The Intersection of Music and Eugenics

The podcast explores the relationship between music and eugenicist thought, highlighting how notions of inherent musical talent have influenced harmful social hierarchies. The discussion begins with the foundational work of Francis Galton, who argued for the heritability of genius, especially in music, and used the concept of musical prodigies to justify social stratification. This perspective established a dangerous framework, suggesting that one's social role should reflect their hereditary abilities, with implications extending beyond music to law, politics, and labor. The connection between music and eugenics persists, as contemporary discussions still grapple with the rhetoric that positions musical ability as innate rather than cultivated.