The Brain - On Music!

The brain. I've always been fascinated by the brain. And how brains study brains. And how the brain is pretty much a mystery to those who have brains. We know what a brain does, we use it all the time, but we don't really get how it works, or why, and we are convinced that there are vast stretches of our brains that are unknown, untouched, and maybe under-utilized. We know that our own brains can get us into all kinds of trouble. And then sometimes, the brain will surprise us by coughing up some little grains of wisdom.

Scientists over the years have dissected, electrified, lopped off, tranquilized, doped, and incapacitated brains. Sometimes we've actually considered these actions medically beneficial. But then, later, in hindsight, it all sort of looks like a grand hall of torture, and horror.

Lately the medical/scientific community loves to take pictures of the brain. MRIs. They stimulate a brain and watch it light up, and then make assumptions about what it all means. Lots of pretty pictures. Lots of lit up brain imagery. Science! Medicine!

Here's an article that tells us that when we listen to music our brain lights up in many different areas. Music has a different "room," or "channel" - a different pathway, than language. Some think our ancestors communicated via music, before we developed language. And we derive a special pleasure and good feeling listening to music. Any kind of music!

Well, sure. I think so. Pretty much! Music is sort like a brain massage. A vibratory mud bath! Good for the head, good for the body, with a direct connection to the soul. Good. I didn't need no stinking brain pictures to tell me that...