“It is unusual to let oneself become so vulnerable with a total stranger. Most of us have some kind of protection that prevents us from blurting out every thought and feeling that comes across our minds.
When someone asks us. ‘How’re ya doin’?’ we say , ‘Fine,’ even if we’re depressed about a fight we just had at home, or suffering a minor ailment. My grandfather used to say that the definition of a bore is someone who when you ask him ‘How are you?’ actually tells you.
Even with close friends, there are some things we simply keep hidden — digestive and bowel-related problems, for example, or feelings of self-doubt.
One of the the resons that we’re willing to make ourselves vulnerable to our favorite musicians is that they often make themselves vulnerable to us (or they convey vulnerability through their art — the distinction between whether they are actually vulnerable or merely representing it artistically is not inportant for now).”
This is your brain on music P. 238