$350 a Head for Sushi in NY

[Greji]

My boss can go blow goats

Hmmm, I wonder if I know your boss?

[kino]

[quote="omae mona"]The average person has never heard a violin performance in their life. Not surprising that they can't judge good from bad]
Even if you have never heard a violin performance in your life, which is unlikely for even the most disconnected, you are fully capable of discerning a bad or terrible performance from a good one. There is even some scientific evidence to suggest that music appreciation is not limited just to our species (http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8174000/8174534.stm). If you change the sample from average people to those experience in classical music, then you've defeated the point of the experiment.

As a thought experiment, imagine you went to a decent sushi place and instead of the sushi you would normally get, they served you the $350 sushi. Obviously, I expect the $350 sushi may come with some bells and whistles on the presentation side, but assuming presentation is the same, do you think you could tell the difference between good sushi and great sushi if not alerted beforehand? I am not sure that I could, and I wouldn't be surprised if most people could not. Our expectations about an experience have a significant impact on how we subjectively experience it, which I think is pretty amazing.

[kino]

Hmmm, I wonder if I know your boss?

I imagine the goat fucker community is not that large.

[ChargerCarl]

If that is the kind of tyranny you work under, I suggest you quit now and try to experience life.

Well, I've been wanting to quit my job to smoke pot everyday and tour with lenny kravitz...

[Greji]

I imagine the goat fucker community is not that large.

Where the elite meet......

[Samurai_Jerk]

Even if you have never heard a violin performance in your life, which is unlikely for even the most disconnected, you are fully capable of discerning a bad or terrible performance from a good one. There is even some scientific evidence to suggest that music appreciation is not limited just to our species (http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8174000/8174534.stm). If you change the sample from average people to those experience in classical music, then you've defeated the point of the experiment.

I'm going to have to agree with OM that most people haven't taken the time to listen to a violin performance in their life. You're making assumptions based on your own interests. I never stop to listen to street performers because I really don't care and I don't enjoy live music all that much. I doubt I'd notice that someone is a world class violinist because I'm not into classical music and don't know anything about the violin.

If they had done this same experiment in Central Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the results would have been very different.

As a thought experiment, imagine you went to a decent sushi place and instead of the sushi you would normally get, they served you the $350 sushi. Obviously, I expect the $350 sushi may come with some bells and whistles on the presentation side, but assuming presentation is the same, do you think you could tell the difference between good sushi and great sushi if not alerted beforehand? I am not sure that I could, and I wouldn't be surprised if most people could not. Our expectations about an experience have a significant impact on how we subjectively experience it, which I think is pretty amazing.

There is definitely a difference between a quality piece of fish or beef and one that's not. If you can't tell, it means your not into food that much or aren't very experienced. Of course, more expensive doesn't always mean better but it often does for certain kinds of food.