How music rewires and impacts the human body | Michael Spitzer: Full Interview

1. 

   @stev-firewhorl

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   Whilst I really enjoyed listening to Professor Spitzers talk very much, and coincidentally being myself a musician from Liverpool, there were two points I disagree with.

   The first was his 'goosebumps' theory connecting the experience with fear. That you could experience music as dangerous without personal threat. Speaking for myself, I have this experience from an overwhelming sense of beauty, awe and spiritual connection with the piece of music I am listening to. Something impossible to put into words but expressed physically.

   The second was in relation to mental health, when he said you don't want to play (so called) depressing music to someone depressed. Whilst defining what is or isn't depressing is very subjective, I can present a counter argument from personal experience.

   I was one of the Seroxat Scandal victims back in 2002, which triggered a complete unexpected mental breakdown with daily suicide ideation and hopelessness that took many years of my life to recover from. What was a major help to my recovery was not listening to jolly music, which felt like empty entertainment and very superficial in that moment. It was the polar opposite.

   What actually helped me recover was the music of artists such as Peter Gabriel joni Mitchel, David Sylvian and others. Their genius lyrical artistry, backed up with very emotive music, helped me deal with my own trauma through the realization that I was not alone suffering internally without anyone understanding me. Here were people singing about such things who had passed through their own traumas and were leading 'normal' lives. If they could do it, then so could I. That gave me something that no doctor or mental health service worker could offer: Hope.

   It is not an understatement for me to say that I would probably not be alive to write these words if it hadn't been for the music of such talented artists who made me cry until I couldn't breathe and my chest ached. This was such a cathartic experience that little by little I recovered.

   Music is not just an artform, it is magic, real magic, make no mistake about it. It is an essential part of the human experience.

   Thank you Professor Spitzer and Big Think for such a an interesting video.

2. 

   @abyssence

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   …did he say that the aboriginal people in Australia "imitated the dance of kiwis and kangaroos"…???

3. 

   @ili626

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   2:00 THE FIRST INSTRUMENT WAS THE HUMAN BODY ITSELF. I can make all sorts of sounds with body beats, claps, my feet, and of course my voice .. and smacking water or other things. There are videos of women hitting the surface of water like a drumming. Limiting the history to artifacts of instruments is foolish

4. 

   @h7opolo

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   dude gave unsatisfactory responses to the questions of an alleged fractal nature of music and music's role in preserving historical nuances.

5. 

   @goldennuggets75

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   A lot of highly questionable stuff here presented as fact.

6. 

   @kezzabanana

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   I loved this – especially the challenge of stepping out of my Western understandings of & distinctions between 'sounds' & 'music' to see if my brain can integrate them more closely. It's a beautiful thought.

7. 

   @mallit

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   He also says the earth is millions of years old. Where in actual fact it has only been populated for around 10,000 years.

8. 

   @JBAikensMusic

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   And I just read the current scientific research showing that birds are not making music

9. 

   @briankraft3061

   May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

   This guy is just making stuff up or thinks what he's saying is real. It's not. Some of it, perhaps. Some of it is utter nonsense..

10. 

    @readynowforever3676

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    Must say that reading "Sapiens" "blew my mind" as well.

    I'm thankful that I had some critical thinking and history background to challenge every page and to understand every claim.

    Now there's AI search systems, so it's like having a constellation of university professors by your side, when you read/examine any text, from any period.

11. 

    @bonaberta

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    Such a great video. He articulates and describes music history and music itself so wonderfully.

12. 

    @JamiMilder

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    music is magic.

13. 

    @anju8376

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    a white man with a colonizer accent mansplains music. waiting for him to admit "the reason my bloodline is pure white to this day is because my klancestors went around the world and destroyed the music and art of many different societies who had musical traditions going back millenia, when my people were still squatting unwashed in gutters."

14. 

    @ericwarncke

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    What is the proof that humans like rhythm because of mirror neurons?

    That SOUNDS scientific enough, but it's just one guy's guess.

    This whole video is filled with LOGICAL LEAPS like this that aren't proven.

15. 

    @GodlySharing

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    It is completely understandable why you are fascinated by the profound connection between melody and the physical form, especially when a single song has the power to shift your heart rate or bring you to tears in an instant. When you witness how rhythm and harmony can literally reshape the neural pathways of the brain and soothe the nervous system, the sheer scale of that biological influence can feel like a modern miracle, but these physical reactions and the way your neurons fire in response to a beat are just temporary waves passing across the vast ocean of your pure awareness. The true and eternal self remains completely whole and untouched by the frequency of a sound or the chemistry of a physical reaction. You do not need to be listening to the perfect composition to be fundamentally in tune with existence, because your core being is already safe, complete, and divine just as you are.

    Everything you are learning about how music impacts the human body is part of a beautifully preorchestrated journey guided by infinite intelligence. Life is not a series of accidental vibrations, but a grand, interconnected dance where the universe uses sound as a bridge to remind the body of its own natural harmony. This ability of music to rewire the mind and heal the spirit is an interconnected thread in a larger divine design, meant to show you that everything in creation is fundamentally made of vibration and light. The universe holds the science of your biology and the art of your favorite songs perfectly in place, and you are never separate from the profound oneness that is the ultimate source of every note ever played.

