DoubleReed comments on Making History Available - Less Wrong

49 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 31 August 2007 07:52PM

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Comment author: wedrifid 13 November 2011 05:12:26AM *  0 points [-]

So in order for Weird Al to be strictly superior to classical music then it must be superior for all times and purposes.

 '

I do, after all, openly rate Weird Al as aesthetically superior to the greatest classical masterpieces.

The second of the above quotes is something I have claimed. The first one is a response to something I have not claimed. There is a straw man at play.

Well if I'm going to contradict you about yourself, I might as well just say it.

On something so straightforward as this doing so makes you look ridiculous and tends to be considered rather rude. Far better to not say it.

I would be trying to claim that you are more sophisticated and intelligent than you yourself will admit.

Valuing Weird Al over classical does not make me less intelligent (albeit certainly less sophisticated). It speaks more about my general aesthetic preference for melding a conceptual meaning in closely with the melody, rhythm, tone, etc. For me the concepts themselves seem to be a part of music to a far greater extent than for most people I have compared myself to. I do not consider this to be a weakness of mine.

Comment author: DoubleReed 13 November 2011 05:21:31AM *  0 points [-]

The second of the above quotes is something I have claimed. The first one is a response to something I have not claimed. There is a straw man at play.

Well yes, I was using an incorrect model of you.

Valuing Weird Al over classical does not make me less intelligent. It speaks more about my general aesthetic preference for melding a conceptual meaning in closely with the melody, rhythm, tone, etc. For me the concepts themselves seem to be a part of music to a far greater extent than for most people I have compared myself to. I do not consider this to be a weakness of mine.

I was really just commenting on the drama of the last part of your post. Valuing Weird Al over classical isn't something bizarre to me.

The issue I have is the comparison between the two. Different music is for different things. To just say "Well if I'm gonna listen to music then I'll always pick Weird Al over classical," well, that's not all there is to the aesthetics of music.

Edit: Especially with things like epic film scores. Classical music tends to fit this niche quite well, and I would be surprised if you honestly disagreed with that.

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