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Music "myths" = Jungian folklore?
 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 04:17 [#00408042]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



I don't know how familair you are with the Jungian theory
of people's need for folklore/mythology as part of their
mental make up (crop circles, the x files and urban myths
are all supposedly modern day equivalents of old
superstitions and legends).

I've noticed there seem to be a lot of parallels with
myths/stories relating to music, things such as Rich's lost
MP3 player or the whole cult mythology surrounding BoC. Just
wondering if anyone else had noticed this and what people's
views were...


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 04:22 [#00408046]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



:)

.. dunno if i'd want to take it to the extent Jung does
(haven't actually read any, but from what i've heard).. its
a nice idea though. Seems to be a marketing ploy, but then
maybe that marketing ploy is exploiting this human need ?

His theory is based on Freudian psychoanalysis eh?


 

offline giginger from Milky Beans (United Kingdom) on 2002-10-18 04:26 [#00408049]
Points: 26326 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



Now that you've mentioned it there does seem a kind of
mythology surrounding the man. Like the creating of his own
instruments. People dispute it yet others are totally into
it. The aforementioned MP3 player. I'm sure he creates a lot
of this himself for a laugh. A lot of musicians have an
"Urban Legend" attached to them. The Queen party with
Dwarves serving Coke on trays. Just how much of that story
is true? Marley smoking an ounce of ganga a day when he
died.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 04:28 [#00408054]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to korben dallas: #00408046 | Show recordbag



His inital work was based on freud (he studied under him),
but he gradually broke apart and their final ideas were very
different. I think lots of the music myths are somthing that
interest us and the process of storytelling is a shared
experience which we as social creatures (even you ophecks ;)
) supposedly crave. Like you say, I suspect certain artists
have latched onto this and exploit it (either for their
personal amusement or as a marketing ploy).


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 04:29 [#00408058]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to giginger: #00408049 | Show recordbag



All these things make the celebrity that much more
interesting, even if they are fabrications...


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 04:35 [#00408060]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



interesting stuff ... because it seems that there is a
"natural"? tendency to tell stories bigger and taller than
they really are .. it's like its answering the social
expectation of a story to be entertaining.

what i meant re: freudian, does his theory have the same
framework (obviously he's not quite so sex obsessed), but
the whole unconscious etc?

Adler was the other one who based his stuff on Freud aye?
inferiority complex and all - also quite an intriguing
thought


 

offline giginger from Milky Beans (United Kingdom) on 2002-10-18 04:39 [#00408061]
Points: 26326 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #00408058 | Show recordbag



Exactly. Maybe it's his way of keeping himself in the fan's
eyes while not necessarily in the Publics. The things you
hear about him are not the sort of thing that make the main
press but are weird enough to be remembered by the fans. I
very much doubt I'd ever see an Daily Mail article about
Aphex Twin. Even though he was nominated for a Brit (Which
made me laugh) if he'd won they would have just mentioned
some group called Aphex Twin. It's quite clever how he does
it really.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 04:41 [#00408062]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to korben dallas: #00408060 | Show recordbag



Yes, supposedly exaggeration of a story/anecdote is meant to
be due to an urge to entertain like a bard, even when
recounting something factual (like company profits, enron?
;) )

Jung was interested in the unconcious, he saw it as a way to
a spiritual/imagination based plane. He occasionally had
visions and a spiritual guide called phileamon, but he
accepted they weren't "real" in the literal sense, but
products of his unconcious mind. He was definately not as
sex obsessed as freud (I saw a program interviewing freud's
descendants & followers of his style of
psychology/psychiatry, they were quite fucked up.)

Haven't read any Adler, sorry.

I don't dig a lot of psychiatry, I think a good rule is to
look at the lives of those who teach it, you see the
problems freud had and you have to question how seriously
you can take the opinion of someone like that.


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 04:49 [#00408064]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



mm.. true that. Seems to work the same with gossip. I mean,
there's an entire magazine industry that seems to be based
on this. "did you know so and so did this and that etc."

All I know about Alfred Adler is that somehow in childhood
you get the inferiority complex [sorry this is pretty
sketchy], and then later on they tend to be the over
achievers, low self esteem etc .. ??

The whole "seeing" and "hearing" things is quite
interesting. I did a course in abnormal psych start of this
year - very interesting stuff.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 04:57 [#00408066]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



One of my mates is doing a criminal profiling degree. Looks
quite interesting...

The thing about the inferiority complex seems true, it's the
kids who get picked on at school that seem to feel the
greatest need to prove themselves.

