There's a reason music has mattered to people for thousands of years. Across cultures and generations, we’ve treated it as more than entertainment—as a kind of language that can express what words can’t and help us connect with the meaning and mystery on the right side of our brain.
In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why that idea has endured and what modern science has to say about it. I also share two simple ways to amplify music’s positive effects, plus four practical strategies for building a music practice that fits your goals—so you can get more out of the music you already love.
And if you want to dive deeper into the music I love and listen to, go to: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/playlist
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Referenced:
• The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness
• The Pursuit of Happiness with Arthur Brooks
• The Meaning of Your Life Retreats
• Schopenhauer on music as the embodiment of Will
• Three Philosophies of Life: Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs, Peter Kreeft
• The Mozart effect: distinctive aspects of the music--a clue to brain coding?
• Prokofiev - The Love for Three Oranges
• The Stars and Stripes Forever
• The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (Official Music Video)
• The effects of different types of music on mood, tension, and mental clarity
• The influence of social situations on music listening
• Sadness and happiness are amplified in solitary listening to music
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