~ the Music experience belongs to us ~
The_Artifact
It all starts at the ticket __ The artifact that we collectively accept as the entry point to the experience // We believe it is concrete, but really it is a product of reification that establishes control // creating a cascade of economic effects to feed a system of ~ behavioral manipulation ~
The queue to purchase // the synthetic scarcity // the line you stand in // the scanner that may or may not do anything \ and the barriers that contain you ~ are all fabricated and have little relation to real rules, merely functioning as an arm to establish control. It is a ritual that you unconsciously abide by, where the force containing you is quite weak, but collective compliance prevails over resistance. In fact ~ there are people who walk through these barriers like ghosts, and instead of questioning the nature of the //environment// we accept a hierachy devoid of transparency and logic.
Even the enforcers become not much more than NPCs of the system. They are given money and a schema to follow ((purple means access)) and they follow without critical thought. ~ They mirror the same compliance we participate in ~
Perceived_Value
The ticket // the wristband // colors ~ we accept these as the truths that give us the experience and from that end they have ~ value ~ In fact the more layers that are created ((VIP)) the more we focus on this value.
Thus when we acquire the artifact of entry, we are confronted with a choice::: is the experience more valuable than the artifact itself? It is impossible not to consider choosing the artifact ~ but every time you do ~ you reinforce the values of the system that actively devalue the experience.
The answer to that question has many dependencies from either side. Assuming one loves music, there is a case where the //artifact// is invaluable, and inversely it can have none. Generally this is the spectrum we operate on, which is encouraged by the machine of ~ control ~
The more the machine encourages you to operate on perceived ~ value ~ and ~ scarcity ~ the more likely you are to aid them in inflating the value of the //artifact// itself, over the experience. In this way, your actions do not just support the system _ they expand it.
The_System
So we end up with a system of control driven by //artifacts// that may or may not lead to an experience.
On top of that we have evolved from transferring //artifacts// of value in person with the friction of needing to meet, to the instant transfer of \digital_artifacts\ There is a distant memory of this being ~ illegal ~ and regulated, but without much resistance it is now fully integrated into the process.
This allowed everyone to become \artifact\ speculators to an incredibly expansive degree, and in turn, encouraged the experience to be secondary and the participation of purely economic ~ driven ~ actors.
The default has become to accept these refined systems because they align with how we already think about value and assets. Thus, we inherit the desired behavior without questioning who ~ benefits ~
Activation
Yet it is not difficult to surpass this shallow interpretation of music ~ experiences ~ All that is required is ~ decisiveness ~ and ~ awareness ~ This must be inherent, not given, and once activated, you cannot go \back\
The system wants you to be \passive\ \mindless\ and \consumptive\ but once you allow yourself to be activated, it takes little effort to discover the other side.
The_Other_Side
On the other side there are \people\ who remind you what the experience felt like before it was ~ quantified ~
They share your ||experience|| and when you share your \artifact\ without contingency you discover an invaluable bond that the ~ system ~ does whatever it can to conceal. Because once value is removed, the structure of control ||collapses||
The first time you giveaway a ticket to a stranger is a transcedent moment. the bond you share over music resonates deeply and becomes the source of lasting connection. the loss you feel for the cost of the ticket dissolves in an indescribable way that is familiar, yet distinct. some of the defensive boundaries you once created against a person you once judged based on observation crumble. in that moment you regain full control over the experience.
You discover that the system attempts to control the experience of music because it is ||invaluable|| And that when you ignore its economics, you create a connection with a ~ kindred spirit ~ who will shift your focus from the //artifact// to the experience around it.
From that end ~ helping build the collective experience of music as a fan is all about manifesting the best group of \people\ in the crowd. Control we always had _ but never realized.
Dismantle
And as much of this hinges on ~ love ~ and ~ appreciation ~ for your fellow fan ~ it is also important that we channel collective disdain for the figures who depend on your continued \confusion\
The creators of these systems // Ticketmaster // StubHub // Live Nation // AXS // all must be held accountable and ||dismantled|| the first step being refusing to engage and conversely building systems that make them ~ obsolete ~
They are not needed in the slightest as all of their infrastructure could be \artist_owned\ and \controlled\ If we all came together and built better systems, their stranglehold could be dissolved ||overnight||
But first it is important that we come together and recognize what is happening. The ~ system ~ only holds as long as you continue to behave as if it does. It ||breaks|| the moment you stop participating in it.
the first step ::: never use StubHub again.