Music as Survival Mechanism - Ben Levin
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- Опубліковано 22 вер 2024
- Thank you to That One Eyed Kid - • 'I'll Follow You Into ...
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"The buffer between me and the pain in the world as shrunk". The effect of 2020 in a nutshell.
You know, if that does become the overall effect in the world, one that sticks with us and significantly lessens the hate that has been spiraling out of control these last few years. Then although it's *still* a tragic loss that should never have happened, at least all those many people will not have died in vain.
It's bizarre to me that anything in 2020 could be a catalyst for something like that as opposed every single year people have been here before it. What were they doing that whole time? What were they thinking if not nothing at all?
Ben, this was a mini masterpiece. Your works are poignant and yet so hopeful. Love what you're doing - I keep looking forward to the next.
what's with the eye patch
"The Eye Patch Kids" were an unsuccessful spinoff of the Cabbage Patch Kids. I hear they are worth a lot on ebay, though.
Pirate cosplayer
@@fudgesauce No relation to the Sour Patch Kids I presume.
Ben you are so creative, thoughtful, and fun!!
Thanks Nahre, hope you are well and looking forward to the new album!
“Nature here is vile. I see fornication and asphyxiation and choking and fighting for survival and growing and just rotting away. The trees here are in misery, the birds are in misery. I don't think they sing, they just screech in pain.”
- Werner Herzog
Spencer Hanson well, he was a miserable bastard then, wasn’t he?
@@thatellipsisguy8984 He spent enough time among nature for the novelty of pretty colors and sights to wear off and the actual face and reality of nature to sink in. A denial of this reality speaks only of a lack of contact, you are largely sheltered from this, you don't have your face rubbed in it. You still get to pretend it's not there.
@@thatellipsisguy8984 Herzog is still alive.
Most people love dogs and cats. I’m a birdman. Your story of the goose got me sad, thinking about how I woke up one morning and my pet cockatiel of 10 years, “Rocky” was laying in the bottom of his cage dying. I was getting ready to take him to the vet and he died in my hands. I buried him in the back yard. I still get emotional thinking about that day. Soon after I got on Craig’s list..as serendipity would have it, someone was selling their pet also named Rocky. I bought him and renamed him Rocky 2.0. Hes got a different personality, doesn’t talk or sing like Rocky, buts he is cool in his own way..mysterious silent type..a bird’s bird. Sometimes I think I have a bird so I can talk out loud like I do, and don’t feel crazy. Birds are the greatest. Thanks for at least trying to save the baby goose.
It was really surprising how smart they are too. I feel like the general idea of them is that they're just stupid and primitive, but they're actually pretty smart and social. I was helping a local animal sanctuary build a new duck pond, and I learned that the ducks actually have lots of different noises they make, so they're communicating a lot more than we might think, and the turkeys and chickens were very friendly too. It's so sad that they're treated like objects and property most of the time
There’s a dead goose somewhere inside all of us.
Ew
Especially when you’ve eaten one
We all have a chicken duck woman thing waiting for us.
If this were pre-internet times, I would watch your show on tv growing up along with bob ross and mr Rogers and tim & Eric and stuff. I am so musically, creatively, and emotionally inspired by your art!!!
Fuck, the amount of authentic sincerity portrayed in such a touching and human way is so wonderful. Thank you for being human Ben Levin, and thank you for reminding me how beautiful it is to be a human
Every second of this is beautiful. I love how the stylistic-shifts in the closing track sound like the “suffering wall” crumbling, letting in new experiences and emotions. Thank you for bringing this into the world.
Thank you my friend ❤️
@@BenLevin Hi Ben, do you think BitSong.io has a tangible future..? (spotify on the blockchain)
This dude blurs the line between creation and presentation so well I have lost touch of reality in a good way. He is a genius. This cat is off the freaking chain!!!
A thought -
That gosling didn't understand that you were trying to help, because it wasn't sapient enough to; but if it was, even though your efforts didn't pay off, it would have been grateful for your attempt.
