Four Kings are located in the VIP box of the concert hall: the owner of the Ostankino TV tower, Ivan Ivanovich, the head of the sex industry, Pyotr Petrovich, the computer tycoon Alex Gotman, and the head of the alcohol business, Vasily Vasilyevich. There were only a few minutes left before the performance of the popular rap artist, and the Kings had a leisurely conversation about their affairs.
- Ivan Ivanovich, dear, why did you bring us here? What is there to look at? - said the king of the gaming industry Alex Gotman in a plaintive voice.
- How's that for? Remember, Alex, just now you told us that you bought a new tattooing business and wondered how you can attract more clients? They complained that advertising does not help, - answered the television king Ivan Ivanovich.
- Well, yes, it was. No matter how we advertise, all the same only some freaks and prostitutes come to our salons, who are sick to look at. And you can't reach a wide audience,”Alex complained.
- Exactly. This is your problem. Advertising, of course, is the engine of business, but it can be different. You see, it makes no sense for us to try to take control of everyone - it is enough to control the top.
- What is it like? Officials? Alex asked, puzzled. - They, in principle, shy away from this whole business, because in government agencies tattoos are a sign of low intelligence or some kind of psychological problems, which is not without reason.
- But what do the officials have to do with it? - Ivan Ivanovich waved his hand, - they don't decide much. No, I'm talking about the other top. Remember, one clever book says: "Don't make yourself an idol"?
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- Well, yes, something like that … - Alex murmured thoughtfully.
- Do you know why it is said so? Because when someone creates an idol for themselves, he stops thinking with his head. And even if this very idol is all so good and positive from all sides, he still has some shortcomings, and a person will unconsciously adopt these shortcomings. This is the same as “with whom you lead, from that you will gain”, only in the case of idols, a person may not even know his idol personally, but this does not prevent him from absorbing all the qualities of his favorite like a sponge, - Ivan Ivanovich explained
- Let us suppose. Yes, this is all very interesting, but what does this have to do with my problem with the popularization of tattoos? Alex asked irritably.
- Yes, the most direct, my dear, - Ivan Ivanovich replied condescendingly, - if any of these idols of the youth (be it a rapper, a popular writer, poet, musician, actor - but anyone) will apply several tattoos on his body and start them demonstrate everywhere - tomorrow half of his fans will run to your tattoo parlors. And the other half will begin to suffer from the fact that they cannot yet stigmatize themselves - there is not enough money, or parents forbid it.
- Does this really work? Alex asked.
- Forgive me for interfering, - the king of the sex industry, Pyotr Petrovich, entered the conversation, - you think, why do we from all spheres of life of so-called stars in the press often voice their sexual adventures? And with special enthusiasm we savor all kinds of filth and abomination? Yes, that's the point. If this or that star is someone's idol, then the person, consciously or not, will try on such a model of behavior to himself, because he wants to be like his idol.
- It seemed to me that if people like a musician, performer or actor, then they want to be like him only in his work … - Alex said thoughtfully.
- Yes, no matter how it is, - the alcohol tycoon Vasily Vasilyevich joined the discussion, - the problem is that most people have no talent for writing, singing, poetry and so on. Rather, there may be talent, but in order to develop it and become popular, it takes time, strength, patience, and so on. And you want to be like your idol here, now and without much effort. And we play well on this feature of the human psyche. We talk about the drinking binges of the stars, about their betrayal, partying and entertainment, and people begin to copy it, consciously or not, thinking that this is the manifestation of a creative successful person.
- Vasily Vasilievich, in this regard, you even worked well with really worthy poets. How much information is there now about Yesenin's alcoholism or Bulgakov's drug addiction. And this is the best argument in favor of the fact that inspiration is impossible without dope. Now, reproach any rhymer with the fact that he poison himself with an alcoholic poison - and in response you will hear that, they say, even the classics, even Yesenin himself used. And it doesn't matter that Yesenin was more likely to interfere with living and creating, - Ivan Ivanovich laughed.
- Thank you, friends, it looks like my new business will soon go uphill, - Alex was inspired, - but this is probably very difficult - to agree with some popular person so that she gets a tattoo. It’s one thing when they advertise our computer games - half an hour curled in front of the camera and is free, but here you have to turn your body into a billboard, putting these dirty indelible blots on it.
- Alex, what kind of words … - Vasily Vasilyevich answered patronizingly, - if you have taken up a new business, then get used to the appropriate vocabulary. Respect your customers. There is no "dirt" and "blots", there is art, there is a way of self-expression of your intellectuality and individuality, a unique opportunity to declare yourself to the world, demonstrate your coolness, be fashionable and so on. What do you think, in my alcohol stores, people sell swill for self-poisoning suckers or an elite, exquisite and super-quality drink of the gods for true connoisseurs and aesthetes?
