Anyone who's come to the forum is likely aware of that, and if they weren't they are. I'm sure everyone rolls there eyes when I do this, but who was recording music for non-commercial gains? Why record at all if this is the case? Unless you're showing your unborn grandchild how well you could play, there isn't really a reason.
And in any sort of free market society, its hard to imagine who wouldn't be truly independent. In todays modern technocracy, we don't even need labels and the idea that in an "independent" artist would even bother with labels is obsolete.
I think theres the idea in angry young folks that for some reason we should do the opposite of bands we hate, as if to destroy them. But anyone who's been out of high school for 3 years should understand there isn't a social political identity in the real world (primarily because you have real problems to deal with) and associating yourself with artist A or B means very little.
And to comment on a different side of the same coin, I'd argue that people who do this don't truly appreciate music. If you can't find 1 good thing (honest thing) to say about the band you hate the most then you're missing the point. To drudge up a cliche here, anger isn't the opposite of love, indifference is. The band you care least about isn't on your radar. For an act to draw so much emotion from you, they've at least done 1 thing right. Until you see that, you don't get music.
The idea of independence from commercialism is some ridiculous notion that what sells is bad. To get to the radical root of the math, its because you think the masses are stupid. To one end, thats because they aren't as invested as you are, to the other - so what? Understand that the music other people like wasn't dwelled upon for hours. Had it been, they may have come to the same conclusion as you, or at least a more tolerable one.
There is nothing of value from independence beyond the individual. As a listener you're never without an option, so why the rage? In the West, the "dollar" rules, so rage with your money. Thats the only thing that makes anyone give a **** anymore. Well, that or an unexpected tit shot on a childrens show but you can't buy that. I know. I've tried.
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