“[I]s the future civilization still able to appreciate the works of Shakespeare?” Erik Hoel’s Shakespeare test could help judge if a possible future would be horrifyingly inhuman. Shakespeare’s works are reflections of humanity, so a society brimming with humanity would always appreciate them. He thinks a future with perfect humans (Nietzsche’s Übermensch) would be one of these horrifying futures. Designer babies who have been modified to be flawlessly beautiful and intelligent would disregard Shakespeare’s work. And why wouldn’t they? He was an “imperfect being” born before genetic modification. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
