R: The Ecstasy of Influence.........

Jenkins got me thinking about early forms of "consumption communities" that may have existed on the cusp of what we now call convergence culture. Fan sites, of course, have existed as long as there have been Hollywood stars and starlets to swoon over. But Lethem's essay reminds me of one of my favorite pastimes: making mix tapes (now CDs) and dispersing them among friends and acquaintances, something that actually takes a lot of time and consideration. [See ALT readings: audience and context. A good mix takes both of these into account, as well as meaning, order, texture and respect of authorship. Not to mention cover art and overall presentation/representation.] In my world it is an imperative gesture, a sharing of cultural insight, but reflecting on it a bit i realize that it's also a device that promotes music sales. If someone enjoys a track that I've included on a mix, it is likely that they will buy the album. Now, to put this into Lethem's perspective, he argues that a work of art exists in a set of two economies: a "market economy" and a "gift economy." Whereas a market economy is characterized by a "disconnectedness" between producer/distributor and consumer, a gift, on the other hand, "makes a connection." Communities such as mix CD clubs, where members share a listing of single tracks by various artists not only incite knowledge about the abundance of music that is out there, but they also boost the market economy by broadening public awareness of lesser known artists (including those who have either faded into obscurity or can't afford to tour). Above all, this hobby, besides being a creative form of mediated distribution, can be deemed "ethical" (in comparison to mass file-sharing) by both artist as well as industry standards.