It's interesting that nobody has focused on the changes in recreational self-medication over the last 30 years, from drugs which encouraged serious contemplation of music to drugs which generally made one unable to concentrate on anything
OMG! That was the first thing I thought of, but I didn't want to make a comment that could be construed as "Just say yo" rather than "Just say no." I have always been a "stop and sniff the roses" type anyway, but I still remember the joy of vegging out for hours while listening to wonderfully beautiful and creative music. Even today, I often turn the lights low at 1 AM, when there is little to distract, sit back, close my eyes, and drink in the music. It's a joy, and I feel sorry for those who only experience music as a counterpoint to their everyday activities.
DISCLAIMER: This is now done without the self-medication. It's been decades. Interestingly, today, at my age and in my condition, I take more drugs than when I took drugs. And there is no fun involved either.
