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I don't know where you live, but the city I live in has many public tennis courts paid for by taxes. And basketball courts, soccer fields, a few pools, public river launches, etc. Some things are good to have, even though they don't make money. There's a fun novella that parodies the opera mindset, called Maskerade: “Who does the accounts?” “All of us, really,” said Salzella. “All of you?” “Money gets put in, money gets taken out...” said Salzella vaguely. “Is it important?” Bucket’s jaw dropped. “Is it important?” “Because,” Salzella went on, smoothly, “opera doesn’t make money. Opera never makes money.” “Good grief, man! Important? What’d I ever have achieved in the cheese business, I’d like to know, if I’d said that money wasn’t important?” Salzella smiled humorlessly. “There are people out on the stage right now, sir,” he said, “who’d say that you would probably have made better cheeses.” He sighed, and leaned over the desk. “You see,” he said, “cheese does make money. And opera doesn’t. Opera’s what you spend money on.” “But...what do you get out of it?” “You get opera. You put money in, you see, and opera comes out,” said Salzella wearily. |