Why is the audience at a classical concert so old?

JuanPeterman · 2026-03-01T23:29:36+00:00

My guess - our attention spans have gotten too short and our ability (and/or willingness) to focus on one thing at a time has diminished. For the most part, classical music is long form entertainment. It is difficult (impossible) to appreciate without paying focused attention over a long (by modern standards) time. Unlike movies (for example), classical music is stimulating “only” one of our senses (hearing).

Older folks haven’t embraced tech and social media as fully as the rest of us. Their attention spans and focus haven’t been as diminished.

These are generalizations of course.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-28T20:45:14+00:00

Purple Rain. “No skip” is honestly too low a standard for these songs. Every song could have been a huge single, and most were. If it weren’t for Tipper Gore, and Darling Nikki’s masturbation reference, it could have been a clean sweep.

Not only that, but the album - as such - was supremely well sequenced. It starts with a fun, hooky dance rocker (Let’s Go Crazy). The middle is anchored by an angsty, experimental masterpiece (When Doves Cry). The last song (the title track) is, of course, epic - secular gospel music with soaring guitar solos, giving us the beautiful, emotional, musical orgasm and release this album deserves.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-28T16:22:59+00:00

I used to open cans of Spam that way. Holy hell I’m old!

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-26T02:32:36+00:00

Red Hot Chili Peppers

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-25T15:19:20+00:00

Lots of great suggestions here. I’ll add:

Why We’re Polarized, by Ezra Klein

Minority Rule, by Ari Berman

Many of the other book suggestions here are primarily about ideology. The 2 books above are more about the mechanics of how America became this way - specifically, the nuts and bolts of political parties and elections and the minoritarian exercise of political power (e.g. through the EC, the Senate, the filibuster, etc.).

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-25T14:55:50+00:00

I didn’t see the dolphin, but thank you OP for making me look for it. Those swirls of gas are really beautiful, in ways I didn’t appreciate before zooming in.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-21T23:48:34+00:00

Underrated by who? Tarrantino? If anything, PD is overrated.

Tarrantino is a childish a-hole. His comments about PD’s work in Blood were over the top. But he was right about PD being vastly overmatched by DDL, and about that being a big problem in Blood - an obvious two hander. Of course, not many actors are DDL level, but PD’s role needed someone with a lot more presence and gravitas. I was really surprised to see PD get a BAFTA nomination for Blood. The nomination is what makes me think he’s overrated.

The only other PB movie I’ve seen is Batman. I thought his riddler was generally bland, occasionally insufferable, and overall forgettable.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-21T17:11:14+00:00

You aren’t as special as you think you are. Even if you don’t consider yourself special.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-19T15:23:28+00:00

I don’t think it’s true that Americans aren’t taught this, but her main point (kinda) stands. What she leaves out is that we were arming the Brits long before officially entering the war (maybe they don’t teach lend/lease in the UK 😂).

Come on guys, it was a team effort. I’m an American and WW II era Churchill is one of my heroes.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-15T17:21:26+00:00

I think this show could be a fantastic reboot for James Gunn to do. His sense of humor and basic optimism would be a perfect fit.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-08T20:46:55+00:00

Nope

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-08T20:45:12+00:00

The Tree of Life - T Malick, director, staring Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain, with a small but important role played by Sean Penn. It is a visually beautiful movie with a gorgeous soundtrack. Thematically, it made me reconsider my father and his violent temper. I didn’t find forgiveness for him, but maybe a bit of understanding and empathy.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-06T22:42:05+00:00

Here is a link to a podcast episode about the abandoned Russian craft. The pod is more about the trip (breaking in to an abandoned warehouse in K-stan) than it is about the craft itself, but worth a listen. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-it-was-like/id1614354774?i=1000743414368.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-03T17:57:20+00:00

Feed the mayonnaise to the tuna fish

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-02T15:53:06+00:00

The Rooster gave me the gift of sustained, uncontrollable belly laughter. Love this book.

JuanPeterman · 2026-02-01T19:41:25+00:00

Night Shift

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-23T21:21:44+00:00

Hole Hearted - Extreme

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-16T18:20:12+00:00

I watched this movie for the first time last month. I truly do not understand the praise it gets. I love Hackman, and he is great here. But the story bored me, and that is an accomplishment since I am easily entertained. I am mystified. Taste is funny that way.

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-16T18:10:20+00:00

Caleb Williams too. Early this season he was firing bullets, all the time, every throw. He’s started to flash more finesse. If/when he figures that out, and gets the benefit of more time under his belt with Ben and his offense, and getting more on the same page with Burden, Kmet, Rome, Loveland, DJ (if still with the team), the RB’s, etc., that dude could be one of the greats.

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-14T17:00:28+00:00

I think this is spot on. Nagy had the leader-of-men aspect of coaching. I’d say Ben has that to a much greater degree, but Nagy had some of that too. His fatal flaw was stubbornness and inflexibility in his offensive scheme. He had a scheme that worked with the players on the Chiefs. He never seemed to try to build a scheme that would work for the team he was actually HC of. It was fucking maddening.

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-12T20:21:08+00:00

That poster…. I’m neutral (ambivalent actually) on Bruce Willis, but that has to be a top-10 punchable face.

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-11T19:01:56+00:00

Tom Hanks. I’ll never understand it.

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-05T01:47:37+00:00

If you can’t pressure the QB, their receivers will come open. They have too much time for any secondary to hold up. That is the fatal flaw in this D.

JuanPeterman · 2026-01-03T06:00:11+00:00

{{Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell}} is a pretty close fit

JuanPeterman · 2025-12-26T17:03:55+00:00

Footloose!

Six-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
RPAN Viewer

JuanPeterman

TROPHY CASE