
In all my years here I don’t remember anyone else requesting that another member be "banned
".
I have called out at least one poster who called for Mc’s removal. And I have seen others Fwiw I don’t like anyone removed because of someone’s disagreement with their idea
I'm in the Epicurean camp. It has to be rare - and used - before I will buy it! Two recent arrivals: Sony 7000ES DVD player (formerly TOTL) and the Koss ESP-6 electrostatic headphones (with case and adapter). Both uncommon! Several years ago I bought a rare Futterman Harvard Music H3 OTL amp - and paid a pretty penny for it! Just go and try to find one of these! This one came from the original owner who had Julius Futterman install a pair of Altec autoformers on it so it could drive low impedance speakers safely.
My musical system is a vehicle used to transport my lover. I enjoy her presence whether she rides in on a bicycle or a Bentley. I like it immensely when she comes in the Bentley or Maserati or Ferrari because I get to take a fabulous road trip with her. But if she comes on the bike, that’s alright with me because its her presence that counts the most.
Fat bottom girls they make the rockin' world go round.
Anally retentive Epicureans? I guess that’d make us bad Buddhists. There is obviously also a Dionysean component at play which has to do with good vibes. I guess I better leave it at that before I get into trouble with the Thought Police.
I tell people all the time that there are no thought police. Are they lurking here? Am I wrong? Do I have to start thinking pure, grade A Buddhist thoughts--no longer craving for my system to be other than it is? After all, everything is perfect just the way it is (and there's tremendous room for improvement, I've heard.) Perhaps if I can learn to accommodate this paradox, my speakers' bass will become tighter.
In all my years here I don’t remember anyone else requesting that another member be "banned".
Recently, there has been an epidemics of it. In, now defunct, rap threads people were going gung-ho on millercarbon. For the record, I was against it and somehow tried to defend his thoughts despite them being different from mine.
Even more recently, in millercarbon’s own thread, he suggested my (?!!!) removal. In other threads, he bragged about people being removed.
millercarbon05-10-2021 3:00pm
"...This member deserves to be banned for life from all things audio. He has nothing to contribute but hate. He is the antithesis of what we are doing here..."
I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a vast amount of gear and speakers and kept all the good ones so anytime i want to upgrade i just hook up another pair of speakers or hook up an alternative system. So when the urge occurs i am lucky to be able to fill that need right away.
I like sometimes to listen sound which dont come from my speakers...
And i like to think of some thoughts which dont come from my brain....
I think i am a perfectionist who let perfection down, and a buddhist converted to christianity by a reincarnated ego...
I think only one sound exist, it is from a gong which no hammer has touched yet....Or perhaps the sound is not in the same universe than my own ears....
I think i am an epicurean who like to fast and a consumer who rejoice to buy no more....
I am a riddle who read itself loud.....
The only person i wanted to be banned of this universe is myself, but by myself....
Like hands erasing themselves and drawing themselves at the same times....
@millercarbon, as much as I admire your “Music is one of these physical manifestations of this primordial, impersonal self” turn of phrase, may I say that—as a card carrying Buddhist for decades—one of the fundamental tenets of Buddhism s that there is no such thing, now or ever, any self, certainly not primordial. Please no flames. An observation made tongue in cheek. 😇
Regarding how I think about upgrading my system: I do it in a Buddhist way—how much temporary happiness will it bring, how long will it be, and is there something else that will bring me longer happiness? Since by definition in Buddhist thought no external thing or person can bring permanent happiness,
Your brain? But there is no self. There is no you to hang onto, all clinging to life is an illusory hand grasping at smoke. Maybe your brain hurts because you are attached. But a Buddha cannot be stuck. He cannot be phased. He always flows. Just as water always flows.
Duhka comes from krishna. You suffer because you cling to the world. You don’t realize that the world is anitya and anatman.
One of the more hilarious examples of mid-witted silliness ever. And on this site that is truly saying something. I would be angry, but the thought of someone so small makes me sad for them.
MC: OP here. I appreciate your sharing your point of view on this thread the same as I appreciate all the point of views that have been offered, but, at the risk of riling you up, I would ask you to try to be civil when you feel triggered or upset by what others post. i’m guessing that much like the poster that you responded negatively to, you don’t like that I am responding negatively to you, but I’m trying my best to do it in a kind way, and I think that makes a difference.If we are not careful, we will drive away the faint of heart posters who might have a lot of valuable things to say to us, despite a different thickness of skin compared to others. Perhaps I’m being presumptuous to think that because I am the original poster, I have a right to regulate what people do in a given thread. I apologize if I’m overstepping myself here. I’m certainly not trying to make matters worse, I’m trying to facilitate this thread being something useful to all who participate.
You don't get it. There was nothing negative in the post! It was pure Buddhist philosophy! Half of what I said was taken straight from a talk on Buddhist philosophy! Then at the end just to put something in there everyone ought to be able to understand was the Beatles quote, let it be! You can't get any more Buddhist than that!
So here you are lecturing me about driving people away, when all I did was post some introspective views. On a thread specifically asking about Buddhists!
You do owe me an apology but not for overstepping, everyone is totally inbounds to question another. But for whoever had my post removed in a fit of ignorant rage, you ought to contact the mods and have it restored.
Then if you do that I will be happy to walk everyone through it one word at a time if necessary until it becomes crystal clear the message was liberating and not the least bit negative.
Or here's a thought, you could simply watch the Alan Watts video that was linked in the post. There are a lot of things people could do if they had the least bit of interest in trying to understand. Instead whenever anyone says anything they don't understand the reaction always seems to be STFU. Sad.
@teo_audio, Thanks for that link: it brought back memories of that episode and now I know where all the fools got the concept of "Q".
As for the deletions of posts, I think they should only be done on a worse case basis, and not at the whim of some thin skinned dolt. I had a post removed on that gender thread which was not, in the least, offensive, only to read a woman’s thoughts on the matter, later on, echo what I said in a more succinct manner.
We have some real losers in this hobby.
Oh, and in response to the OP's question, I don't see myself as any of the available choices. Maybe an amalgam of sorts but definitely without any foot firmly planted anywhere. I just get these urges sometimes.
On a more prosaic level, I just love music and am fascinated with all the crazy things that can be done to get me closer to "you are there".
The first time I crawled under the house to run a line it seemed kind of weird or at least unlikely to work. To think you can do something way out where the meter is, literally the furthest you can get from the system and still be in the house, and yet still hear improvement, is just nuts. Until you hear it.
Also get a kick shattering conventional wisdom. Everyone "knows" there's decreasing marginal returns. Until you suspend a cable with rubber bands, which cost nothing, and it is so big an improvement everyone hears it easily. Even though it cost nothing. And I have done stuff like this over and over again.
To answer the OP questions literally:
hobbyists vs perfectionists vs aural epicureans vs rampant consumers vs bad Buddhists?
Hobbyist? Yes. Perfectionist? Sometimes. Aural epicurean? Yes, but also partial to stoicism. Rampant consumer? NO! Furthest thing from it! Bad Buddhist? No, a quite good Buddhist I would think. Technically more Zen Master, although I am working on perfecting my Buddha belly.
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