When you are next in a bad way and feel alone or unhelped, remember that there may be forces trying to help you that you can't understand or perceive, just like you were beyond the gosling's power to comprehend.
We should take solace in our incomprehensible helpers, even though we can't see them.
Sad. Beautiful. Thank you for trying to take care of the goose. It’s last moments it knew someone cared.
Ben, as a fan, I have to say how far your art has come since I've started listening. It's constantly evolving, it's quirky, the visuals are the best kind of surreal, and your personality is communicated perfectly. Thanks for continuing to create
Jesus christ Ben's work is just... consistently unnaturally creative and honest. Keep it the fuck up my boi
Hey my name is Ben too. I frequently experience hallucinations and I love your videos because they look and feel like a kind of home.
Thanks for showing the walls melt in a happy way,
Ben
This is the most incredible thing I will see for a large number of days, probably until your next video
Confirmed, most recent video is even more incredible
The new one will blow your mind away
Ben, I did all sorts of acid back in the 60s and 70s and dude, you are orange sunshine only better.
Ben... You made cry over a goose. I love you.
i had a similar experience with a baby squirrel. the place i love and work is surrounded by squirrels all day. they are just there. one day a worker finds one in a mouse trap. it’s body was messed up, ears glued shut. barely moving. a friend knew of a squirrel lady. i drove 45 minutes to take it there. when i got there it appeared dead but suddenly came back alive. the woman fed it and tried cleaning it up. she said normally squirrels won’t take food so easily but this one wanted everything she was doing. we named it Metro. and it survived for a week after that. i hope it was the best week it ever had. i visited once and she had it wrapped in a towel where it was sleeping deeply. now my place is still surrounded by squirrels and i see them very differently, knowing that they are capable of such different behaviors. i say hello to them. “hey swirly!” is what i say usually. and they look at me and think for a bit. then move on into their world of survival, that to me always looks so playful. but now i know there are many of them that probably end up in terrible positions and i just can’t see it. so i’m glad when i get the chance to make eye contact and say hello to them and then the scurry and jump and climb away.
I'm so sorry ben. I try not to quote albus dumbledore too much, but couldn't help thinking of one of his lines while i was watching this- "Don't pity the dead, pity the living". When that little goose found peace in your arms, you lost a bit of your peace. In a way this can be seen as transference. We all experience these things, and we carry the weight of them until we find our own peace in due time. If we can find the courage, it'll make us hug tighter and love stronger.
Adam said *What Ben Levin is doing with the visuals and audio, its so intricate*, agreed
Your videos are the only things that make me want to have an experience in VR and I don't know why.
The Universe Smiles Upon You
I've always seen Ben Levin as a genius.
I love so much about this. Thank you for making it. (And Jessica looks and sounds gorgeous as always!)
Thank you Amy, I appreciate that you let me know ‼️
ben levin is the internets most underrated genius
I'm crying.
Because..
We are all the goose.
My Goose and I just watched this video....we thank you for your service.
aww man death cab is one of my favourite bands
I cannot put into words how important this is.
Be well, friend.
I am struck with awe once again.
It amazes me, everytime i watch one of your Videos, what is possible with music
Ben I think your Reaper installation is acting up again. You might want to consider a clean reinstall :O
Been having a rough couple of years and music is the only thing that helps. I’ve been playing eight to ten hours a day since everything got crazy. I just found your channel and thank you man, thank you.
Ben.....I genuinely think you're a genius.
I could very easily write out 5 paragraphs explaining why I think this is so...that is my usual go to.
But today I've decided to just leave it basically at that. Simply put, I think you're a goddamn genius...at musics and all the things tangential to that. Thanks for being so good at this! I'm genuinely grateful you exist.
love you Ben
Man, this is art. I love how the description of its creation is interweaved with the songs you’re describing, along with the intense and intricate visuals. I love how you and Jessica partner together when you make music. Your work is seriously underrated in my opinion. Thanks for bringing great music and a degree of clarity to us in this terrible year. 💙🎶
I was literally thinking about something very similar this morning. Synchronicity!
