Culture, Amusement, and Edification

Today is the second day of the Nobel Conference, a scientific symposium of sorts, attempting to explore various branches of science that are not generally a part of popular and common knowledge. This year's topic is "The Science of Aging." However, that is not relevant to this particular blog. While attempting to achieve many goals in the production of this conference, its sponsor also takes this opportunity to showcase its students through integrating of music and art into the scientific aspect of the lectures and dialogs. Various musical ensembles performed before the introduction of a speaker during the conference, and though many were in attendance, young and old alike, few of them really kept quiet and listened to the music. I was shocked and appalled. What kind of cultured person can take two or three days out of their work week to visit a conference dedicated to science, put on by a liberal arts school, and integrating an art exhibit and a classical concert, and NOT have the consideration to listen to 10 minutes of music?!