Judgement Can Wait
In a world that feels increasingly polarized—where algorithms seem to know exactly which buttons to push—it’s hard not to notice how easily I can slip into quick judgments. "Like" "Dislike" "Agree" "Disagree" "Judge" and move on without much of a second thought. The quick escape has it's role in today's lifestyle - in behavioral science we categorize this as avoidance behavior. Eliminating some uncomfortable thought or task for just long enough to feel better, and what better way to do it than with a quick pick up of our phone and a swipe on an app. It's no coincidence that corporations have hacked our brains to the point where it's hard to discern casual fun with brain-altering outcomes.
I’ve been paying more attention to my own place in this world of algorithms - what, if anything, can be done to move the needle in a more healthy direction? How do we flex our brain muscles to stay aware, open and curious… even if only for a few seconds longer than our current (and constructed…$$$) environments would naturally promote?
Art—especially music—has always meant something to me. A place where I can form my own opinion about what an artist is putting out into the world on my own terms. I think it's a great small opportunity to practice a few of the skills we are starting to lose control over.
There’s something about music that cuts through the noise. Not in a loud way, but in a focused one. You don’t really “consume” music the same way you scroll through a feed. You have to sit with it a bit. Let it unfold. Pay attention long enough for it to turn into something. That pause - thinking - is one of the most critical in our repertoire of self-worth, independence, happiness….the list goes on.
Music doesn’t tell you what to think. It doesn’t hand you a conclusion. The meaning isn’t sitting there waiting for you to agree or disagree with it. You have to meet it halfway.
Letting an artist take me somewhere without my immediate judgement on their intentions feels right in a world where we’re conditioned to do the opposite. Closing my eyes and appreciating the thought behind the music feels healthy. I never turn away from that experience with the same eerie uncertainty I sometimes do when I consume from a corporate algorithm.
