I hated recorders; I thought they were the stupidest thing we could all be forced to learn. I seemed to be in the majority -- we had more fun with the percussion instruments and xylophones and such when we all got to pick up the ones we liked and play together. Now, of course, I understand they wanted something we could take home and practice, and the recorder doesn't seem as dorky as it used to. But...

Maybe it was just that we were all forced to do the same thing, when music is by nature very individual?