Lesson 8

Wow!

No one is waiting in line, no one is concerned, everyone is engaging in what they want to do.

Do you think they bought gum from the machine? Do you think the monger sold it to them? What part of his job do you think the monger enjoys?

There is an inversion of the entire rest of the week here. Not only is nobody waiting, not only is nobody concerned, but we also have three different species purchasing the same product. The queues have been mono-type previously. Everyone has gotten what they want, everyone is in harmony right now. If we extend out the monger's statement, what do you think he loves about his job? Most likely seeing his customers satisfied, yeah? A vending machine cannot feel this. We even had AI earlier in the week so we know the world could have vendors that sell things and ARE satisfied. In a person-to-person transaction, TWO people are satisfied. In a vending machine-person transaction, usually only one, and often zero, are. remember that all week we have not seen people enjoying their product. simply waiting in line to get it until today.

Yet the question still remains. Did they use the machine? Is the gum monger satisfied to see them using the product even if he did not personally handle the transaction? If so, also begs the question: why even have that machine? If his joy comes from seeing happy customers, he shouldn't have it. He wants to see them and he wants to sell them the product. What purpose is the vending machine serving? It is a convenience ONLY.

Imagine this image without the vending machine. It changes entirely, doesn't it? I can easily imagine the scene of these three walking in and talking to old monger and getting their gum and flying away without the vending machine. but it's simple presence in the frame makes me question. now I'm imagining them queuing up and putting their money into the machine one at a time and getting their gum one at a time. I have to sit with both possibilities. That's the weight of the vending machine, that's the weight of its "convenience." We have this moment of joy here at the end of the week but it is colored by all of the frustrations of the rest of the week. We cannot ignore 5 days of negative interactions simply for a 6th day of joy. The vending machine is in the way of the simple appreciation of a satisfied customer because we know what is "behind" it.

Bravo, Gallagher. Thank you for this week.