My Vicky Life

Tylenol Seems to Ease Existential Dread
(via @Slate)

“New research from the University of British Columbia suggests that our brain may register feelings of anxiety over death and existential dread as physical pain. Acetaminophen in Tylenol appears to inhibit that process, stopping the signal that tells our brains something is wrong. Scientists tested the theory by exposing subjects to grim David Lynch videos and other macabre exercises, and then tested anxiety levels between a control placebo group and people given Tylenol. Subjects given the real drugs coped better than the placebo group. The findings still need to be confirmed, but it’s hard to argue with a drug that makes Eraserhead seem soothing.”

So…if our brain registers anxiety and existential dread as physical pain, wouldn’t any pain reliever (not necessarily acetaminophen) theoretically have an effect? Plus, ironically, if David Lynch had anything to say about it, he’d probably recommend Transcendental Meditation. 

Two people whose work I admire, but here’s my question. I’ve always been under the impression that great art requires great angst. If, in the world envisioned in this video, everyone were to meditate and be happy and positive all the time, would art suffer? Just sayin’

fuckyeahincubus:

David Lynch and Brandon Boyd Discuss Transcendental Meditation (by incubusTV)

Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch - Shelly

Earlier, I said the song Monuments and Melodies kind of reminded me of the music from Twin Peaks, and suddenly it occurred to me that some of my fellow Incubus fans might be a little too young to remember that show. It was a creepy, sexy, quirky drama about a small town coming to grips with the brutal murder of a high school beauty queen. The music was eerie and hypnotic, like in this scene (Audrey’s Dance). My favorite was a darker, raunchier number called Pink Room.