Re: Magazine industry. I agree, I was over a girl's house at
a party and I was amazed how many magazines there were about
celebrities littered all over the house. I had no idea there
were so many magazines dedicated to speculation about what I
really consider "fictional people" (they're not really
"real" to most people, even their real lives seem more like
an actor's role), let alone that people could read so many.

I really don't understand the concept of celebrity, I'm not
star struck when I meet "famous people", nor am I really
interested in their personal lives. Like I say, I find the
folklore surrounding music intersting, but I accept that it
is almost certainly fabrication/at least greatly
exaggerated.


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 05:05 [#00408067]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



actually, the world of celebrities is sort of a myth in
itself isn't it. I mean, as you say they're not "real" - its
just a means to this end - story telling

i'm muddling this all up, but its also kind of like a
retreat this mythical world from the real. the likes of
"hear'say" and what not ..

i don't know .. all lot seems to revolve around respect,
(although that doesn't always/really work for celebrities)
..


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 05:11 [#00408069]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to korben dallas: #00408067 | Show recordbag



I know what you mean. There was an intereting debate in a
magazine on whether Pamela Anderson was any more "real" than
Lara Croft. I dunno, they're both silicone based life forms
;)

It's strange people have a great deal of respect for
celebrities (the majority of American said in one poll that
they didn't think celebrities should go to prison!) and at
the same time seem to love it when they have a
scandal/downfalll.


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 05:17 [#00408071]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



yeah that scandal part seems a little contradictory.

Slightly different to Jung .. but Levi-Strauss (Claude, not
the jeans), an anthropologist who studied myths, and claimed
to have found a common structure to myths ... it all
revolves around a contradiction, the contradiction of birth
i think it boiled down to. But it was quite cool, drawing
parallels between some south american myths and the oedipus
myth et c.:)

i mean even this - this whole virtual/internet thing .. is
THIS real? its kind of like another world really. You assume
the cloak of anonymity, yet you don't remain anonymous - you
become a virtual person ... blah blah ??


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 05:18 [#00408072]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



Infact levi-strauss, later modified his theory to fit the
structure of myth (ie. his theory was a myth!)


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 05:25 [#00408073]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to korben dallas: #00408071 | Show recordbag



I know, in existential fits you can wonder if this whole
chat room (apart from people on it you know in real life)
could merely be a computer program. Perhaps that's why
people here like to send/recieve packages to other members?
It certainly re-inforces the "reality" of it :)

I've heard of levi-strauss, but haven't read any, could you
recommend some (I saw a beginners guide to levi-strauss
which, rather amusingly, had a pair of jeans on the front
cover).


 

offline jonesy from Lisboa (Portugal) on 2002-10-18 05:32 [#00408077]
Points: 6650 Status: Lurker



Didn't Jung shag his patients, the dirty fucker.


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 05:35 [#00408080]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



Mmm.. lemme see, maybe "Structural Anthropology", New York:
Basic Books (1958)?

Although I think his "Mythologiques" (4volumes!), is his
master piece, tho quite a bit to read for a leisurely read.


I have an extract from Structural Anthropology - in "the
Continental Philosophy Reader" by Richard Kearney & Mara
Rainwater - London, Routledge (2000) ... [which i highly
recommend anyone interested in 20th century continental
philosophy: Covers a lot of ground, and has nice intro's and
the most representative work of the philosopher.]

But back to the internet thing.

I don't mean in a solipsistic/skeptic sort of way - "is
there really anyone on the other end of the line", but more
its a totally parallel world. Real, but not "real" in the
sense that its substantial .. its a virtual existence or
something?


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 05:37 [#00408082]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



Freud certainly did .. he "treated" his patients, by letting
of the sexual steam the id was conjuring up :)


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-18 05:37 [#00408083]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to jonesy: #00408077 | Show recordbag



Probably :)


 

offline jonesy from Lisboa (Portugal) on 2002-10-18 05:43 [#00408086]
Points: 6650 Status: Lurker | Followup to korben dallas: #00408082



He loved his Charlie too. Good lad.


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 05:47 [#00408089]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



didn't know that .. but respect. apparently he was a coke
addict as well?

nb off not of - hate those freudian slaps.


