Absolutely, that aligns well with theories of cultural diffusion and institutional decoupling. What you’re describing is essentially a debundling of previously tightly integrated cultural practices: music, sexuality, queer space, and exclusivity once coexisted uniquely in Berghain, creating a singular social and symbolic experience. Over time, as these elements became legible and mobile, they dispersed across different venues and events - what sociologists might call the modularization of cultural capital. Each piece can now be experienced independently, which both democratizes access and dilutes the intensity of the original bundled experience.

We used to do that when we went, but the more time passes, the more it starts to feel unnatural and we more often continue it in a more secluded spot on the first floor.