Keep calm and carry on

The impact and generosity of these ‘tunes’ delivered in the face of an impending maritime disaster continue to fascinate, as does the notion of playing whilst sinking, especially as the concomitant decision to, in this case, make music, flies in the very face of a ‘logical pragmaticism’.2 Survivalist methodologies, and instinctual urgings related to fight or flight, will always tend towards choosing to save one’s own life and/or, for the heroes amongst you, the lives of others. How do we then reconcile the decision to play ‘cheerful tunes’?