A couple weeks ago, New York Magazine‘s Intelligencer column interviewed 100 random pedestrians in SoHo about what they would be willing to pay for, with a primary focus on media, e.g. newspapers online, TV, commercials, etc. This was the final question:
Which of the following nominally free things would you pay for if that was the only way to get them?
Subway musicians: 14
Radio programming: 24
Sex: 38
The right to vote: 39
Network television: 43
Public bathrooms: 43
The love of parents and family: 44
Air: 55
Drinking water: 60
Copies of The Onion: 90
OK, so let me get this right, 90 people would be willing to pay for The Onion, but only 55 would pay for air? That is…upsetting?
To be fair, The Onion‘s offices are in SoHo, so that might’ve skewed the results a little. And what is life/breathing without humor, after all?
Displaced 
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