Here's a new video conversation between me and metal fan and math-man James Ellias about Heavy Metal music and "anti-catharsis." Over the summer, in connection with my new book, we had gotten to talking about "what's going on" for people with hardcore taste in music. Because our conversation was so wide-ranging and generated a lot of insights, I thought it would be worth continuing on youtube, so that you could hear it too. James is totally blunt and fearless, but also willing to be challenged and to find new truth, so it was productive. Here are some of the topics we touch on:
- Catharsis vs anti-catharsis
- Self-understanding and unpacking the meaning of music
- Whether music is “just a sensation”
- How sensationalism in music is like pragmatism in philosophy
- Self-Referential/Self-Conscious Expression
- Stupid-making music
- The honesty of children
- Humor is disarming
- Self-Aware Expression and Parody
- Bootleg Romanticism
- Music as a utility versus a metaphysical statement
- How to deal with bad music that you like
- The effect of noise in music
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- Coen brothers movies
- Crime and Punishment
- “This is Spinal Tap”
- Pictures at an Exhibition
- Ayn Rand and Metaphysics of Man
- Apocolyptica
- Emo vs Screamo
- Metallica “One,” “The Outlaw Torn”
- Metalocolypse & Deathclock
- Cole Porter “Anything Goes”
- Rage Against the Machine
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