"Daily existence is increasingly that of despair, depression, and derangement, punctuated by news of the latest serial murder spree or global eco-disaster, consumed as horrible entertainments in the emptiness." - John Zerzan
Friday, August 27, 2010
weblog
Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians have a base salary of $104,650? WTH? No wonder the DSO is having financial problems. It really isn't that much compared to what an even moderately successful country music, pop, rock or rap entertainer gets, but then the public voluntarily pays for their performances and recordings. Who the hell in the private sector would continue on with an entertainment enterprise that runs a seven figure annual deficit? Municipal symphonies are a legacy of bygone days when the wealthy elites of a metropolitan area paid for all this as a matter of conspicuous consumption in order to show the world how cosmopolitan their cities were. I can think of some things Detroit needs a lot more for it's cultural edification and enjoyment than a highly paid and money losing classical music society. Like, say, keeping the libraries open for instance.