What are the greatest benefits...

[Janet Spangenberg]

What are the greatest benefits you get or hope to get from the Composers' Forum?

I'll start:
I get to be around, and learn from others who enjoy composing (this isn’t an activity I get to share with my face-to-face friends). I enjoy hearing the projects people are working on, and when people post about their favorite composers. Hearing about others’ thought processes gives me more confidence in my own. I’ve also gotten great advice for working out problems in a composition. Life events have pulled me away from composing in the past year, and I’m hoping to get inspired to get back to work.

How about you?

[michael diemer]

Bob, you get it. Ondib and Adrian, when you figure out how to establish world peace, let me know and I will nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm not holding my breath.

As for Europe finally being at peace, this has more to do with America saving its ass in two world wars. Along with thermonuclear weapons, which have rendered all-out war too horrible to contemplate for all but the most most extreme terrorist organizations. These are the true barbarians, not the armed forces which exist to counter them.

We live on a violent planet, in a violent universe. Everything on earth is basically trying to eat everything else. just turn on your favorite nature show and see it close-up and personal. and the universe itself has been engaging in a brutal process of explosions and obliterations since, well, the big bang. Take it up with the Deity.

[Adrian Allan]

How to establish world peace?

Change the way money works.

Mankind is not inherently violent. I would rather kill myself than kill another human being.

Those who subscribe to the mantra of infinite growth, chiefly those who run the USA and UK , are driving mankind off the edge of a cliff, invading new territories to defeat fictional terrorists. The terrorists are staring back at them in the mirror.

You cannot have infinte growth on an finite planet.

You dont understand how debt driven growth and resource wars (both political decisions) have put violence into hyperdrive.
Some of us are waking up.

[Janet Spangenberg]

My apologies Ondib, for not realizing you were serious. The motto of this site may be "Composers Unite!", but I don't think we'll ever see the possibility of us to all agree. Beyond hoping this site will produce far reaching goals as World Peace, is there anything here that is beneficial to you personally regarding composing?

Adrian, I pose the same question to you, how has/could this site help you in your composing?

Ondib Olmnilnlolm said:

 But what is the motto of this site?

 

“Composers Unite!”

 

We can figure these things out together.  Let’s not live alone, and cede the Earth to those who unite for the sake of the base motives of commercialism, greed and the lowest common denominator.

[Adrian Allan]

It is ultimately lazy to think that wars just " happen" because mankind is violent.

All can be traced to specific reasons, all refelect the worst side of pyschopathic leaders.

Afghanistan and Iraq, both instigated by lies.

Musical consciousness is dangerous, because it encourages independent thought and inner contentment. It reduces the mania of the shopping mall. It shows people that there is much more to life than that which can be bought.

[Adrian Allan]

A monster installed by the CIA.

[michael diemer]

I disagree. Mankind is inherently violent. Remember the  little guy they found frozen in the alps awhile back, from 5,000 years ago? they determined after studying him that he had been murdered. this was way before the modern institutions of banking, capitalism, etc. In fact, we have been killing each other since we first were placed in the garden of eden, or evolved from apelike ancestors (take your pick, I'm not pushing either version, because I have no idea which is closer to the truth). And we are also extremely good at wiping out entire species. Now, that is the result of greed, both corporate and individual. If you want opt out of that, you need to stop eating animals, like Adrian and me (yes I am a vegan).
 
Adrian Allan said:

How to establish world peace?

Change the way money works.

Mankind is not inherently violent. I would rather kill myself than kill another human being.

Those who subscribe to the mantra of infinite growth, chiefly those who run the USA and UK , are driving mankind off the edge of a cliff, invading new territories to defeat fictional terrorists. The terrorists are staring back at them in the mirror.

You cannot have infinte growth on an finite planet.

You dont understand how debt driven growth and resource wars (both political decisions) have put violence into hyperdrive.
Some of us are waking up.

[roger stancill]

C'mon folks- really? Both war and music have co-existed on this planet

                                since day 3. And didn't Nero fiddle and Hilter sing

                                opera in the shower.

                                We , by no choice of our own, are a dualistic breed;

                                with a free will to choose,- music is not a Utopian drug.

                                Loads of compositions were written for battle and war.

                                Lots of others written for a whole spectrum of other

                                purposes.

                                Any one of us at any time can choose either voilence

                                or peace.You may just be blinded by the luxury of convenience.

                                Whereas 'Blessed are the peacemakers'..... I seriously

                                doubt that an Ode or any other meditation oriented work

                                of art is ever going to 'quell ' an unwilling mob. 

[Adrian Allan]

We are also arguably inherently creative, so it should be incumbent for all of us to strive for societies that promote the arts.

Somebody who has achieved a higher level of creative consciousness is also likely to have achieved a level of personal morality and group ethics. Who is more likely to fight? A community of artists or a community of barbarians?

I teach kids who are very rough and ghetto-ised. They have no creative outlets. Violence is often their self expression, or drugs. Give them the ability to play an instrument (I am trying) and watch them change.

[Janet Spangenberg]

Excuse me folks, I don't mean to be rude, but would it be possible to stay on topic? I'm asking know how the Forum is personally beneficial, or could be, to us composers.

[Adrian Allan]

To answer the original question. In the seven years I have been a member, I have formed some very good contacts and exchanged techniques for composing music, and done some collaborations.

It's a shame that recently only about 10 people are now reguar posters to discussion. This was not the case a few years ago. I think that Facebook groups have diverted a lot of people from here.

[Adrian Allan]

It is personally beneficial, but a society comprised of more creative individuals is socially beneficial. This is the point the myself and Ondib were making, after some accused him of talking nonsense.

[Gav Brown]

I don't know where this forum will go, but if it survives, it will be because of one thing: the quality of the commentary.