Re: the idea of a person finding it easier to enter different cultural worlds, take Debussy and Picasso, Picasso with african art, Debussy with asian music--

For most people these are still exotic--and in the case of the Gamelan most people (including me) find it hard not to just hear CHANG CHANG CHANGCHANGCHANG...(5:01)

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldPMifPbngc

You play the same music to Debussy, and his ears pick up all kinds of patterns and intonations--enthused, he writes a piece like this (so good I want to post it again!) (5:03):

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fON4EddElU

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.