Could you imagine if your senses were interwired?
I recently read an article detailing the laboratory findings of VS Ramachandran, a revolutionary neuropsychologist headquartered at the University of California, San Diego. His studies on Synesthesia (succinctly, a mix-up of one’s sensory perceptions) detail the sensory disorder. People are reported to taste colors, hear numbers, et cetera. It opened up my eyes to how differently people with this affliction experience every sensory input. What if you were biologically prohibited from truly experiencing and, consequently, marveling at the incredible color and sound that envelops your environment, your existence, as a cognizant being? The beauty and breadth of our surroundings provide such a gift to our lives, and the ability to feel them is an unparalleled privilege. This week, I write on behalf of helping you realize and foster a mentality of utter appreciation for your senses, namely your ability to experience music, and its endless nuances of expression and emotion.
I presently sit in the Mac Lab in the atrium; Bose-clad, solemnly swept away by the somber, melancholy and yet delicate coo that is Thom Yorke’s mournful expression in Radiohead’s BBC radio-live recording of Sail To The Moon (Amnesiac, 2009.) I feel this artful expression so deeply, as do many. We all feel music that is meaningful to us, that speaks to us in cryptic, soulful melody and lyric. Imagine, if you will, a world in which you don’t have music: imagine it is simply manifested in a soundless manner, perhaps in color. Surely you appreciate color as well, but nothing parallels the enveloping complexity of good music. So, today and for the remainder of your awareness as a functional dweller of this beautiful earth, appreciate the simple yet profoundly meaningful ability to hear and experience music. With all the music ensuing in the very distant future—Youth Lagoon, MGMT, The Strokes (!!!!!) Baths, et cetera- I am confident in guessing that such appreciation will enhance your music experience in the months to come.
Happy listening.