It's the Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.Four minutes later:The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.Six minutes:A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.10 minutes:A three-year-old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.45 minutes:The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32.1 hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.No one knew that the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best 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..Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be: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 .....How many other things are we missing?I got this article from here.
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yes indeed nafis we are running after lot of things in our life but most of the time we forget the most important.this is just a example from lot ,but it is the pure reality.thank you
In fact, i am not surprised at all by people's attitude towards the world known musician. Unfortunately, people don't have many opportunities to take the time to stop and to enjoy life in the middle of a working week. Many of us have to run all day long, taking kids to or back from shcool, going to work, coming home and helping kids with their homework, cooking dinner and do dishes... take some minutes with the children to share things before taking them to bed . Unfortunately,nowodays, for most people, that's how it goes now. So in fact we are missing a lot, and maybe the most important things...
Sometimes, i wish i was living in a less stressful country, where the mothers could stay at home taking care of their kids and not being obliged to work because 1 salary is not enought to pay the rent of the house and all the expenses that go with it, the car, the school, the doctor and the medecines, the insurrances, the orthodontist and the dentist .... and still having money to put food in the refrigerator !!!
Maybe then, people would have time to stop to listen to a musician playing in the metro or in the park, or just to sit with their neighbours to share thoughts in front of a cup of tea :))
Many people have to work very hard, not to buy superfluous things but just to have a roof on their head and food to eat everyday.
So i agree dear Nafis, most of the time we are missing precious things but maybe it's because most of us don't really have the choice.
WOW !!! it was really amazing . i didn't think about same situation before and also i ever think that such musician could play in public !!! in Metro Station !!! after that i will pay more attention to the acts that happen around me . if i missed such opportunity i couldn't come over with that never and i will think about it always .
Yes,unfortunately we are missing a lot of wonderful things in our life.How you said they could be different reasons for that.But,you know generally we don't appreciate things which are given us for free or just by a chance.
I want to tell you something interesting which had happen with me when I was in San Francisco.There was a man who was playing trumpet on the street.I really loved his music and stayed there to listen until he finished his playing.After I gave him money and walked just a few meters and guess what,I found money on the ground.Maybe somebody lost them.But it was a omen for me that we should appreciate everything and everybody and we'll be reward for that.
Thank you for this very interesting post.
Have a nice day!
Ruzan
Replies
In fact, i am not surprised at all by people's attitude towards the world known musician. Unfortunately, people don't have many opportunities to take the time to stop and to enjoy life in the middle of a working week. Many of us have to run all day long, taking kids to or back from shcool, going to work, coming home and helping kids with their homework, cooking dinner and do dishes... take some minutes with the children to share things before taking them to bed . Unfortunately,nowodays, for most people, that's how it goes now. So in fact we are missing a lot, and maybe the most important things...
Sometimes, i wish i was living in a less stressful country, where the mothers could stay at home taking care of their kids and not being obliged to work because 1 salary is not enought to pay the rent of the house and all the expenses that go with it, the car, the school, the doctor and the medecines, the insurrances, the orthodontist and the dentist .... and still having money to put food in the refrigerator !!!
Maybe then, people would have time to stop to listen to a musician playing in the metro or in the park, or just to sit with their neighbours to share thoughts in front of a cup of tea :))
Many people have to work very hard, not to buy superfluous things but just to have a roof on their head and food to eat everyday.
So i agree dear Nafis, most of the time we are missing precious things but maybe it's because most of us don't really have the choice.
Have all a preaceful weekend. Hugs,
Forget-me-not
Yes,unfortunately we are missing a lot of wonderful things in our life.How you said they could be different reasons for that.But,you know generally we don't appreciate things which are given us for free or just by a chance.
I want to tell you something interesting which had happen with me when I was in San Francisco.There was a man who was playing trumpet on the street.I really loved his music and stayed there to listen until he finished his playing.After I gave him money and walked just a few meters and guess what,I found money on the ground.Maybe somebody lost them.But it was a omen for me that we should appreciate everything and everybody and we'll be reward for that.
Thank you for this very interesting post.
Have a nice day!
Ruzan