It’s a hot day outside and I was planning on doing some editing on my lunch break but it seems that that ship has sailed. That’s okay, however, because I’m here now. I’m writing something, but I’m thinking about things big and small, or rather ideas larger than myself.

Currently thinking about colonialism in music, or rather a specific kind of music, and I’m thinking about how intentional that colonialism was or not. It’s prevalent; it’s there, but I’m of the side that there wasn’t any intent to take over narrative as it seems that was decided more by the masses and how they enjoyed the music, though I guess the music itself was too willing to enable that. It’s enjoyable music, but there are ways in which it can be viewed and ways it endears itself to certain views, and little, if anything out there is above critique.

This kind of thinking (and eventual writing about) I think is good, so long as the thought can be explored and analysed as it can make us think about our relationship when it comes to interaction with culture. What are we actually looking at? How do we experience this thing and what do we get from it? Are we complicit in actions and views we may not be aware of, and if so, how do we become aware of them? Are those views disagreeable, and if so, why?

When it comes to music (specifically, as this can be applied to multiple forms of many things, naturally) there’s always the risk of going down a path that is too critical. At the same time this kind of thinking helps us better understand and perhaps better appreciate it, or at least that which isn’t problematic in some manner. It’s something that requires careful balancing because it’s easy to swing too far one way and sometimes you don’t realise, so then you’ve got more work to do.

But yeah; I’m thinking about music and I’m thinking about colonialism in specific forms of music. I’m thinking about who is telling who’s story, and who does and does not have a right to control the voice.

I’m thinking about a lot of things, and I’m wondering how much out there that puts forward the genuine ends up having the subject it puts forward viewed more as novelty, and people moving on… you know, those sorts of things.

I’m wondering if I’m thinking in a way I never thought I’d think, but I’m guessing this is a natural conclusion to a lot of thinking and reexamining many things I’ve listened to and experienced over the years.

Music is a wonderful form of art, and there’s always so much out there, and I get that people just want to listen and tune out, but I think we have an obligation to think about what we listen to. I think it’s good to do, because we might learn something about ourselves, and grow our understanding of place and identity.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 09:14:25

Not the worst speed, but a bit slow.

I wrote this yesterday and I guess I decided to sit on it for some reason. Mostly laziness.

Written at work.