Muzak

Once a friend of mine pointed out a great injustice. We were in a department store, and elevator music was playing over the PA. He turned to me and said, "you know, they pick this music because they're trying to put in music that won't be offensive to anyone. Well, I find this music offensive. Music like this presumes that there is no value to actual feeling or purpose in music, that all people really want is someone blowing into a saxophone. I could understand if they just played some soft jazz, but this music has intentionally had all the emotion and feeling sterilized out of it, because they're afraid people will be uncomfortable if they are made aware of their soul."

Never more did this ring true to me than just now, as I was put on hold with a client, and their hold music was a watered-down version of a Sting song. They were actually afraid that someone would find Sting abrasive. Sure enough, I was offended; I would have found listening to Sting somewhat pleasant, even an instrumental version, but instead I was forced to listen to a droning sterilization of it, only provoking my emotions, knowing that they could be feeling something pleasant but were instead left with an empty void. Ironically, that provoked emotions of their own, none of them pleasant.