“Ha-ha-ha,” Alex laughed loudly, but quickly pulled himself together, “I'm sorry, Vasily Vasilyevich, I couldn't resist. I just imagined a real esthete buying a "drink of the gods" - a jar of "Zhigulevsky" to suck it right on the steps of your liquor store … But in reality, you are certainly right. From now on, I promise to take my clients more seriously - they are truly unique personalities, not everyone will agree to voluntarily turn their body into a disposable canvas,”Alex said sarcastically. - And yet, how can I convince some star to get a tattoo?
“Convincing someone specific is a rather thankless task, often requiring very long efforts,” Ivan Ivanovich replied. - You can, of course, push, force, but then the effect will not be the same. It is necessary for a person to be sincerely proud of his dirty appearance, to be sure of all that nonsense that Vasily Vasilyevich just described to us with knowledge of the matter.
- And where to find such a popular idiot? - Alex was depressed.
“You don’t need to look for anyone,” the television king continued to explain. - In modern show business, stars are the same instant product, like any semi-finished product in a supermarket. You mentioned that all sorts of freaks and prostitutes go to your salons now. Tell me, is there anyone among them with musical inclinations?
- Perhaps, there is someone, but they have a primitive speech, and their voice is usually either smoky or inhibited with drug-addicted intonations, and the mates sound through the word. How can you make a "star" out of this?
- Trust the professionals, Alex, - Vasily Vasilyevich entered the conversation again, - if you control the major media, now you can make a star out of anyone. And as for the narcotic intonations, here we can also cooperate. After all, I'm not only dealing with legal dope, there is also a shadow side of my business, for which it is also necessary to increase the client base. And drug addicts songs come in handy here.
- So, Alex, - Ivan Ivanovich switched to a serious tone, - pick up some tattooed freak with a craving to jump on stage and the makings of a star fever. Better yet, make a duet by adding a prostitute to it, so that Pyotr Petrovich and his sex industry have a reason to invest well in this business. And let them write songs for a couple and begin to get used to performing on stage.
- What will they write, they are idiots! - Alex could not resist.
- This is not a problem, we will still promote them among children and adolescents, - the television king answered confidently. - So let them compose whatever they want. The more delusional, the better, the main thing is to be sincere. Let all your dreams, values, outlook on life be voiced, share their drug addiction experience, love affairs, suffering and so on. And you praise them, admire their talents, so that the sense of self-importance of our new “stars” grows, and they behave confidently on stage.
- Are there any restrictions in terms of tattoos - well, for example, if our wards have a tattoo on their faces - is this normal? Or do you need to adhere to some framework? - Alex decided to clarify.
“Let them draw at least 666 or a barcode on their forehead. It is only better for us in terms of advertising your business and, in general, a vicious lifestyle that brings excellent income to the owners of the system, - Ivan Ivanovich answered. - Teenagers are very susceptible to beautiful bright uniforms, to breaking the rules, and it doesn't matter that this protest often goes to the detriment of both the person and society. Moreover, we are also stirring up interest in precisely such immoral forms of protest to the system.
- And if one of the popular performers starts to speak out against such madness, try to discredit our rising star? - Vasily Vasilyevich asked a question.
- All current singers and singers are such only as long as we promote them in our media. By themselves, they do not represent anything, and therefore they will never say an extra word. And if any of the opinion leaders dares to oppose, we will apply the classic scheme to ridicule and discredit this person. And on this his career will quickly end,”Ivan Ivanovich said coldly.
- This is how, dear Alex, we create idols, - Pyotr Petrovich summed up, - we will push whom we need, we will nominate whom we need.
- Just some kind of puppet theater, - Alex laughed.
- Very accurately noticed, - Ivan Ivanovich agreed, - there, too, the audience sees only dolls, and not those with whose hands they are controlled. But only little kids do not understand that dolls are just puppets in the hands of puppeteers.
- Well, as you can see, adults are now like children and are also watching our dolls with interest, - Pyotr Petrovich laughed.
At that moment, music began to play and a half-naked man covered with tattoos jumped out onto the stage, looked around the crowd of spectators and swore dirty.
Alex looked at his friends in surprise.
- And here is our gift to you, Alex, - Ivan Ivanovich said with a smile. - Look what kind of gods you can impose on the rabble. I hope you will no longer doubt the capabilities of modern puppeteers. And about your rising duo - do it. We need more performers like this, in keeping with the spirit of the times.
- Okay, - Alex agreed, and then turned on classical music on the player and plugged his ears with headphones, - just can I not listen to this nonsense? One sight of this mad monkey galloping across the stage shocks me. I will save my psyche.
- And we will follow your example, - Ivan Ivanovich answered and also put on headphones, - it's impossible to listen to it without harm to health.
Kings immersed themselves in the world of classical music, watching with sarcastic smiles as the crowd below jumped and jumped to the beat of the rapper on stage.