The Person I'm Next To Really Wants To Listen To the Music Of the Person next to him

I'm next to these two guys. One has a brown fitted sweater, and expensive-looking jeans on, he is a musician, but more on that later. The other has a striped button-up that is buttoned all the way up, but in a way that communicates a hip fashionista vibe, rather than a waspy serial killer vibe. This one is a truth-teller but more on that later.

The musician, sitting down, is describing his composition technique. The truth-teller, standing, is shifting from foot to foot in a way that makes me think this monologue has been going on for a bit all while making the noises that humans make when they are engaged: grunts of affirmation, thoughtful repetitions of the last word the musician has said, the occasional drawn-out 'oooooh'.

This breaks down slightly when the musician asks about the tracks he sent over to the truth-teller, "Did you listen to those songs I sent yet?" There is suddenly a long pause.

This is the start of a call and response, it is a formula divorced from the honest reality of the situation. The Potential Audience may hate the Creator's creation, they may love it, they may have completely forgotten it, but however, their response is preordained.

Creator: "What did you think?"

Potential Audience: "Yeah, it was great."
--or--
Potential Audience: "Oh, not yet, it's on my list."

It's like asking someone, "How are you", and hearing "I'm good." This may be true, it may be a lie, it may be the equivalent of an instinctual kneejerk, but both parties have been in through this formula so many times that it's lost the ability to really convey useful meaning like culture-wide semantic satiation.

In this case, truth-teller knows this, so when that long pause ends he responds, "Oh, not yet, it's on my list." The musician nods completing the ritual.

But the truth-teller presses on. "I mean it, I really really mean it. I am sorry I haven't gotten to it yet. I really will listen soon." This bald sincerity unnerves the musician who mutters and tries to look away. But, the truth-teller presses on, he stops shifting his feet. He makes eye-contact. "It's not alright that I haven't done it, but I will definitely listen soon, I promise."

This solemn vow is the final straw. The musician packs up rushing into the cold day carrying the coat he doesn't take the time to put on, his mutter thank yous and goodbyes still lingering after he is gone.

Is this honesty a better path? Do Creators want sincere commentary from every Potential Audience? Is that even helpful? Is that the road to a creative eutopia, or Boaty McBoatface?

Whatever you think about what I have written here, I can't trust your response.

Comments

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