Shrew Views

Shrew Views

The Madness of Crowds

Todd Hayen, PhD, RP's avatar
Todd Hayen, PhD, RP
Jul 17, 2025
∙ Paid
18
19
Share

I bought my wife, for her birthday, two insanely expensive tickets (unfortunately, one for me) to the Toronto tour stop of the popular rock group Coldplay. We just attended this concert a few weeks ago (July 8), and it was quite a spectacle. I am a musician by birth and intensive life-long training, so I clearly understand these events are not at all about the “music” but instead are celebrity-worship displays of mass insanity. Music is something that is discerned by the senses (hearing), and during these events, the experience no longer fits the accepted definition of music when it is so loud that aural discernment is impossible. This is not an opinion, but a biological fact.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Shrew Views to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Todd Hayen, PhD, RP
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture