Techno Music & Anti Consumerism
George Orwell's 1984 book begins with the sentence :
Techno Raffles nights end the same way. The dancers leave the club on a cold April day after a long night of thirteen years. Orwell then warned of a world cursed by surveillance. Today, techno dancers seek refuge to breathe in a beat.
To be clear, techno as described is not the Calvin Harris or Diplo you hear on the radio. Instead of a melody, the technical sound is very mechanical, cold and emotionless. Techno lacks harmonies, predictable drops, vocals, choirs, and solos.
Techno tracks have no beginning or end. The bass stays on until lights out at 9am.
Not too long ago, the fringe techno movement only existed in the heart of Detroit and Berlin. Today, you can feel the techno vibe in almost every major city, in underground clubs and art installations in abandoned warehouses. Because of this, Techno draws a different crowd than the Calvin Harris types you see in Vegas.
To understand the anti-consumerism of technology, you need to understand the new push for psychological freedom in the digital world. Techno has more power in consumers' brains than feet, thanks to digital FOMO.
As Orwell predicted, the world is being closely watched. However, techno offers a very rare experience these days: freedom. Not just the freedom from data monitoring, but also the freedom from the social comparison that dominates social media.
The digital world of consumers is personalized by algorithms, large intelligent facial recognition programs, and browser cookies. The previous objective is to anticipate all the desires of the consumer, even before they experience it. Yet one way or another, consumer personalities are sitting in the server room, far away.
Much of consumers' desire to share data stems from the desire to share and connect through social apps. And it comes from a very natural drive to belong and connect with people. And if consumers can't use social apps, they're missing out.
Fear of missing out, FOMO, It appears in the brain. Instead of going to a party with your friends, you decide to visit your friends. Or you see your neighbors take another wine tour while someone shows off a new Audi. You see how much fun other people are having on Instagram and feel ridiculous for missing out.
FOMO is a powerful force because consumers naturally think "what ifs" for happiness and satisfaction. Cognitive psychologists call this counterthinking. You'll love your burger, but a small part of you still wonders if you could order a steak. And when that thought occurs in the social world, it quickly becomes FOMO. You may be enjoying a stroll after dinner, but when you discover that your friends have gone on a boat trip without you. And suddenly your step doesn't seem so big. Everything is great until compared to what could have been.
This is a very common problem. So here's a solution for some: Visit a tech hub near you. Techno clubs allow listeners to experience Jomo, the joy of being lost .
Although described as monotonous, simple and harmless, they really love Techno, use it and don't let it go. The culture around you supports FOMO traps, digital frenzy, and social comparison.
Unlike dancing to the Top 40, there is no standard dance style, which eliminates the tendency for social comparisons based on FOMO. Also, the dress code is against Las Vegas club standards. You will be denied entry if you try to wear dress shoes and fancy buttons. Cocktail dresses and heels are strictly prohibited. Also, dark rooms with amazing lighting make getting dressed unnecessary.
Oh and bottle service! No
Clubs like Berghain, Berlin's most hidden and hard-to-reach art club, have a strict zero-tolerance policy on photography and post signs above cameras. The bombing of Munich strictly prohibits the use of smartphones. The main thing is this. leave the virtual world with your likes and followers and live the real world where intimacy, belonging, novelty and good music are breathed.
Techno can also be called Tech-NO!
The world of techno was created to be enjoyed without comparison. music on and FOMO off.
As today's consumers adjust to banking, blending their experiences on Instagram, taking filtered selfies, or live-tweeting, the privacy-free sanctity of phone-tech culture lives up to its name.
In 2018, the 280 clubs in Berlin managed to collect more than 1.6 billion dollars in revenue. The hostels alone are visited by more than 3 million tourists, roughly the population of Berlin.
With techno music being the best-selling genre on Beatport, the electronic dance music streaming service, and its cultural evolution (from a cult following to attracting millions of basement fans), it has also become a popular way for brands to attract customers.
Many commercials are filled with techno-heavy music. For example, an advertisement for Porsche's new Macan featured the soulful tunes of Dutch DJ and producer Bakkermaat. Kayak travel search engine has been launched by London DJ duo Eli & Fur. Mobile car rental and loan app Fair used the powerful hits of 'Here 4 U' by Australia's Alison Wonderland in its 2019 Super Bowl ad.
Brands are trying, but techno is not the same in the mainstream. There are hardly any "stars" in techno. Many tech makers seem happy to remain anonymous and try to make it happen. Producers work together in different teams, often change their nicknames, and hardly post any photos or details about each other.
Thanks to techno, consumers can participate in anti-consumerism and free themselves from the stress caused by FOMO in their daily lives. The data path may stop at the entrance of the club. Since Big Brother can't see all the moves in his techno bunker, you can bet modern Orwell must have had some cool dance moves. See you at thirteen.