Jjeorge

Speaking of the ACA, I saw something, somewhere (too lazy to go back and look at the moment, perhaps later) about McConnell and Boehner wanting to work at repealing it come next Congress. Does anyone else think this is probably not a great idea? Unless they can manage to get 14 (?) Senate Democrats to agree with them, and thereby achieve a veto-proof majority, it won't go anywhere. Obama's not going to sign any outright repeal of his darling little baby, and he probably won't budge a single inch on any facet of it. All the Republicans will "accomplish" by focusing too much on the ACA is a giant waste of time that could be spent on other important things, and an opening of themselves to charges that this election was just a tantrum about Obamacare.

I originally said this might belong more in psychology than music because it was less about the music itself doing the weirdness, and more the message. The pieces without words (or rather, words I can understand) do not have the same effect on me as the others. I was thinking it could be something about whatever good there is in religious philosophy, and the abject lack of those things in "orthodox" Objectivism, at least how I've understood it. Forgiveness, for example, so long as it's not taken too far. (I have never liked the idea of Hitler getting into heaven, even when I was a church-goer.) Also, what is "Objectivish"? Is this a pun of some sort, or a real (or even made up) "term"?

So should military service be a prerequisite to becoming President, then? And is not serving in the military necessarily a sign of cowardice?

Alas, I have tried my whole life (which admittedly is not exactly a huge amount of time) to get rid of my sentimental streak... But whenever it goes away for a spell, it just comes back even stronger. I'm a sucker for this sort of thing.

You guys are so much classier than I. The songs that I've cried to in the past, as far as actual sad songs go, were focused on.. well, girl trouble, I guess. So there was this one when I developed feelings for a girl I had known for quite some time, and couldn't seem to bear being just friends with her: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7odhYxiuxc And then when she dumped me on the night before prom, and then showed up to it with one of my best friends: This one in particular is one where I dislike a lot of the lyrics. "Am I better off dead?" Probably not. "If she seems how much I'm hurting, she'll take me back for sure." That would horrify me. Sounds too much like pity. Looking back on the stuff now, it seems that resonating with these songs is an indication that something is wonky, because they're just appalling to me when I'm actually happy. Recently, I've taken to more uplifting songs though. Usually they're pretty simple things, mostly the songs we played in band that I liked, such as: (We seem to be developing a trend of 3 videos per post.)

... This is the tune of my high school's alma mater. I'd heard it was some Christmas song, but I guess not.

Thanks for bringing up such an interesting topic. Music is an amazing language. It's the mathematics of the heart, and that's why it can reach so deeply within us. Strangely enough this song deeply moves me even though I have absolutely nothing to do with the country involved. (don't laugh now... ) Greg I figured it would be more interesting than talk of how lonely/bored/etc. I've been feeling since moving here. "Mathematics of the heart." I love that! And I agree... Despise the USSR, for obvious reasons, but the anthem is great. I'll be listening to it a few times for the next few days, I think.

This is a good point. I have this love/hate relationship with "modern" music because of it. The kind that people my age like to blare at parties, I mean. (Though rap and the more annoying kinds of hip hop are still a no-go for me.) I love the way they sound, but sometimes the lyrics are repugnant. I haven't actually looked into the lyrics, but some songs by Imagine Dragons strike me as anti-capitalist, which is unfortunate because, once I catch some of the lyrics, I find it impossible to block them out. And sometimes, you just can't rationalize things to something that fits with your worldview. (Something that seems to be necessary with a lot of things, these days.)

First, if this belongs more in some other sub forum, I apologize. (Psychology? Music?) Moving on: I come from a family that is entirely religious, to varying degrees. Consequently, I used to be rather religious too. I never really went to church, except when I was little. And looking back on it, the only reason I enjoyed it then was because I liked it when we sang stuff, and we got to play outside a lot. But I'd always been religious to a degree. Just before my reading of Atlas, and thereby my "conversion" to Objectivism, I started getting more into it. I never really thought about religion much at all, but my life had been rather ho-hum up to that point, and I thought "Hey, maybe I'm missing a closer relationship to God." Sooo, I started listening to some religious music more, and had eventually planned on going to church... I never did the latter, but I got really into the music. Then, the election of 2012 happened. People here like to boast that we're "the reddest state in the union," and indeed, not a single county here is that awful blue on election maps, but my high school seemed INFESTED with Obama supporters. The gloating was ridiculous... All this inspired me to read Atlas Shrugged, which turned me to Objectivism... And thus, Atheism. I really liked it, because I've always had this problem with religious morals. The whole "give up everything for the poor" didn't resonate with me at all, and that's why I never liked church after it stopped being about singing and playing outside... So I thought "This is awesome." And still mostly do. But I've noticed something: Whenever I listen to the religious music I used to love, I get this really weird feeling that I can't explain. Usually, it makes me cry. A really depressed cry, too. (This actually makes sense with some songs: I had been to a total of 27 funerals by the time I was 15. Thankfully, none since then, but songs like I Can Only Imagine make me think of the people I miss, so it makes sense that these upset me... Amazing Grace makes me happy, though.) This is so weird, and I have no idea what's going on. I find it very interesting, though. Has anyone else here had anything remotely like a similar experience?

So far it seems that way. It's also the only interesting course I'm taking at the moment, unfortunately. I find myself procrastinating from doing my boring Chem I homework in favor of unnecessary reading on logic, a lot of which doesn't even pertain to the course. >.< And isn't this just the negation of freedom?

Haha, thanks for this. I've spent the last half hour watching her stuff. She is hilarious. I wonder how many Leftists insult her accent and say she's a backwards redneck... The same Leftists who would say it's wrong to stereotype, or some such.

Allow me to refuse to let it be two: Hello, people of OL! I'm a 19-year-old, first-year college student at the University of Tulsa, studying Chemical Engineering. I'm ashamed to say that a lot of my life, I have been a shut-in, and feel as if there's not a lot to fill in the "interests" category with. But there are for sure a few things: I've always loved running, and the emotional effect it can have. I've never done it regularly though, and I'm starting to do it now, because this place is really, really peaceful at night, and it's beyond perfect for a going for a run. (Also, I think some of it has to do with the fact that my roommate is rather buff... Puts me to shame and makes me want to do *some* form of exercise.. Which I admit is probably "second-handed.") I also adore the French Horn and piano. I've played the former since the second semester of 6th grade, when our inability to pay for my rent-to-own trumpet forced the company to confiscate it, and thereby me to switch. In retrospect, I'm far better off for it. I'm also a rabid fan of camping, in general. I used to think it was a love of nature, or some such, and perhaps it partially is, but I've found that what I really enjoy is the solitude of it, and the ability to "live in the moment" that I seem to have only "out there." My story regarding O'ism is pretty standard: Moody teenager reads Atlas Shrugged, becomes Randroid. I found this site because of my Logic class. We started discussing this whole existential import thing, and it confused the tar out of me. I thought something was funky about it. So naturally, I Googled it. Google gave me more funkiness, so my Randroid self attached Objectivism to the search terms... Enter OL. I've been reading some stuff here for the past few months, and I think the view of Objectivism here is much better than what I had before. I know it's subjective, but I feel much healthier, intellectually, because of it. So I just want to thank everyone here for their awesomeness. (That is, the ones I've seen so far.) I'm not sure if I'll post much else, but I figured I should stop being an anonymous lurker. Perhaps I'll find some interesting people to talk to, which I have yet to accomplish since moving here this August.