I still believe from the dictionary definitions that Busking is Begging and will do until someone comes up with a better argument than yours Blues=Life.

However I have not criticized either busking or begging.


PennyBlack, the very nature of the argument you're making is a criticism of buskers and begging. And that's a lot of strident self-righteousness in your stated view of busking--after many here have already characterized the activity as work, not begging. By insisting that your understanding is the correct one you're not endearing yourself to members of this thread. You seem, instead, to be trying to justify your own performances in the name of charity. Are they so poor as to consitute a masquerade for begging? If the answer is "no" then why presume anyone else's performance is a masquerade?

The buskers I've seen over the years have appeared talented and in the context of street performance have generally been modestly and/or moderately dressed, to suit the vagarities of working on the street with total strangers all around. They want to call attention to their music, not generate value judgements regarding the cost of their clothes and whether they "deserve" to be rewarded for their performance. I expect that this must be a very careful consideration, along with making the choice to be a street performer in addition to or instead of getting a more culturally acceptable steady job.

And I would politely point out that whether a busker turns in a tax return or not is none of your business. Do you ask the wait person in the restaurant every time you eat if they declared all of their tips? Do you ask your hairdresser if he/she declares their tips, or if perhaps s/he cuts a little hair on the side (under the table)? Then why ask if buskers turn in tax returns? That's between buskers and their own consciences and their personal relationships with the tax offices.

SRS