In the Roman days, the phrase meant superficial appeasement of the masses by the politicians. It was a tactic to prevent the uprising of the lower class. My point is that these days, the ruling class isn’t bothering to give the populace any appeasement. No give, only take. The small artists and performers are fantastic, but they are organized at the small, local level by the very class of people that are being repressed, and so do not fit in the ‘bread and circuses’ quote.
Some year/decades ago Prague was the best place to experience fantastic jazz for cheap money. Probably still is to some degree.
This was because they had a lot of people enrolling in universities (music conservatories) due to poverty.
They even have a one of a kind conservatory for blind musicians.
The entire countryside was a dead end, so anyone with a remote talent for doing the hand whistle would move from the villages all over the Czech Republic to take the chance in Prague.
Education gave them a low but steady income and a chance of getting into an orchestra.
Much like Hollywood, right? Except these people got paid to do it, so it obviously attracted many to do so.
However, orchestras and universities only need so many players and teachers, so once they were educated they ended up playing on the streets or in small dive in bars if they were lucky.
Mind, these were the state-of-art and most talented people at that in the world. Competition was fierce. Only the best could survive on that.
As an ignorant tourist not knowing the reasons, this was heaven. The street artists were more talented than the professional orchestras at home.
I myself had a dream of becoming a performing musician at the time but I gave up that dream after seeing a guitarist at a jazz club in Prague play the most magnificent solo while attempting to keep the band aid shut on his finger to avoid the blood dripping over the stage from playing ten gigs before on the same day.
Soon, if things continue the way they are, we will find the best computer programmers on the streets, making code for nickels while wearing casts to keep their mouse stain injuries from stopping them.
Anyway. Romans didn’t do that, but gladiators, musicians and coders are still just people trying to make living.
Although you are correct, you miss my point.
In the Roman days, the phrase meant superficial appeasement of the masses by the politicians. It was a tactic to prevent the uprising of the lower class. My point is that these days, the ruling class isn’t bothering to give the populace any appeasement. No give, only take. The small artists and performers are fantastic, but they are organized at the small, local level by the very class of people that are being repressed, and so do not fit in the ‘bread and circuses’ quote.
Some year/decades ago Prague was the best place to experience fantastic jazz for cheap money. Probably still is to some degree.
This was because they had a lot of people enrolling in universities (music conservatories) due to poverty. They even have a one of a kind conservatory for blind musicians.
The entire countryside was a dead end, so anyone with a remote talent for doing the hand whistle would move from the villages all over the Czech Republic to take the chance in Prague. Education gave them a low but steady income and a chance of getting into an orchestra. Much like Hollywood, right? Except these people got paid to do it, so it obviously attracted many to do so.
However, orchestras and universities only need so many players and teachers, so once they were educated they ended up playing on the streets or in small dive in bars if they were lucky.
Mind, these were the state-of-art and most talented people at that in the world. Competition was fierce. Only the best could survive on that.
As an ignorant tourist not knowing the reasons, this was heaven. The street artists were more talented than the professional orchestras at home.
I myself had a dream of becoming a performing musician at the time but I gave up that dream after seeing a guitarist at a jazz club in Prague play the most magnificent solo while attempting to keep the band aid shut on his finger to avoid the blood dripping over the stage from playing ten gigs before on the same day.
Soon, if things continue the way they are, we will find the best computer programmers on the streets, making code for nickels while wearing casts to keep their mouse stain injuries from stopping them.
Anyway. Romans didn’t do that, but gladiators, musicians and coders are still just people trying to make living.