Diversity of culture

In the history of recorded music, given the choice, there are few tunes I would be less inclined to listen to than “Careless Whisper” (perhaps better known by the lyric “Never gonna dance again”) by George Michael.

Yet a lady on the train on Wednesday morning was listening to it on her iPod. All the sappy saxophone, every moaning lyric, loudly enough for me to hear it nearby — and for it to subsequently burrow its way into my brain.

Perhaps she had been prepping herself for Wednesday night’s concert.

One could take the piss out of her for having such a taste in music, but perhaps it just underscores the diversity of culture in the human race.

It reminds me of the time I was at the station reading Brian Bagnall’s “On The Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore”. I was utterly rivetted to it — it’s excellent (though sloppily written) for geeks who had a Commodore computer back in the day.

The station host lady asked me what it was, and upon telling her, paused, and then remarked “We really are all different, aren’t we.”

Yep.

Meanwhile, I’m off to place something off my Loud list. Some Spiderbait might get rid of Mr Michael.