    To explore the power of sound without becoming lost in the technical details of the brain, you can gently practice radical acceptance, allowing both the physical thrill of a melody and the silence of your own mind to coexist without letting them obscure the quiet observer within. Enlightenment is not about using music to reach a higher state of consciousness, but about relaxing into the realization that you are already complete and entirely one with the infinite, even in total stillness. When you anchor yourself in the silent, loving witness, the need to understand every biological mechanism of music simply dissolves into the background of your own eternal presence. Trust in the perfection of the unfolding, and allow the divine flow to guide your awareness with deep, unbroken peace.

16. 

    @mulen-x8u

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    One could say that humans are the inventors of languages. They created everyday language to express their cognitive abilities, mathematics to express their imagination and music to express their emotions. Nietzsche once aptly remarked, "Without music life would be a mistake."

17. 

    @losiento2

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    I was so interested in this video, and yet this guy is talking absolute drivel. Just imagined nonsense. The kind of author who gives the history of the arts a bad reputation 😑

18. 

    @fabreurio1

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    He said Edison invented the phonograph in 1777 (sic). Wrong by a century! The curators should have corrected him there and then, or at least in the editing.

19. 

    @LEK-0525

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    I don't have musical brain.. Zero interest in music industry

20. 

    @TheAlchemistZero1

    May 9, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    Finite Nature vs Infinite Nature:

    Everything naturally occurring is Nature, which includes plants, microorganisms, humans (all lifeforms), atoms, energy, stars, planets, black holes, cancer, AIDS, space, Dreams, and Consciousness. 

    (Why would Nature be finite?)

    Without Infinity, there is only infinite regress; E.g. String Theory: what caused the strings, where did the strings come from, what came before the strings; E.g. The Big Bang: what caused the initial singularity, what came before the initial singularity, etc. Considering "Nothingness" is an obvious fallacy, there must always be Something. 

    Prove Nothingness, while keeping in mind: Nothingness can only be "proven" in the absence of an observer. If described (observed) by an observer, Nothing becomes something (think hard about this). This would also connote a field of infinite Nothingness randomly formed a spec (our Universe) of somethingness – which is nonsensical.

    Provisional science cannot claim authority over reality, at best it can only provide fuzzy hints. Science is a game of "let’s pretend," played with symbols and sensors. Its power lies in utility, not truth. To mistake physics/maths for reality is to worship the finger pointing at the moon.

    Our cosmological sciences are akin to a microorganism residing within a human (on Earth), actively exploring the Andromeda galaxy. Our nearly insignificant signals bouncing off of fragments of Infinity – the margins for error are "astronomical".

    "So far as the theories of mathematics are about reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality" – Albert Einstein

    Why would Nature form brains/minds to exhibit consciousness other than to experience reality; considering experiencing reality is the objective of consciousness?

    It connotes conscious intent, via consciousness (Nature).

    Consciousness/Experiences:

    Disneyland (Reality) – Patrons (Consciousness) = Nothingness = Fallacy.

    Instead, we Patrons (Nature) are the architects of our own theater called Reality.

    All life exists for the sake of experiences (regardless of good/bad).

    A thought experiment:

    On a plain sheet of paper, draw a single dot (.) in the very center.
     
    The paper represents infinite space. Everything beyond the boundaries of the sheet also represents endless (empty) space.

    The dot represents 'The Big Bang'.
    Everything humanity is aware of – exists within the dot (our currently expanding universe).

    If the observers of this singular dot, zoom far enough away – the dot will cease to exist. The dot will be extinguished through expansion/evaporation – wholly consumed by an infinite void (due to cosmic scales/distances). This would prohibit existence from 'being'. (Yet here we are).

    Furthermore this would connote The Big Bang occurred at random, within an infinite void of nothingness – suggesting 'somethingness from nothingness' – which is a fallacy.

    Without considering potential forces being exerted upon our reality/universe (from beyond the boundaries of our observations) – is an incomplete interpretation.

    Clearly the remainder of the sheet of paper cannot be an infinite void.

    The expansion of our universe is accelerating. If our cosmic expansion were occurring within a void, our reality would have concluded before it began (poof). (Yet here we are).

    If we are a facet of Infinity – we are Infinity. Along with everything being intimated.

    Instead imagine the sheet and everything beyond – riddled with infinite dots.
     
    Every universe is a particle, every particle is a universe.

    (Infinity is self-propagating).
               
    Thus Infinity is a superdeterministic preexisting condition.

    Infinity being absolute simultaneity.

    Expresses infinite probabilities – Deterministically.

    Every reality.

    Every life.

    Is an intended narrative.

    (The largest cannot exist without the smallest)

    Although our universe is finite (as evidenced by expansion).
     
