This is a blog about paying for street performers.
There are lots of reasons you might want to give money to a street performer. Here are five of them:
1. Street performers are entertaining and make your day better.
2. You’re supporting the arts.
3. You care about the environment.
4. You want to make me happy because I’m a street performer and I need money.
5. It’s good karma, which is kind of like magic, but real!
I see a lot of people who don’t support street performers. I think there are many reasons for this. It makes me sad that I have to go to work because of all of the people who don’t pay street performers.
Here are five reasons to pay a street performer:
1. They put on a good show
2. It’s not their fault you’re broke
3. You can afford it
4. You’re an asshole if you don’t pay them
5. Street performing is hard work
I know what you’re thinking: “Why should I take money out of my pocket and give it to a guy who’s just standing there, even if he is playing a guitar.” My answer: “Because you wouldn’t be complaining if he was your brother.”
I love street performers. I love that they’re passionate enough about their craft to make a living doing it. I love that they’re willing to risk humiliation and failure every day. And I love that by being out on the street, they’re making my life a little more interesting.
But what if you hate street performers? What if you think it’s ridiculous for someone to make a living on the street? What if you don’t like the idea of people seeing you give money to a street performer and thinking less of you? What if, in fact, you think there are 5 reasons not to give a street performer your money?
Well, then I’ve got a blog for you!
Here’s why it’s wrong to give money to street performers.
I love street performers. They have mastered an art and make it look so easy. I enjoy being entertained for free, and I like feeling like I’m in on a secret. But every once in awhile, you’ll come across a performer that really moves you – that leaves you gaping in awe as they do things that seem impossible, or gives you a new way of looking at the world.
I love street performers. They have mastered an art and make it look so easy. I enjoy being entertained for free, and I like feeling like I’m in on a secret. But every once in awhile, you’ll come across a performer that really moves you – that leaves you gaping in awe as they do things that seem impossible, or gives you a new way of looking at the world.
So how can we decide when to take out our wallets? Here are five reasons to give money to a street performer:
Do you know that guy who juggles fire and eats razorblades? Or the woman who puts a sword down her throat? They perform on street corners to make a living, but they’re generally not begging for money. They’re working, and you can take their picture, watch their show and tip them.
I’ve been taking street performer’s picture and tipping them for years. Here’s why:
1. It’s Fun!
When I’m at an amusement park or carnival, I love to watch performances by jugglers, acrobats, magicians and other entertainers. On the street there are performers with amazing skills that I would pay to see at a carnival or amusement park. And if I like it enough to take their picture, I tip them for their performance. I’ve also seen some pretty bad performances on the street, but I still tip them because…
2. It’s Hard Work!
Street performers are selling entertainment in a very competitive market. They have to stand out from all the other noise on the street to attract a crowd of customers willing to buy what they’re selling. If they’re lucky enough to get someone’s attention and convince them to stop and watch, they have to put on a great show to keep
1. You can’t be sure they’re not famous.
There are more famous people in the world than you think.
2. What’s 10 minutes of your time worth?
If a street performer is so bad that you don’t enjoy watching them for a few minutes, then you probably aren’t going to enjoy any performance ever given by anyone anywhere else either.
3. You’ve got money to spend.
If a street performer is so good that you would pay $20 for their CD, but you don’t have 2 quarters in your pocket, then you clearly haven’t thought about what you’re spending your money on lately.
4. The price is right.
Street performers are so cheap! If a street performer asks you for money, it usually costs less than a dollar, and they will happily take whatever coins you can spare. Even if they want more than that, it’s probably still less than what the average person spends on lunch every day. If you don’t have any cash on you, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate the way you manage your finances.
5. There’s nothing wrong with charity.
Charity is defined as “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity”. When you give an artist some money
I love getting ripped off.
I mean, when I’m at a street festival and a guy in a top hat comes up to me and asks for $5 to show me a trick, I immediately pull out my wallet. I know it’s stupid and I’m probably going to hate myself for it later, but whatever.
In this case, the guy did an awesome job. He had several tricks where he would guess my card or make cards appear from nowhere. There was even a moment when I thought he’d actually ripped my credit card in half with his bare hands. But then BAM! It was like nothing had happened.
I knew it wasn’t real magic, but it was still fun to watch him put on the act. At the end of the trick he even asked if anyone wanted their money back because they didn’t like the show. Nobody said anything, so he gave everyone their money back.
The only thing that bothered me about the performance is that sometimes he would use his “magic” to try and impress some girls who were walking by (and occasionally succeeding). He was a good performer and everything, but I think there’s something inherently pathetic about trying to pick up women using magic tricks at a street festival.