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The Beatles are like Tolkien. They had to happen for us to land where we did. Without Tolkien we don't get modern fantasy. Without the Beatles we don't get meta

The Beatles are like Tolkien. They had to happen for us to land where we did. Without Tolkien we don't get modern fantasy. Without the Beatles we don't get metal, punk, glam rock, etc. I think rap is probably the only modern genre that doesn't trace its lineage to the Beatles.

JohnBooty 4y ago
Yeah. I don't think that anybody needs to like a particular piece of art, but nearly all art is enhanced by some contextual awareness on the audience's behalf. When I see people dunking on the Beatles or Tolkien, I think wow, there is a person who's really dedicated to not giving a crap about those forms of art. Which is... fine, but what a loss. You can stroll around a museum and treat strictly as a picture gallery, devoid of all context, or you can really get into things on a whole other level. So many famous works really come to life that way. Either choice is okay.
- monkpit 4y ago
  > wow, there is a person who's really dedicated to not giving a crap about those forms of art “You’re entitled to your opinion, but if you don’t agree with me you must not be capable of enjoying music”
  - JohnBooty 4y ago
    I'm specifically referring to people dunking on the Beatles, not the much much larger group of people who just don't like them or don't care.
- moron4hire 4y ago
  I don't care for your assertion of only two sides: "Beatles fans" and "those who don't put effort into understanding art." In point of fact, all I really said was that "I don't get it". I specifically stayed completely away from making any kind of direct, critical judgement of the Beatles themselves. Maybe you might be able to see how one might see such replies as overly-defensive.
  - JohnBooty 4y ago
    I don't care for your assertion of only two sides: "Beatles fans" and "those who don't put effort into understanding art." Well, that's an obnoxious assertion and I don't like it either so I suppose we agree on something. However, that's not the assertion I made. Not even close. I specifically said "those forms of art", not "art" in totality. I'm sure there's a lot of art you enjoy. I also referred specifically to those who feel the need to dunk on the Beatles, not merely people who don't care for them. It's absolutely incomprehensible to me when people go out of their way to click on an article about artist XYZ simply so they can tell the world how they don't understand or don't like that artist. What an odd impulse. Anything about the Beatles seems to draw out this sort of reaction (and counter-reaction, and counter-counter-reaction...)
- adastra22 4y ago
  Is their music good (enjoyable) and Is their music influential are two totally different and unrelated questions. It is entirely possible that their music was downright terrible and unenjoyable, yet nevertheless influential for unrelated reasons. This is my opinion too, fwiw.

JohnBooty 4y ago

Yeah. I don't think that anybody needs to like a particular piece of art, but nearly all art is enhanced by some contextual awareness on the audience's behalf. When I see people dunking on the Beatles or Tolkien, I think wow, there is a person who's really dedicated to not giving a crap about those forms of art. Which is... fine, but what a loss. You can stroll around a museum and treat strictly as a picture gallery, devoid of all context, or you can really get into things on a whole other level. So many famous works really come to life that way. Either choice is okay.

monkpit 4y ago
> wow, there is a person who's really dedicated to not giving a crap about those forms of art “You’re entitled to your opinion, but if you don’t agree with me you must not be capable of enjoying music”
- JohnBooty 4y ago
  I'm specifically referring to people dunking on the Beatles, not the much much larger group of people who just don't like them or don't care.
moron4hire 4y ago
I don't care for your assertion of only two sides: "Beatles fans" and "those who don't put effort into understanding art." In point of fact, all I really said was that "I don't get it". I specifically stayed completely away from making any kind of direct, critical judgement of the Beatles themselves. Maybe you might be able to see how one might see such replies as overly-defensive.
- JohnBooty 4y ago
  I don't care for your assertion of only two sides: "Beatles fans" and "those who don't put effort into understanding art." Well, that's an obnoxious assertion and I don't like it either so I suppose we agree on something. However, that's not the assertion I made. Not even close. I specifically said "those forms of art", not "art" in totality. I'm sure there's a lot of art you enjoy. I also referred specifically to those who feel the need to dunk on the Beatles, not merely people who don't care for them. It's absolutely incomprehensible to me when people go out of their way to click on an article about artist XYZ simply so they can tell the world how they don't understand or don't like that artist. What an odd impulse. Anything about the Beatles seems to draw out this sort of reaction (and counter-reaction, and counter-counter-reaction...)
adastra22 4y ago
Is their music good (enjoyable) and Is their music influential are two totally different and unrelated questions. It is entirely possible that their music was downright terrible and unenjoyable, yet nevertheless influential for unrelated reasons. This is my opinion too, fwiw.