Reading WAY too much into musical enjoyment

Probably revealing my neurotic, obsessively-over-thinking-things side here...but how do you know that you are doing something the "right" way? After all, people choose to do the same things in such unique, varied ways - and they ALWAYS have some sort of justification for the way that they do it. The problem, at least for me, comes when there are two perfectly reasonable, even noble justifications for the doing the same deed, two ways that contradict each other. What then?

Take listening to music, for example. Okay, so here I am, playing some sweet tunes on my iPod in my car. Since this is not a cassette, I can easily switch to any song - or any part of any song - with a few flicks of my fingers. Do I have to complete each song before I move onto the next?

Yes, maybe to anyone else, this question warrants no further thought. But the issue stumps me. What is the most efficient, meaningful, even - dare I say - ethical way to approach my iPod usage?

The artists who created those songs made each one in its entirety. Not only that, but they even made the albums in their entirety (although today's iPod culture is ruining the need to purchase an entire album). I am not fully appreciating the work of art (or artfully arranged garbage) when I don't experience it as completely as I can, which one could argue means listening to the entire thing at least once. If I can't stand to listen to the whole thing, then maybe I shouldn't be listening to it at all. By skipping to a new song once I get bored, furthermore, I am exhibiting an instant-gratification habit, where I want what I want THIS INSTANT, and I want it now. Not a particularly admirable approach.

On the other hand, my time is precious. (And all our time.) Why should I spend my few allotted hours listening to something that I'm not enjoying as much as I possibly can? I'm not legally obligated to listen to these musicians' work, and much of it is of poor quality. Isn't music meant to entertain, to speak to our hearts and minds, to waken something in us? If a song is not serving its function, then maybe I should switch to something that is.

This is what I spend my time thinking about. I know, I know, I'm probably over-doing it a little, yes? But both sides seem a little right. Like in so many areas in life.

Sigh.