Once Upon a Time… – a hypothetical question.

[Pretty Funky]

This hypothetical genie is sitting on a bad business model. If he were to flip the scenario, and instead of offering a payment for removing a positive, pleasant experience offer the same elimination of the negatives in pop culture, music, etc in return for a small fee...he'd be sitting on a goldmine.

Offer a sliding scale for payment so the elimination could be paid for and applied to anyone or anything the customer wishes to avoid, from politicians to political pundits to the Kardashians to Beiber to Chris Brown to "The View" talk show to overrated NFL wide receivers to whatever else...

I'd pay. And the genie would need to hire a staff of genies to keep up with the demand.

The sliding scale but for different reasons. Discovered the music at 18 and have had over 35 years of listening pleasure so my amount back then would have been high. Nowadays at my age not so much.

Ok..I admit it...I could be bought today!

$1m

[filledeplage]

Once Upon a Time… – a hypothetical question.

Suppose one day you are visited by an apparition, in the form of a magic genie. The genie says you have been selected to receive any sum of money (tax free) if you agree to never hear or have access to any Beach Boy music for the rest of your life. If you agree, any time Beach Boy music is presented to your hearing, all you will hear is noise, from any CD, LP, broadcast or live concert. Any time the image of a Beach Boy is presented to your sight, all you will see is fog, from any book, magazine, printed material, screen, or stage show. In other words, the genie explains, any thing “Beach Boy” will be removed from your awareness for the rest of your natural life. Only your memories of the music will remain. All you need to do is name your price and it will be done.

So the question for you to ponder – and I mean in a serious way – is how much money would you be willing to accept in exchange for the above conditions?  Several thousand dollars, a million dollars, several million, or would you just decline the offer.

The old adage, “everything has its price” is in play here. What would you tell the genie?

Mr. Desper - it is really food for thought.  I had The Beach Boys' music in my life before I had my kids, who are not for sale, at any price, my eighth grade diploma, high school, college, career, etc. The music has been on the journey with me, and even if I've failed at something, (many things) the music has never failed me.

So, I guess the genie would have to find one more willing to negotiate away that which can transport me, give me a giggle, imagine the possibilities, and enhance the quality of life.  

Just about everything else might be for sale.  

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I say no.... Because if I took the money, I'd likely spend it quickly and unwisely trying to fill the spiritual/emotional void left by there being no Beach Boys in my world...

[Jay]

I'd take four dollars and a box of condoms.
Maybe I'd actually go outside.

"Outside"? What's that???

[Pretty Funky]

I'm like you Pinder. As George Best said along the same lines, "All my money went on birds, booze and fast cars...The rest I just squandered!"

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

That's a fantastic quote!

I discovered (I mean REALLY discovered) The Beach Boys at 18, I'm 40 now and I swear not a single day has gone by where I didn't either listen to them, read about them, or at the least, think about them.... Even in the other parts of life, they come up... If I meet someone new, I'm always half thinking "So, is this person more of an Al, or a Dennis, or a Carl, or a Mike, or a Brian?" .... Or a Bruce. Or, hey this guy's kinda like a Dave type" ...... And I've come across many a Murray too.

Take away The Beach Boys and I'd pretty much have to start from scratch and be reincarnated or something as someone or something completely new and different.

[Billf]

Two questions:
1. Can I limit it to Summer in Paradise?
2. If so, will the genie accept a personal check?
Thank you.

[bluesno1fann]

$50,000,000,000.


But only after the last surviving Beach Boy dies and I hear their entire discography - released and officially unreleased - at least once.

[runnersdialzero]

I feel embarrassed to say this, but I don't believe I would take the offer at all. I feel the group's music has been too much of a spiritual guide for me in my life.

I say no.... Because if I took the money, I'd likely spend it quickly and unwisely trying to fill the spiritual/emotional void left by there being no Beach Boys in my world...

'ere we are. I can't imagine never hearing something that's brought me so much joy ever again, including future releases. I can't even hypothetically really put any kind of price on that, but no matter the amount, I could really, really use that money ^_^ However, I really do believe there'd be a big ol' Beach Boys-sized hole in my life for the rest of my days.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

How about this: would you accept the Genie's offer of world peace forevermore if, in exchange, your only awareness of The Beach Boys would be Summer In Paradise?

[alf wiedersehen]

Sure - I wouldn't know what I was missing.

[runnersdialzero]

How about this: would you accept the Genie's offer of world peace forevermore if, in exchange, your only awareness of The Beach Boys would be Summer In Paradise?

Absolutely, even if my awareness of the Beach Boys were what it is now. I'm just that cool of a guy. I would accept the Genie's offer of world peace forevermore in exchange for never hearing the Beach Boys again and then we'll have world peace.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[bluesno1fann]

$50,000,000,000.


