But to dismiss an entire genre of music because you lack a sense of curiosity is, in my estimation, intellectually lazy.

Now that you have a choice between two of ‘em, buy my CD(s).

Sure, which is why I said that it’s “not that the music is bad or anything (quite the opposite, I’m sure), but I just don’t find any satisfaction from popping in a jazz album.”

There is such a thing as taste too, though. I fully acknowledge that classic music can be well-written, rhythmic, etc. I just don’t like it. Is that okay?

No. Music IS an objective thing. There is such a thing as well written harmonies, melodies and rhythms.

In other words, Duke Ellington was absolutely right:

There’s only two kinds of music: Good and Bad.

It’s not shocking that the person who has railed against “intellectuals” on so many occasions is such an anti-thinker when it comes to the arts.

Also, did you notice how pretty much everyone you listed as country artists is from a few decades ago? I’m primarily talking about current country music. I love Cash, and some of those other guys are okay. I can’t stand the newer “She thinks my tractor is sexy” excrement.

2) Like I already said, it’s a combination between good lyrics and certain genres of music. Personally, I’m more of a rock guy myself. Metallica (their early 90′s stuff), Smashing Pumpkins, U2, etc. with a little Linkin Park and Cake mixed in for good measure. More power to ya if you love classic or jazz or blues or whatever, just not my bag.

There’s no pickiness to what you said. Just intolerance and ignorance.

1) All country music is bad or stupid? Let’s look here…

Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
Waylon Jennings
David Allen Coe
Emmylou Harris
The Mavericks
Carl Perkins
Elvis
Bill Haley
Bob Wills
Hank Williams, Sr

The list goes on. Elvis didn’t write his own music, but everyone else on that list did, and they made or are making some of the most poignant music of theirs or any genre. So, saying COUNTRY music is bad, instead of saying, “I don’t know” is ignorant.

2) You don’t like jazz because you don’t like instrumental music? Uhhh, errr, hmmm, no. That’s not being picky. That’s not knowing about fantastic vocalists like Ray Charles, Joe Williams, Cassandra Wilson, Les McCann, Lou Rawls, etc, etc, etc. Give ‘em a listen.

click on my name and you’ll find an awful lot of vocal music on that there web page these days.

It’s not about not being allowed to have an opinion.

But you know how you want everyone to know the facts about global warming before they spout off?

Yeah, that.

How was I being a jerk? I was just trying to inject humor into an otherwise volatile conversation. You used to end all your rants with “now buy my CD” so I thought I would harken back to that. As for me not liking jazz or blues… am I not allowed to have an opinion without being called an idiot? I don’t care to listen to the stuff. It’s not that the music is bad or anything (quite the opposite, I’m sure), but I just don’t find any satisfaction from popping in a jazz album. Same goes for classical music or country… I can’t stand the stuff. Personally, I like my music with lyrics (and not stupid lyrics like country). Instrumental music doesn’t float my boat (with a couple exceptions). I’m pretty picky.

1) Fine. But then don’t be a jerk about it either. That said, anyone that makes blanket statements like that should wear a shirt that says, “I have no idea what I am talking about.” Every genre of music, ESPECIALLY jazz and blues, is too big to make a blanket statement like that.

2) When it comes to something like global warming, both the chicken littles on the left AND those proclaiming it a scam on the right should both be taken with a deer lick of salt.

The logical default position should be “maybe, and we should probably act as if it might be an issue.”

3) Darius, maybe you would have, maybe you wouldn’t. Certainly better words could have been used.

4) Well, you support a war in Iraq that we can’t afford to pay for without mortgaging our future to the Chinese. Phrase it however you want, Bush, Cheney and everyone else knew that we’d go into debt by going there, and they went anyway. And y’all supported them.

5) Vote libertarian or Constitutionalist party. Go ahead and lose the election, and let one of those two parties qualify for federal funding in the next cycle. Obama will not ruin the country in four years (we’re still standing after 8 years of shrub…), and how much would the Republicans HAVE to become the party of Goldwater, Paul, Buckley and even Reagan again in the face of THAT?

Give me a TRUE conservative (fiscal conservative/civil libertarian) and even I might vote for them.

Re: your CD… I don’t like jazz or blues. Nuf said.

2) I was called an idiot for claiming that global warming was a scam. Having likely read more about the subject than the other two combined, I found it hypocritical that calling it a scam was derogatory of those who had fallen for it while calling me an idiot was just fine. Enough rehashing of that topic, cooler heads prevailed.

3) “Had Ferg, John or I used those words, you’d have been all over it.”
This is not true, and you know it (or should know it by now). It was obvious to anyone without a bone to pick that Nathan was speaking metaphorically, and I would have read it the same way if you had said it. I know you and Nathan enough to know when you’re being literal.

4) “But mortgaging our future to the Chinese for a mismanaged war in Iraq is totally the conservative policy of choice.”
Do you see anyone here supporting that mehod of funding? Do ya? Or are you just tilting at windmills?

5) “And how many of the “conservatives” here voted for Bush in 2004, after we’d already gotten 4 years’ taste of his “conservatism”?”

What options did we have? Vote for a social conservative, fiscal “conservative” or vote for a social liberal, fiscal liberal, and traitor to boot? I suppose you could say that it was an easy choice.

1) I actually do have a new CD getting ready to be pressed. Quit being a jerk and buy one.

2) You DO belittle anyone that doesn’t agree with you (the thread that got turned into a debate about global warming recently was a classic. You went from zero to hysterical in no time)

3) Nathan should certainly be smart enough that to use better words than “blow up”. Had Ferg, John or I used those words, you’d have been all over it.

4) “Nathan just got done saying how throwing money at problems is never the answer (at least, domestic problems).”

But mortgaging our future to the Chinese for a mismanaged war in Iraq is totally the conservative policy of choice.

5) “…that everyone here (besides you and your liberal brethren) believes that government should be limited and spending should be cut.”

And how many of the “conservatives” here voted for Bush in 2004, after we’d already gotten 4 years’ taste of his “conservatism”?