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Comment by lmm | Hacker News Reader

Better that we spend our money on high-quality versions of "the simplest facets of life", like coffee, than doing weird things that are just status symbols, like opera.

And I don't think it's at all fair to say small businesses languish as a result. Small businesses are booming by providing these things.

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Opera is a weird thing and just a status symbol? You deserve to pay $30 for your coffee! But maybe it's the cultural divide between <fill in yourself>

If you've grown up with opera it probably fits into your culture. But if you're now much wealthier than your background (as is the case for many tech folk), better to spend that money on high-quality versions of what you like than try to ape the tastes of people as wealthy as you.

You seem to be implying that "poor people" can't enjoy Opera or by extension 'classical' music? I don't think the author was meaning to make the comparison to highlight wealth rather than something that may benefit you beyond "I ate some expensive toasted bread".

What if it doesn't fit into your culture? So everyone who wasn't aristocracy when growing up can't truly enjoy opera or classical music? They're justing aping the taste of the rich?

Opera is, comparatively, much more different than pop music than, say, comparing a cheap $1 toast from a $4 one.

...or you could try to expand your horizons by trying things that you previously couldn't afford.

And maybe, just maybe, you'd find that you liked some of them.

Don't underestimate showing status. Bragging around of the artisan coffee you take every morning can be every bit about showing status as any other thing. Humans are very good at that...

I don't think the author meant literally or exclusively the opera. The point was that people are spending money on vacuous things like the quality of toast they eat, rather than on meaningful and intellectually nourishing experiences.

That's pure snobbery. By all means spend your money on the opera if you enjoy it, but it's no more "meaningful" or "intellectually nourishing" than good food.

I think you'd have a hard time convincing most people that good music (of any type) is less meaningful or intellectually nourishing than toast. Food is finite, it fills you up for awhile. Music is not, it can stick with you for quite some time, and change your life. Very infrequently does a meal mean as much as music does to most people.

How is toast "vacuous" and somehow not a meaningful experience?

Come to my house sometime. I'll bake a fresh loaf of buttermilk cheese bread, toast it, and slather on some butter or cherry preserves. If you think the resulting experience is "vacuous" then I'll buy you a loaf of Wonder Bread to take home.

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