But only after the last surviving Beach Boy dies and I hear their entire discography - released and officially unreleased - at least once.

It's not fair that everyone else in your tontine is 70+ years old

If you say "But Not Ricky and Blondie", I swear to god.....

Yes, that includes Blondie and Ricky. They're each just as much of a Beach Boy than Brian, Dennis, Carl, Al, Bruce, Mike and David!

[ThyRavenAscend]

I'm surprised that (as far as I read) nobody has mentioned giving to charity.  I'm not trying to put on a facade of selflessness like I would give it all away (I probably wouldn't), but I do think that the possibility of giving the genie's money away to charity is still in the spirit of the question and an important implication.
For those of you who answered in astronomical figures (like $50 million), you could save a lot of lives with that kind of money--and all it would hinge on is you (just one person) giving up something you like.  In other words, how many lives could be changed/saved with the money simply because one person doesn't get to listen to the Beach Boys?

Any thoughts, anyone?

[Eric Aniversario]

70 billion dollars.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'd take £5 mill, minimum. The Beach Boys music means a lot to me, but I'm not that dumb. After all is said and done, it's just music, and now and then down the years, it's caused me more grief than pleasure.

[Pretty Funky]

I'm surprised that (as far as I read) nobody has mentioned giving to charity.  I'm not trying to put on a facade of selflessness like I would give it all away (I probably wouldn't), but I do think that the possibility of giving the genie's money away to charity is still in the spirit of the question and an important implication.
For those of you who answered in astronomical figures (like $50 million), you could save a lot of lives with that kind of money--and all it would hinge on is you (just one person) giving up something you like.  In other words, how many lives could be changed/saved with the money simply because one person doesn't get to listen to the Beach Boys?

Any thoughts, anyone?

To be fair I don't think anyone has said what they would do with any of the money.

[Lowbacca]

F*ck the Beach Boys. I recently discovered the deeper ABBA tracks.

[monicker]

I don’t even have to think about this for more than a second. I wouldn’t take the offer. Just thinking about doing it, no matter the price, makes me feel empty and regretful.

[Alan Smith]

I'm surprised that (as far as I read) nobody has mentioned giving to charity.  I'm not trying to put on a facade of selflessness like I would give it all away (I probably wouldn't), but I do think that the possibility of giving the genie's money away to charity is still in the spirit of the question and an important implication.
For those of you who answered in astronomical figures (like $50 million), you could save a lot of lives with that kind of money--and all it would hinge on is you (just one person) giving up something you like.  In other words, how many lives could be changed/saved with the money simply because one person doesn't get to listen to the Beach Boys?

Any thoughts, anyone?

Seeing as you put it out there - a hypothetical $20M or so to cover off my family and close friends (a mill each), a hypothetical $5M to Amnesty International, a hypothetical $5M to an environmental related cause, a hypothetical $5M to Autism Australia. The remaining hypothetical $15M for travelling the globe while avoiding backpacker hotels.

[The Shift]

I'm surprised that (as far as I read) nobody has mentioned giving to charity.  I'm not trying to put on a facade of selflessness like I would give it all away (I probably wouldn't), but I do think that the possibility of giving the genie's money away to charity is still in the spirit of the question and an important implication.
For those of you who answered in astronomical figures (like $50 million), you could save a lot of lives with that kind of money--and all it would hinge on is you (just one person) giving up something you like.  In other words, how many lives could be changed/saved with the money simply because one person doesn't get to listen to the Beach Boys?

Any thoughts, anyone?

Seeing as you put it out there - a hypothetical $20M or so to cover off my family and close friends (a mill each), a hypothetical $5M to Amnesty International, a hypothetical $5M to an environmental related cause, a hypothetical $5M to Autism Australia. The remaining hypothetical $15M for travelling the globe while avoiding backpacker hotels.

Hmm, I'd need sufficient cash for every worthwhile and reputable charity to get what it needs, every government to receive sufficient for it to waive all taxes for ever, cessation of war, end to poverty, Simon Cowell to be paid off into retirement, a real Barbie for my daughter, more Brio for my son, compensation for my favourite store in Newcastle to cover loss of income, expenses for me and the famy to hike the PCT together and pay the fines for school absenteeism, lifetime's supply of KitKats, budgetary requirements for the next ten seasons of Dr Who met (with me as story editor, obviously), extended family kept in comfort forever, and the complete works of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys to be handed to each and every person on the planet (except me, obviously).

I'm coming around to the idea… cash can buy happiness, just not happiness with a soundtrack!

[slippingonthrough]

$100
















then I shoot the genie before he erases The Beach Boys from my mind.