 

offline jonesy from Lisboa (Portugal) on 2002-10-18 06:00 [#00408094]
Points: 6650 Status: Lurker | Followup to korben dallas: #00408089



Haven't you seen Good Will Hunting? hehe


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 06:05 [#00408098]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



i have, i have ... :)


 

offline jonesy from Lisboa (Portugal) on 2002-10-18 06:12 [#00408104]
Points: 6650 Status: Lurker | Followup to korben dallas: #00408098



Robin Williams makes reference to the fact. Hey, I don't get
my knowledge from books you know :D


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 06:15 [#00408105]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



Mm.. must have slipped my mind.

ah .. i thought matt damon would have said such a thing - so
was racking my brain - all i can remember robin williams
going on about, is his wife farting in bed :D


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-18 20:44 [#00408798]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



this whole urban myth thing, could be an urban myth itself
..

neat-O


 

offline jupitah from Minneapolis (United States) on 2002-10-19 21:53 [#00409744]
Points: 3489 Status: Lurker



jung seemed to have uncovered some very interesting stuff in
his research. one ohis patients who was schizophrenic was
looking out the window one day, and he described in great
detail a scene that was somthing like a giant penis pouring
forth from the sun and swaying in the wind. jung found
years later the exact story in a myth of some ancient
people, and there was no way this patient had read up on
this. there is much more to mythology than imaginative
creations. they reflect universal experiences and
experiences that can be tapped into. when you think about
it though, everything we learn is tapped into, or channeled.
when you are "taught" something, how is it that the
information is transmitted? the teacher, or teaching
experience is merely a sign that you willfully to tap into
the information.experience, hence everything already exists,
waiting to be tapped.


 

offline jupitah from Minneapolis (United States) on 2002-10-19 21:55 [#00409747]
Points: 3489 Status: Lurker



should be something like "a sign that you willfully follow
to the information" or experience..."


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-19 23:54 [#00409854]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



existence is essentially based on a contradiction.

i'm a bit weary bout universalising claims tho .. but yeah
.. it's interesting to hear what some people have to say ..

apparently, according to some people who recovered from
schizophrenia, - re: the voices they heard - they reckon ..
"the voices were there all along .. you just don't realise
it" - its quite an intruiging thought .. what? who said that


 

offline The_Funkmaster from St. John's (Canada) on 2002-10-20 00:48 [#00409907]
Points: 16280 Status: Lurker | Followup to korben dallas: #00408046



well in respone to your first post, marketing is all based
(pretty much) on psychology and all that... I'm doing
consumer behavior this term actually, and it's basically a
psych course, but applied to business, and how consumers
behave... so, all marketing is based on this kind of
stuff...


 

offline Zeus from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-20 00:53 [#00409917]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker



altough aphex rocks...

i do think he is put on a pedestal too much.

we look at him as like some godly figure.

hes just a dude.


 

offline The_Funkmaster from St. John's (Canada) on 2002-10-20 00:58 [#00409925]
Points: 16280 Status: Lurker | Followup to Zeus: #00409917



that he is... he's just a guy... but he deserves a lot of
respect, but yeah respect is different then worship...


 

offline jupitah from Minneapolis (United States) on 2002-10-20 01:48 [#00409941]
Points: 3489 Status: Lurker | Followup to korben dallas: #00409854



that it is. complete paradox underlies all. i have trouble
not believing that physics is real, that nothing behaves
other than physical law allows, but at the same time i
cannot believe that my free will and consciousness are an
illusion. the paradox is the anser to itself in a way. to
understand you simply have to accept the mystery and feel it
rather comprehend it.


 

offline korben dallas from nz on 2002-10-20 04:12 [#00409977]
Points: 4605 Status: Regular



Aye .. this should be suitably topical.

"The world becomes fable, the world as such is only a fable.
A fable is something which is told, having no existence
outside the tale. The world is something which is told, an
event which is narrated; it is therefore an interpretation.
Religion, art, science, history are so many diverse
interpretations of the world, or rather, so many variants of
the fable." - Nietzsche



 

offline neetta from Finland on 2002-10-20 05:03 [#00409996]
Points: 5924 Status: Regular | Followup to Zeus: #00409917



i agree with you on this one.

it is so easy to think him as a superiority, but then again,
there are people who have known him before he was aphex twin
and at least the know he is normal.

i have met people before knowing they were some famous
artists and after you hear that it is easy to change
attitude. it must be so annoying from their side :)


 

offline jupitah from Minneapolis (United States) on 2002-10-20 16:42 [#00410480]
Points: 3489 Status: Lurker | Followup to neetta: #00409996



no, nobody is normal. we are all eccentric characters at
some depth, and the artists let some of that be seen. the
reaction is caused by the fact that he is god, as much as
the rest of us, and he has an outlet, his music.


 


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