I’m not talking about the Police songs, I’m talking about the Jungian concept of, “two or more events which occur in a meaningful manner, but which are causally unrelated. In order to be synchronous, the events must be related to one another conceptually, and the chance that they would occur together by random chance must be very small.” I think we can talk about it because she is in Ireland, and won’t be back for a week. It’s nothing bad–its just Synchronous.
I mentioned the mix CD I’ve been working on for her a few times on the blog. I’ve also mentioned how one of my aunt’s has been telling me for four years to, “open myself up to the mysterious.” All of my aunts are grounded, rational, evidence based people. They are all spiritual people, not wackos. I need to preface this simple because its kinda weirding me out…
ANYWAY, before Shannon left, she told me that she had plans for me, “so I wouldn’t forget her while she was gone.” Today I got of her gifts, a CD called “Love Songs – Minus the Word.” The CD shares a number of similar artists, even pulling them from the same album, as the CD I’ve been working on. Given our mutual taste in, this is coincidence. Having the same song–Guster’s Satelite–in the same track order is not just simple coincidence. I’ve been looking for the song that more than just a bridge on the CD. Guster was the artist that came to mind, Satelite was the song that worked perfectly (and the one that was supported by my consiglieri).
It feels Synchronous to me. This could simply be a function of my desire to find some sort of meaning in random events, but given the number of possible songs, artists and track locations, it just feels far too Random.
Some folk have called it awesome, others have said that its Synchronous and I should take that as a hint to just let life guide me along. Personally, as awesome as this is, I’m not going to let life just guide me. I’m going to help plan her birthday celebrations and wait, impatiently, for her to come home.
I would say that this cannot qualify as synchronous because it doesn’t meet the criteria of being “causally unrelated.” Interpreting the meaning of songs is a social exercise and a shared endeavor. “Satellite” is not only a fantastic track, but is one evocative in a particular manner if you have a shared background. And, from what I can tell, you and the mysterious “her” you mention do have such a shared base. It’s not random, though, because neither you nor her were selecting the track at random from all the tracks available. You were selecting it for a purpose…. When you refer to it being far too random, you are indeed looking for meaning, but it need not be there in any mysterious sense. It’s just that there is a common reference point, a shared understanding of how to interpret meaningful emotion not ordinarily expressed except through music. So, it’s not Random at all…but it really is as meaningful as it gets. For my part, I think that such meaning is far better, because not only is it dramatic, and inform you of forces at work, but it is undeniably real.
So says the rationalist, at least. (But I still believe in True Love.)
Interpreting the meaning of a song is not primarily a social or shared endeavor. A person interprets a song through the context (heuristics) available to them at a given time. Two people reading the same meaning into a text is not synchronous–that’s also not what I am getting at.
Sharing a Mix is a Shared endeavor and a social exercise. Now, from the population of the songs that we both have, we can weed the sample down by any sort of criteria we wish.
My criteria for selection was:
1) The song had a positive connotation to love
2) The song would have to be one that Shannon liked or would like
3) the songs had to work with each other.
I’m not sure what all her criteria were; however, it is safe to assume that she agreed with points one and two. I know that Shannon doesn’t care as much for order and flow as I do–she told me as much while we were discussing mix CDs.
The fact that we were both making mix CDs is casually unrelated. My CD had nothing to do with hers. Our shared experience (being together for a three months) and our similar taste in music has created an emotional connection, however, that does not cause one to put the same track on the same track listing for two CDs. That we both ended up picking the same song for the CDs that have a shared meaning, given the vast number of other songs that may have worked, seem to go beyond chance.
In the end we are both agreeing that this is a meaningful coincidence.
My thoughts are a tad jumbled from some really extreme nausea. Sorry.
Well, agreed, some. My point was that those heuristics have a shared social basis. Our conceptions of a good song and what love sounds like are not generated in a vacuum. i would argue with more, but let’s just skip ahead to where you say “In the end we are both agreeing that this is a meaningful coincidence.”
Sold. I totally agree that is is a coincidence, and that is is still meaningful. Sorry you’re sick. Drink Booze! It always makes me feel better…
“Some folk have called it awesome, others have said that its Synchronous and I should take that as a hint to just let life guide me along”
I call it dark magic and witchcraft.
You’ve noticed how Gharr and Falconesse occasionally put up cthonic phrases in their status messages? Those are prayers to elder gods for good mix CDs…or the end of the world.
Well, I’ve been called a witch before…
I love that song. I’ve been waiting to meet someone that deserved it to be directed at them.
Ok, I’ll stop being all schmoopy.
Commenting from the Dublin Airport, and I finally found the shift key!
It can be awesome and synchronous. As Queen, I declare it so. And, it’s Guster. Automatic win.
(Also, I’m in ur city, surfin’ ur intarwebz.)