An interesting little sociological experiment

[Penfold]

THE SITUATION
 
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin 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 about 3 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 4 minutes later:

  The violinist received his first dollar.  A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
 
  At 6 minutes:

  A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
 
  At 10 minutes

  A 3-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 45 minutes:

The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.
 
  After 1 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 theatre 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 . . .

 
  [FONT="]How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?[FONT="]
 
 [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Penfold]

Update:

You tube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw

[delanvital]

Video shows different than text, one did identify him at the end.

Nonetheless, godd stuff Pen, good stuff.

[T-Bag]

Or does it mean that people perceive something's worth based on the amount of money you're required to pay to listen to it. If a good busker was placed on stage and played a complex piece of music with a Ã,£100 a seat price tag would people rate them more highly?

[TeaLeaf]

..and the Washington Post article with lots of info in it about the response of the various passers by!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

[Snokio]

Interesting story! thanks for sharing :thumb:

[Luminance]

excellent post.

Just like people who ride through forested areas and miss all the little creatures/birds/flowers/mushrooms for about 350 days a week, but during holliday, they enter the woods, to actually search them :S


I do wonder though, how many of those comuners actually appreciate his music enough to pay 100 dollars for it, and how many of those actually went/is going to see him?? (I wouldn't)

Plus with a lot of background noise who says most people actually heard the same?.

[JonnyAppleSeed]

Another thing to consider is the better a piece of music is played the less is stands out in this situation ... errors poke people in the eye but a piece played well draws less attention it becomes part of the background noise/ ambiance. I'll bet if I play my comb and bring a 3 legged dog with an empty can of food ill make Ã,£40

[Blunt]

Another thing to consider is the better a piece of music is played the less is stands out in this situation ... errors poke people in the eye but a piece played well draws less attention it becomes part of the background noise/ ambiance. I'll bet if I play my comb and bring a 3 legged dog with an empty can of food ill make Ã,£40

depends if the dog can sing

[Luminance]

depends if the dog can sing

yeah, youd bring in atleast 50 pounds then

[Marduk]

I would like to repeat this experiment, with a more popular kind of music.

Say Coldplay or something similar, interesting post though

[Blunt]

I would like to repeat this experiment, with a more popular kind of music.

Say Coldplay or something similar, interesting post though

You want to be responsible for mass suicides?:blink:

[Luminance]

I'm with Duk here. Try to get robbie wiliams or so, dressing up like a hobo and start singing angel in the subway, see what kind of reaction you do or do not get.
(why robbie you might ask, well, coldplay would be a bit overdone, as its a full group and that might give it a way, so a very experienced singer will have to do).