Would you know beauty if it were right in front of you?

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   Beth37posted 9 years ago

   "A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
   
   Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
   
   A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.
   
   A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
   
   The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
   
   In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
   
   No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
   
   Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
   
   This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
   
   One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
   
   If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw
   
   
   
   
   (http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bell.asp)

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      Minnetonka Twinposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I am speechless-what a interesting story with a very important message.

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         Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Indeed.

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      wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Even more fascinating was that the same experiment was done 77 years earlier (the Snopes article) by a child prodigy named Jacques Gordon.  Bell knew nothing of that earlier action so long before his own performance although he DID know of Gordon.
      
      But both artists played two of the same pieces, both artists were recognized by exactly one spectator and amazingly both artists had once played the same violin.  From 1991 through 2001 Bell played the same instrument that Gordon had played in the street performance in 1930.  For 11 years, Bell's fingers held the same ancient wood.

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      EncephaloiDeadposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      A more likely conclusion would be that many of those people passing by would most likely have loved to stop and listen, but couldn't because they had to be somewhere more important to their lives at that time, like making sure they were not late for work. This story really doesn't say much about missing anything, but more along the lines of a poor choice of timing and location.
      
      Had the location and timing been different in which people had the opportunity to stop and listen, they probably would have.

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         David Carlposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Like in the middle of Super Bowl halftime instead of what was actually offered up this evening as entertainment!

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   amiebutchkoposted 9 years ago

   Wow. That is so very sad, yet not surprising.  We must be missing so much!  I

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   Beth37posted 9 years ago

   A part of you wonders if there really is a time and a place for everything, but then another part of you wonders how tight fisted our worlds have become if we don't allow small rays of light inside when they're offered free of charge.

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   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   I don't care if the best musician in the world in in the Metro.  If I have to catch that train to get to work, to get paid, to pay the bills... I am not stopping.  Commuting spaces are were I travel, not where I listen to music.

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      Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Obviously, you are among the norm.

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         psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I don't see anything wrong with it.  Is the assumption that listening to beautiful music should always be a trump experience everyone drops their job, mission and baby for?   I don't see why.  It is not in short supply. Nor is it even important to everyone.  Beauty comes in many forms and not everyone cares for this variety.

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   Zeeshan Aminposted 9 years ago

   In the rush of accomplising our mundane tasks, we seldom recognize the beauty around us. Sad but a norm.

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   BigBlue54posted 9 years ago

   I have seen this because my daughter posted it on her FaceBook page.
   
   It's sad when peoples lives wont allow us to stop and appreciate something like this.

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      Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It is a shame.

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   David Carlposted 9 years ago

   I am sure this happens to me every day, right on my own home, right in my own backyard, everywhere and anywhere I am. There is so much beauty in the world. We may as well be blind. Blinded by me and I, and mine, and mine and mine and mine.......

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      Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      That's a good point. How much beauty goes on in our own homes that we miss?

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   calculus-geometryposted 9 years ago

   If they're good, I do pause to appreciate it and give them a little something.  Unfortunately, the calibre of street musician where I live is not very good, so I don't often have the opportunity. 
   
   There used to be bag lady around where I live who just played the same note on a recorder.  She's not around any more though. Maybe a talent scout discovered her and she's living the sweet life of a pop star a la Justin Bieber.

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      BigBlue54posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Poor thing is probably sat in a police cell high on drugs with a smashed up sports car.

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         calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         She also accompanied her music with a bizarre dance and crazy eyes. Quite a performance.

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   David Carlposted 9 years ago

   They used to talk about her in the pen: Ole Money Baggs C Note

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      BigBlue54posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I'll not ask how you know her in the pen.

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      calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      ha ha!

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    So...this discussion was about how we often miss out on the beauty in our lives, every day, because we walk through the train stations of life  and miss hearing violins playing something like Bach and seeing little ole ladies placing dollar bills into instrument cases because we are too busy going to work.
    
    In this case, the little ole lady was Money Baggs C Note and it was Penn Station not Grand Central.
    
    David Carl has nothing to hide.

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       It would make a good hub.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    What might be some  names for such a hub as this?

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       The First Chair Diva of Penn Station.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    I will read it, if you create it. It;s a great story and I'm sure Ole Lady Baggs would sing a note or two when it comes out as well.

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Are we still talking about calculus geometry's story? I thought that woman disappeared.

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          calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          What've you got against one-note bag lady? Surely you of all people can tolerate a little thread derailment now and then.  Stop and appreciate the beauty of it, right before your eyes.

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             Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

             Why did you think I had a problem with it? I said it would make a good hub, I just didn't feel like I was following what David was saying.

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                calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                It's so hard to convey nuance through text, isn't it?
                
                I guess I'll go back to organizing my quilt patterns and archiving old lesson plans. Then I'll compose a new ring tone for my phone to commemorate Ms. Baggz before she got famous.

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                   Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                   I will refrain from hilarious comment in fear of retribution. lol

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                      calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                      Please post hilarious comment.  What I'm doing is so boring right now.  And husband is doing something super-serious and can't be bothered to amuse me.

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                         Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                         I was faking it, I don't have anything.

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                            calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                            Dang, back to work for me.

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                               Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                               Don't forget your abacus.

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                               David Carlposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                               Mrs. Baggs had a son. He was called Bang Baggs. Bang Baggs liked guns.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    You are talking about the Mrs Baggs...I'm sorry...that would take some work wouldn't it...she probably had quite a tale to tell....and where did she go once she crashed her car?
    Life can be confusing.... no wonder she ended up on drugs...

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       It's like I walked into a forum thread and had no idea what anyone was talking about... so much like that.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    I'm sorry, I guess I haven't really been much help here. The thread kind of got split and I blew on it and it kind of drifted off into dreamland.

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Don't worry about it. If it was meant to find it's way back, it will.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    I think it has been one of the most entertaining threads I have answered. Thank you very much!

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       If we're gonna go off topic, let's do it right... Here's a Whole Foods recipe link. mmmm
       
       http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    Lol.

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    BigBlue54posted 9 years ago

    There are times when we should stop our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.

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       Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       That's a really good quote, did you come up with it or are you quoting someone? Just curious.

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          BigBlue54posted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Not sure. I think it's mine but I do like reading quotes so whether I have read it or it is something I have distilled from another quote or all my own work I could not say. Just seemed apt.

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             Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

             Well Im going to quote you on FB 'cause it's a really good one.

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                BigBlue54posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                Be my guest.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    It shut me up.

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    Remigijusposted 9 years ago

    What could one expect from the squirrels running up the treadmill? They just have to run faster in order to stay in the same place. All their life is spent chasing a mirage, just like greyhounds chase a fake hare on the track. Missing all the beauty on their way, they found an ugly gaping grave hole.

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    I think that there is something to be said for finding our niche in life and filling it to the best of our ability. Squirrels and greyhounds  have their niche to fill and so do we. Running may be part of it for everyone. I am thankful for the years that I could run. I am thankful for those experiences and the thoughts that I had during those times. I can't do that anymore, so  have had to find other niches to fill instead.

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    Remigijusposted 9 years ago

    In many cases finding a purpose ends up in accepting being pigeonholed in a particular situation because everyone does that. There is no alternative until it's tried. No pain no gain:)

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    David Carlposted 9 years ago

    What you are striving for makes a difference. Striving for the sake of striving, even if you become the best at something, may just take you down a path that is away from your purpose. A bigger job may fill your ego but may not be what is the plan for your life. Maybe we need to strive to be OK as we are, with less, so that less really is more, especially where beauty is concerned.

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