Ben your videos make me cry. I don't mind though.
Ben, your video's are the only video's i genuinely look forward to on youtube. They're so amazing
These videos are my muse.
Ben, you capture feelings and translate them into videos and sounds and pictures so well. I always find myself inspired by your art. I have a hard time acting on the inspiration most of the time, but I very much enjoy the inspiration I get. Always looking forward to more of your work. Much love. 💜
Beautiful, Poignant, Inspiring. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you, Ben.
Thank you Ben, for one of the few honest cries I've had in a while. Your videos are always resonant, visceral and I'm sure they've inspired innumerable others to grow as people just as they have inspired me. I really appreciate what you put out to the world and feel blessed to have discovered you a while back. More than any teacher or class I've taken, you've fostered a drive to explore my own creativity in musical composition and art. I hope that my message, if anything, reflects others' feelings as well as give you more motivation to continue creating excellent content.
Thank you,
Aaron
This was incredible.
I feel as though Jacob Collier would thoroughly enjoy this.
Wow! New levels on this one.
Can't believe I didn't see this until now. It's pretty much exactly what im writing my college essay on. I love your work, keep it up.
Ben reaaallllly is the coolest guy ever
this is soooo underrated! ben is a genius.
Hey Ben, thanks for making stuff. I really enjoy the blurry format of sharing musings, stories, process and product all as one. I think it spreads a healthy and positive approach to expression through creativity.
> FAKE GUITAR
> *plays a Squier*
I get it. :)
I’ve noticed he’s been playing squiers and wondering what happened to his JEM
Man your videos are such experiences. The audio, visuals, writing, message, everything is just so creative. I know you may not gain much financially from these videos, but at least know that as long as you make them, we will be here to experience them.
Aspies truly make the best content creators
When Wagner first wrote of the Gesamtkunstwerk, I don't imagine he could this.
Beautiful, Ben! Jessica, too.
I cried.
I don’t know if this comment will ever get to you but I feel what you feel so deeply. Thank you
You never talk about this in your videos, but your VFX work is absolutely magnificent. Just astonishing stuff, Ben. Thank you for this masterpiece.
You're truly the greatest Ben.
Your VFX works is a trip and a half! You must put in a ton of effort. Plus all your recent videos have great deeper meaning. Perfect :)
Always an experience, Ben...keep spreading the love!
Fantastic video as always. I'd like to give a quick shoutout to your awesome thumbnails - they always bring a smile to my face, but this one makes me laugh uncontrollably for some strange reason.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Bruh this channel is getting good
Beautiful.
just actually incredible
Ben you are so so special; thanks for what you do, especially in these times :)
Frank Zappa isn't dead. He just learned how to chill and became Ben Levin
rude:(
Ben, you capture the best and the worst of the modern human expirience in your music. You have a creative mind that surprises me every time. I just listened to Life and Back, and i felt like it was part of my experience. Thank you for making real human music.
Thank you so much for producing and sharing this with the world. It's very touching and it'll resonate for a while and settle down permanently somewhere in my mind. I think it changed me a little bit for the better 👍🏼👍🏼
A magnum opus for current Ben, bravo!
Ben, am really appreciating your stuff; especially grateful while we're in stage 4 lockdown here in Australia. Thank you.
Couple days ago had almost identical situation with a possum to what you had with the goose. Found the boy looking around at about 11am (usually nocturnal) and easily approachable but no visible wounds so got my hubby to bring towel and cardboard box to get him to nearby vet. He died within maybe a minute of us waiting out the front of vet clinic. Poor bugger. Least we all did our best.
This blew me away, thank you for sharing.
I think this is my favorite video of yours.
Wow. Amazing.
I cried
Your last EP is beautiful , thx.
