The 10 dollar words in his work don’t impress me much, but there’s something of substance here. It’s gonzo and authentic. I like it.
I don’t live in Berlin, never have, probably never will… but I’ve visited. And I was fortunate enough to visit Berghain, Ohm, Katerblau, Tausend and the Fuck Parade. All the “cool” spots in a very short set of trips over some years. I also framed my outings in my mind as “research”, with a cheeky grin. So there’s my pedigree that aligns with the motif of a neophyte Berlin experience.
Some of these scenes are inclusive in the LBGTQ, racial, and identity sense, but exclusive in the attitude / personality sense. It’s not what you’re born with. It’s what you do with it. What a weird paradox. Inclusively exclusive.
So, look, some of you reading this don’t want to go to things like this and take drugs (you don’t have to) and let loose. Some of you do. Some of you would be welcome and you’d “get it”. And some of you wouldn’t. And Sven Marqhardt [https://www.gq.com/story/berghain-bouncer-sven-marquardt-int...] isn’t psychic but he’s good at his job. (He pretended to try to tick me off by telling me cigarettes aren’t allowed when I knew they sold them upstairs.)
And all that’s ok. The most striking part of Berlin’s music and party culture to me is the comfort with being bluntly but fairly critical. Of eachother, of music, of clothing and fashion… in order to create a time and a place for something we don’t even know what it is yet. That something has been created and then appropriated over and over again. They didn’t invite everyone to these parties for a reason, but due to the internet and their success? Here’s everyone! And there was I. But I tried my best to contribute positive vibes and make real human connections and memories. Not to just promote consumption and capitalism and some shitty clothing from SHEIN.
The author was on a mission to journal the truth. They did a good job. What positive message one could take away from this is to be comfortable in yourself and what you like and remember that art of surfeit has hunger, and such is a fun way to while away your time before you die.