Longish-time listener, new commenter :-) Thank you again for all the music and the humour! (And apologies if this one’s a little long, especially for someone new. Of course you can skim over, or scroll by, as they say :-). I’ve been waiting to see a few other comments go up first… but no more - here goes!)
Regarding the idea of too much looking at “dark events” as “fear of death”, “fear of reality” - I see it as an obvious, unhappy legacy of the Covid years. A “war wound”. Just something new to be managed, for those affected (others have it much worse). It’s been said before (and our repeating it may well be a sort of picking at sores) but many trusted institutions - and good people within them, wittingly or unwittingly - seeded doubt and stoked fear for months and months (on top of the usual round-the-clock sensationalising and general negativity in “the news” - does anyone else listening to music radio do the little “switch off-switch back on” dance on the hour, to avoid the latest blast? :-) ).
It was needless doubt and irrational fear, as it turned out, as some of us came to realise with a slow, sickening sense of dread and dismay, and some knew from the start. Fear of the wrong thing, the opposite of what should have been feared. That insidious inversion, the seemingly callous compromising of a person’s “earthly compass” doesn’t necessarily just “right itself” overnight, especially not when the expected, longed-for “mass awakening” never materialises. We’re still picking our way through the “Covid-nuked” fields, some of us, grateful for the odd knowing glance or helping hand from a disparate, far-flung band of “brothers in arms” (including now, happily, some who didn’t “wake up” as soon as we did) :-)
Such an environment is ripe for nihilism, it’s true - for an attitude of “Well, look at all the still unacknowledged enormous crimes against humanity! What does it matter, a harsh word here or there?” You are right that we need to guard against losing our core kindness and compassion in the little things. And our sense of play, of beauty and fun. In the moment. Children and animals know the wisdom of this.
Music and humour…and other little - and big - things really help. A lot! :-) Thank you for reminding us to keep trying to share the best of ourselves.
True about not being sad when singing.The new Joker 2 film(2024) is excellent.It's another great dark psychological thriller, showing how music and showbiz are a big part of his fantasy world.A disturbing watch but a must see!
Hey Abi - I've signed up a friend to your offer but she can't get past the app stuff. I don't listen through or download ANY app and never will .... wondering why yours is being pushed so hard ? How can she listen without it ? If she can't she just won't. Cx
Dylan Thomas, beautiful poem, beautifully read. You got balls Abi and life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage x
Thanks, our Jules! Xx
Hi Abi,
Longish-time listener, new commenter :-) Thank you again for all the music and the humour! (And apologies if this one’s a little long, especially for someone new. Of course you can skim over, or scroll by, as they say :-). I’ve been waiting to see a few other comments go up first… but no more - here goes!)
Regarding the idea of too much looking at “dark events” as “fear of death”, “fear of reality” - I see it as an obvious, unhappy legacy of the Covid years. A “war wound”. Just something new to be managed, for those affected (others have it much worse). It’s been said before (and our repeating it may well be a sort of picking at sores) but many trusted institutions - and good people within them, wittingly or unwittingly - seeded doubt and stoked fear for months and months (on top of the usual round-the-clock sensationalising and general negativity in “the news” - does anyone else listening to music radio do the little “switch off-switch back on” dance on the hour, to avoid the latest blast? :-) ).
It was needless doubt and irrational fear, as it turned out, as some of us came to realise with a slow, sickening sense of dread and dismay, and some knew from the start. Fear of the wrong thing, the opposite of what should have been feared. That insidious inversion, the seemingly callous compromising of a person’s “earthly compass” doesn’t necessarily just “right itself” overnight, especially not when the expected, longed-for “mass awakening” never materialises. We’re still picking our way through the “Covid-nuked” fields, some of us, grateful for the odd knowing glance or helping hand from a disparate, far-flung band of “brothers in arms” (including now, happily, some who didn’t “wake up” as soon as we did) :-)
Such an environment is ripe for nihilism, it’s true - for an attitude of “Well, look at all the still unacknowledged enormous crimes against humanity! What does it matter, a harsh word here or there?” You are right that we need to guard against losing our core kindness and compassion in the little things. And our sense of play, of beauty and fun. In the moment. Children and animals know the wisdom of this.
Music and humour…and other little - and big - things really help. A lot! :-) Thank you for reminding us to keep trying to share the best of ourselves.
To be honest I can’t listen to any msm radio. You can almost guarantee that within 10 seconds they will be pushing the nonsense in some way or other
True about not being sad when singing.The new Joker 2 film(2024) is excellent.It's another great dark psychological thriller, showing how music and showbiz are a big part of his fantasy world.A disturbing watch but a must see!
I’m glad someone liked it, I thought it was awful 😁💖
Hey Abi - I've signed up a friend to your offer but she can't get past the app stuff. I don't listen through or download ANY app and never will .... wondering why yours is being pushed so hard ? How can she listen without it ? If she can't she just won't. Cx