If you hadn’t heard, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are getting married today at Madison Square Garden. Apparently they liked the venue because there are no windows for the prying lenses of the paparazzi cameras. Needless to say, the stars will be out. Not only are those in attendance most likely famous—they’re most likely ultra-wealthy.
Interestingly, the couple decided to do a give-to-the-max day in the days leading up to the big event.
What did the 26 million buy? Let’s think of it as a social puzzle.
Both Travis and Taylor are super rich. And their careers are supported by a mass audience. In effect their lives and metiers and audience are entertained with millions of people of all walks of life. And so they care about what these folks think. Matrix part 1: the group is large and diverse.
Matrix part 2. A showy public wedding is a pronouncement. Not only of their vows to each other, but of marriage itself. It asks people to come and look upon them and acknowledge the commitment to bonds of matrimony. This is the transaction.
The audience is part of the deal. They matter. And since the millions of followers do not live amongst the lucratively rich, some may judge the amount of money spent on such a showy affair. If they judge it harshly enough, they may choose to exit the group.
There are people who exploit the knowledge that people can be divided by tangible material differences. These people are everywhere. They are amongst the audience members in the realm of Travis and Taylor’s fan base. Their boots on the ground location with peers gives them instant access to gauge sentiments. And they thrive at exploiting this and breaking off subgroups. Matrix part 4: motivating factors.
On the face of it, the 26 million in donations buy support for all sorts of social services. But more important to the couple, it eases any potential dissent amongst their friend group.
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