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I don't listen to anything because I think that music is something much more important than background noise.

• eelco 17y ago
  That's funny, I listen to music because I don't like background noise. (In fact, listening to music you're familiar with can help you focus since it shuts out other, irregular, distracting sounds.)
  • deleted 17y ago
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• nocman 17y ago
  Your statement seems to imply a couple of different things. Perhaps I have misjudged what you meant, and if I have please correct me. However, for the sake of discussion, here are the things your statement seem to imply to me: 1) the fact that you are playing something in the background suggests that you don't feel it it important. 2) Having something playing in the background, where full and undivided attention is not being given to it can have no positive influence on a person. I don't agree with either of those things. In fact, I would say that in many cases the opposite of both is most certainly true. As to the first, what a person has playing in the background at work or at home often very rightly defines the character of the person, and gives you great insight into what they believe, and what they hold dear. Regarding the second, I believe there is ample evidence to show that non-primary stimuli (call it subliminal, if you wish) can have a profound effect on the minds of people (either for good or for evil). I would be very interested to here your view on this, as well as the view of others on HN.
• philwelch 17y ago
  It depends. I might listen to ambient or trance when I'm working because it's designed to fit in the background, or I'm not interested in listening to it as music. But when I'm not working I listen to a lot more prog rock or metal. Or prog metal.