I’m rereading an old favorite right now – a book I fest read a quarter century ago. It’s a pretty uncommon reading choice for me, as I tend to seek out new ideas and perspectives in my reading.
Meanwhile, I am perennially listening to old favorites in my musical life. I do listen to new music, but a large percentage of my listening is focused on things I first listened to years or decades ago.
Why the dichotomy? Why is my preference as a reader the opposite of my preference as a listener?
Part of it is that I often listen to music while doing something else – baking, cleaning, eating dinner – while reading is something I do when I’ve stopped doing everything else. Another part, though, is that I’m conditioned to prioritize reading new things, and to prioritize listening to music repeatedly.
I think there is something to be said, in both cases, for reconsidering these unconscious choices. There is (as I’m reminded now) much to enjoy from rereading a good book. And conversely, there is no downside to devoting more of my listening to things I’ve never heard before.
There is value in balancing new ideas and old favorites, regardless of the artistic medium.