Goosebumps on my arms and a tear in my eye. I needed ten minutes of silence after watching the video. Such a wonder how a piece of art (in the sense of artificial and humanly/technically constructed) can transfer something very close to the spiritual truth. Knowing that I am not alone in feeling these things and that there is a way to express oneself, even in the most artificial way imaginable, and still remain a true Mensch. I have learned so much from you, dear Ben. Love from The Netherlands, Bob
Love this style of storytelling
...I do not have enough sleep to enjoy this as if should, but I like this
Another killer video. This one even got me choked up! Woah
Thank you for this, Ben.
I had a huge shroom trip planned tomorrow ..... this took care of it
Wavey!💯
Phew! I need a minute... what a journey :) Thank you
I have a ritual to watch Ben Levin videos high as balls and the trip is amazing 🥴
The feeling and the connections are so painfully real for us to cling to it harder. Thank you for this beautiful piece.
This is just great! Every video is a masterpiece, lately!
so good
I loved the way you combined all three techniques. Super creative! :)
I never thought I'd be sad to hear about a goose dying. Rest in peace little buddy
imagine a ben levin feature film
Love You
The only thing quantifiable in the whole of life is suffering. It is the only sensation of substance, and it is built into the mechanism of continued survival. Life is the single most horrific thing to ever exist, and we can't fully see that fact because we are both inherently "it" and are only able to fathom an exceedingly small fraction of the true brutality of it.
There are no lessons to grow from, there is no fulfillment to define ones self with - there is only the continued evasion of suffering.
All true except for one nitpick, it is not about evasion. There is only suffering mitigation. The negative input always comes before conscious action.
The only thing quantifiable in the whole of life is love. It is the only sensation of substance, and it is built into the mechanism of continued survival. Life is the single most beautiful thing to ever exist, and we can't fully see that fact because we are both inherently "it" and are only able to fathom an exceedingly small fraction of the true generosity of it.
There are many lessons to grow from, there is much fulfilment to define one's self with - there is always the continued embrace of love.
Both this and your statement are equally true. Have faith in the construct that gives you the strength to exist today.
@@milaberdenisvanberlekom4615 Your revision seems to be too specific to one part of human experience/social animals, but not to the vast majority of life and is therefore not "equally true". Love is a socially derived tool that is not inherent to all life.
To me, your reinterpretation sounds like a fantasy/coping mechanism to avoid uncomfortable truths and to ground yourself onto something that both gives you psychological comfort in life and lessens your emotional suffering so you may continue living "happily".
Your take that feels true, and the other take that is true.
@@milaberdenisvanberlekom4615 I think the value in love exists in its relation to suffering. The value in suffering however, is inherent. This is because love without suffering is superfluous. While suffering without love is still valued. It's from this comparison that I assume that the value we see in love comes only from its role in suffering mitigation. The value of suffering is in this way projected outward onto everything, every feeling.
@@coma-body-stilllife love as I see it is not only the social relationship. It's a transcendental feeling. I feel it when I witness a great performance or seeing great art, when hearing a good story or appreciating nature. Sometimes it's just a thought, a fantasy, or the knowledge that all sorts of amazing things exist at all. A sort of mindfulness if you wil. Sometimes they are fleeting moments, sometimes they are enduring sources of wonder. If you learn to shift your focus on what kind of experiences you give signficicance, you can change your perspective and use it to your advantage.
It is equally true because there isn't really one truth. You only have your individual perspective and individual construct.
All these things I talk about, I'm not particularly good at yet. But I strive to learn and practice. It's the key to good mental health, great willpower and focus. With those things, I can be who I am, or want to be, or should be. Not sure if there's a difference between the three.
Reducing love to the evasion of suffering would be just as much of an unfair reduction as calling suffering the evasion of love (and many evade love by dwelling in suffering and self-loathing).
I do think there's a truth in what you say though. I just don't think it's the only truth.
another stunning piece, ben. thanks!
You are doing wonderful things woth your creativity, it is inspiring
thank you. you save me
Wow, thank you Ben