I have to admit I’ve never been a great fan of technology. At school I skived off computer studies to play sport. Obviously, I’ve had to adapt but I for one am not convinced about having my credit card on my phone or watch - but I do carry plastic and I was recently embarrassed to have been only carrying plastic. I was in Madrid enjoying a drink in the famous El Retiro park and there was a first class official busker playing by the café terrace.
He was excellent, played for a good half an hour and everybody clearly enjoyed his guitar playing and his voice as he knocked out a string of modern classics. When he ended his little gig he went round the tables and I could see so many people having to apologise that they had no cash, no change and I felt the same when he reached my table. None of us had any change. I not only felt ashamed but really sorry for the guy and I guess that is not only happening to street performers everywhere but all the way up the chain of trying to make a living.
Friends of mine who are either bar staff or wait tables have been telling me for years that tips have been dropping off year-on-year to the point, in Mallorca, the jobs are not worth the wages due to the high cost of living. What must street artists, key cogs of our culture and society and perhaps future stars live on? Credit culture is killing society and culture.