You’ve probably figured out by now that I find human behavior pretty fascinating. I’m a little late to the party on this one, since it happened in 2007, but it just came across my FB desk this morning.
(You might also know that I am an absolute classical music junkie {my background is in music (piano, band, choir, music theatre, vocal performance, etc) and my parents thought I should be a music teacher} and that my perfect job would be to get paid copious amounts of money to listen to classical music of all periods. I cannot do anything else when I listen, because I become too absorbed in the actual music; in the themes and the intricacy of the writing; listening and isolating particular instruments and imagining what the score for that instrument looks like- I can see the music in my head…… but I digress…… 
)
“In Washington DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After about four minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. About four minutes later, the violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At six minutes, a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At ten minutes, a three-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.
At forty-five minutes: The musician played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short while. About twenty gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After one hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This experiment raised several questions: In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? If so, do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made… How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?”
What would you do? Leave me a comment and let me know!
I am certain I would have stopped to listen. Years ago maybe I wouldn’t have because being on time was so important to me but I’ve learned to stop and appreciate the simple unplanned special events life provides. It has opened a whole new world to me.
Good post and thought provoking, I wonder if those people that rushed past ever knew what they missed. It’s really sad because had they known who it was I am sure they would have stopped and they would have paid $100 to hear him play in a concert hall but because he was just a “nobody” in the subway he wasn’t worthy of their time.
Wow, what would I have done? i spent years in London, everyday zooming through the underground sometimes literally running from train to train, once I heard the most amazing music and raced back through the tunnels trying to find it, it was classical guitar. The music still haunts me, though i was never able to find the player, the tunnels are all one way, we are herded. But even though i did not see him, and did not get a chance to drop in a dollar or pause a minute. i did hear the music, i was affected by it and i do remember it.. c
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow, chasing the music in the subway tunnels in London- awesome! Isn’t it interesting how music can give us a snapshot of time- that moment we’ll never forget?
Wow, I like classical music too, and I would like to think that I would have stopped to listen or let my kids listen, but sometimes we are in too big of a hurry to notice much of anything. Very thought provoking. Good post.
Making a general comment here:
While a really neat concept, the conclusions are completely flawed. Why would they think that anyone going through a commuter portal WOULD have the time to stop? Logistically, the experiment was doomed to fail.
People are not going to stop when doing so could adversely impact their ability to eat (meaning, losing a job or getting a demerit because of being late).On your way to a medical appointment that took you 6 months to secure? Nope. Don’t have time to stop.
I don’t think this experiment had anything to do with perception and taste.
If I was passing through that hub to do something leisure like shopping- sure, I would have stopped. Even doing it later- when people were on their way HOME from work or school could have gotten a different result.
Better yet, put him in a park, a carnival, or a shopping mall (or an arcade) and see what happens.
But those “possible conclusion” don’t correlate to the actual experiment, imo.
Fail.
Put that way I definitely see your point. I have never been in a subway station we don’t have them here so its hard for me to imagine no one having time to stop. We have our “skytrain” which leaves every 5 minutes or so so if you miss one the next is right behind it. Do you really think that if people would have known who he was they still would not have stopped?
I don’t think they would have stopped in that setting, unless they had the time to stop. If people have time obligations with real consequences, the consequence have to be worth the reason.
I think we also have to remember that not everyone likes classical music, either, no matter who was playing where. I certainly wouldn’t have stopped for rap or thrasher music no matter who the artist was.
That’s another thing, too- beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I’m not a Picasso fan, but others love him. Would I pay big bucks for his work? No. If it was gifted to me, I’d resell it and make money. If it’s not your cup of tea, it’s not going to have much value to you in general.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, lol.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, lol.
Now you are talking my language! Don’t. I know that!
Either way it was a good post and showed how we all have our preconceived beliefs. Like mine that people didn’t stop because he was a “no body” when in fact they were just too busy. Some times I find meaning in something that really has no meaning other than it is what it is.
That is a good point. It is funny how most “studies” are set up to produce whatever outcome the “studiers” want.
Studies and polls, too. This is why we need to be taught how to critically think (as in, evaluate) the merits of everything.
When doctors push vaccine/medicines, think about why. Same with artificial baby milk, etc etc. Who’s making money off the whatever?
Who paid for the “research” and what is the connection to the product? Is the scientist doing the research getting a grant (and his/her salary) from the product manufacturer?
What’s the sample size? What are the conditions? Heh. You get the point.
What would I do … depends, am I late for work? Do I have some where to be, or am I meeting someone?
When my friend and I went to Central Park I stopped and listened to a woman violinist for a good 10/15 minutes. I would have sat there for hours however I was with my friend and we had more to see.
I do like the idea of this though. My thought process is, if the people KNEW he was someone famous… would it have made more of a difference?
Nope, I don’t think the setting allowed for it. If he was in a park or somewhere else, yes, I think people would have stopped and listened longer, regardless of whether or not they knew who he was. But in this setting, no, I don’t think it mattered.