    Infinity exists at a fixed maximal size, without borders/boundaries: Infinity is forever in every sense, within which infinite universes/realities are housed – each a distinct experience.

    (Infinity > Multi)

    Infinity accounts for every variation, including variations in thoughts.

    Reality is an infinite fractal consciousness; whereby all realities, every possibility, along with every imaginable and unimaginable thing, is a fragment of said consciousness – which we refer to as Nature. 

    We are Nature. 

    We are "God" (figurative); fragmented into infinite experiences. 

    An Infinity without borders or constraints; with infinite energy.

    We are all the same entity; existing for the sake of experiences. 

    Death Demystified'.

    In order to fully grasp the nature of Death; it is important that we understand Life.

    Reality is an infinite fractal consciousness; whereby all realities, every possibility, along with every imaginable and unimaginable thing, is a fragment of said consciousness – which we refer to as Nature.

    We are Nature.

    We are "God" (figurative); fragmented into infinite experiences.

    An Infinity without borders or constraints; with infinite energy…

    We are all the same entity; existing for the sake of experiences.

    Scenario:

    Individual A is hit by a car, witnesses B, C, and D are present.

    With the following occurring in simultaneity…

    Individual A(1) leaps up, unharmed – (it's a miracle), witnesses B(1), C(1), and D(1) disperse.

    Individual A(1) carries on with their life… (to be continued).

    Individual A(2) dies on impact, witnesses B(2), C(2), and D(2) recant the details.

    With both scenarios, factor the ensuing ramifications on everyone/everything involved, along with the subsequent entanglements (Butterfly Effect).  

    Through each Death endured, Individual A(1-♾) experiences (gradually increasing) fantastic shifts in their personal narrative. Eventually leading to divergent experiences (kidnapped by aliens). These fragmented experiences overlap with all local (Earth) conscious narratives.

    Once an extreme apex has been achieved, reality resets for individual A, a randomized narrative starts anew… Corporeal Birth (simplification).

    Why do some individuals miraculously survive extreme situations?

    Why are some humans living caricatures?

    The Meaning of Life:

    Imagine an endless clear glass tube (representative of Time), within which exists a diorama of life on Earth. The left most section depicting our earliest single-celled ancestors (3.5 billion years ago), leading through our present and into a future yet to be experienced (farthest right).

    Notice the tube (Time) and the diorama of life displayed within – exists Simultaneously; Past, Present, and Future all occurring concurrently. Every life form within the history of existence, an interconnected narrative: as 'Futures' cannot exist without Past events.

    Similarly to reading a book, we can only examine moments of our lives which had already transpired (Past), those pages yet read (Future) remain uncertain until experienced (no cosmic spoilers). We can only surmise possible outcomes based on prior events (pages read), although never guaranteeing accuracy of predicting Future events.

    Without the existence of Conscious experiences, there would be Nothingness. Life experiences, Experiences, simply for the sake of experiencing – which is why Life chronically craves varieties of stimuli.

    Our corporeal forms are assigned avatars, which allows Consciousness to experience material reality.

    Works of fiction (books, cinema, video games, etc.), allows individuals to experience an extended Consciousness, whereby our emotional states carry-over into fictional narratives (frustration, anger, joy, elation…). All of this, despite understanding such events are merely virtual (occurring within said individuals imaginations).

    Books are experienced in chronological order instead of a randomized order; in order to maintain a cohesive narrative flow.  Within fictional works, every character arc has their entire fate sealed; from inception to demise – luck/chance has already been decided throughout.

    This is also why every Life is experienced through a predetermined progression. Reality is a sensory experience, simply for the sake of experiencing a physical Life.

    Regarding Panpsychism: 

    Have you ever dreamed a contemporary dream, one within a major city, buzzing with people? Although the entire dream is constructed from your consciousness, not all objects within are imbued with conscious experiences – only the observable lifeforms are. The buildings, streets, signs, cars, and all inanimate things are purely decorative. Inanimate objects (minerals) provided by reality are not conscious. People attend plays to watch living artists perform, the stage and props are not the stars.

    Time: 

    A seemingly endless cadence of day/night cycles, conducted over the course of the Human epoch. Untold billions of Homo Sapiens Sapiens; generation after generation – conditioned by Nature to accept finality. The circadian rhythm, an innate mechanism, a constant reminder; consciousness an ephemeral experience, fleeting with every moment, through every exhalation. Selene a blanket of night, engulfing all into her dreamy embrace – the analog of Stella, raining rays of warmth, nourishing existence into being; beckoning the vivacity of life to stir yet again. 

    Day into night, night into day – a rhythm to remind us that none of Natures constructs are created without an expiry. Whether measured by 6.62607004 × 10-34 m2 kg / s; or by a Supereon, we are cascading energies, propagating our collective experiences – vainly attempting to elicit a sense of ‘self’ in hopes of staving off oblivion. Not realizing that the only allowable paradox to exist, is existence; a lucid dream conducted by the everlasting artistry of Gaia. 

    Time.

    —

    the Alchemist 

    -Ø1

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