The record clubs of yesteryear were kinda like low-tech subscription services. They were mail-order services you’d subscribe to for a free album a month and for discounted album prices. If streaming services adopted it, record labels could squeeze more money out of customers. You see, streaming services have a price ceiling. Record labels won’t get more than 10 USD out of a single streaming customer. Record clubs only offer a free album a month; listeners have to buy the other albums they want to listen to. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
