First of all let me expand my comment. (As long as my answers and comments generally are, how could I possibly expand, you might ask).
The issue at hand has to do with television only peripherally imho.
A given is that we have limited time during a day/night in which to recreate. With children and a job, recreation shrinks--with a wife it shrinks more...and so on.
The question is, 'What do we chose to do with our time?'
When I mentioned Television, it wasn't 'blaming television' for the lack of hobbiests...it was noting what's probably happening. People CHOSE to do what they will...television is a device that allows us to bask in the glow of something that allows our brains to go into neutral...chewing gum for the mind, if you will.
If the allure of music was stronger, people would flock to it...so in my mind, the question is, 'Why isn't the allure of music strong enough to overcome other activities?'
It is with me, even though I do gravitate to the TV all too often.
No, for whatever reasons, music does not hold the enormous 'sway' that it does with 'some people'...those of us who ask this question are obviously in the minority.
But the confusing thing is...like the girl I mentioned in my post...once shown this, she was enthralled, captivated, overwhelmed with emotion and visceral response...so apparently music--wonderful music, for all it's PR, is still the most well kept secret in entertainment--why, is the question?
One of my long time friends, Joe and I always fall back to this comment--"Music does things to and for me, that nothing else can do."
This is a mystery to me.
As Yogi Berra would have said..."If people aren't going to listen to music--you can't stop them."
Good listening,
Larry
