Ethical Consumption

[Shanny8]

I will drop a creator's stuff if they've done or said something awful- depending on the level of "awfulness". I know everyone has different opinions or takes on a thing, but there some lines/areas/zones you just "do not go into". I dont care what kind of logic or facts you may have to prop your reasoning up- if I feel it's garbage or wrong, I'm done with you.

[EntropicalForest]

Their actions don't play a major role in my consumption.p

[OttoGruenwald]

Don't see why you can't separate the work from the person. HP Lovecraft thought blacks were orc monsters, doesn't mean he wasn't the best Weird Fiction writer of his time.

[OttoGruenwald]

There's no "ethical consumption" under any system as hierarchical structures form out of any system. Someone will always have more power or ability and will use it to put the screws to those with less.

[HGohwell]

I think it's definitely case by case. I've seen some people throw tantrums and "call people out" because an artist made one slightly iffy joke or one badly judged comment or even was just a bit mean. There's a difference between that and someone's an abuser or a criminal or racist ect. You have to use your judgement on how serious it really is. And I do dislike examples like Lovecraft. Living artists/pieces being made/current stuff, we can change it and say "we won't stand for this". Lovecraft (and other dead "problematic" creators, especially long dead) we're not really going to change them or get an apology from them now. and 9/10 times you go into Lovecraft's work knowing either, it was a different time or forewarned about his attitude.
Off the dead people subject thought, I've seen lots of indie authors/artists/general creators/people in fandom who I love their work, click through to their blog/twitter/whatever to find they're kind of a jerk. It puts me off, but I resolve to just not look at their personal stuff anymore. If it turns out they really are abusers ect, then I decide that I don't want to support that person anymore and hope they change and apologize and I can one day return to their work.

[joannekwan]

For me it depends on the transgression, how it makes me feel personally, and if it's an indie creator or not. I'm more likely to unfollow if I do see their work and I immediately think of their transgression even if the work is really great and uncolored by their faults.

Unfollowing an indie artist is easy enough. Mainstream creators is a more difficult situation, like Depp and Weinstein, I can still appreciate the work they produce, just not them as individuals. I can't just boycott a movie or whatever because of one person since so many other great people are involved in the project and I want to keep those employed.

[Geek_Aflame]

I have an unpopular opinion on this topic. For the longest time it would be yes, I'd stop following someone who did a shitty thing, I'd try for ethical consumption. Now days I feel it's so hard to keep up with who did what shitty thing. I'm an adult, I have more important things to worry about, when enjoying media I just want to relax. I've learnt to separate works from the creator, especially when it's something with many moving parts like a movie, TV show or video game. I'm not going to stop watching a show or movie because one actor did something shitty, there would be nothing left to watch. People even get witch hunted off social media for off colour jokes these days. Hard to try take a holier-than-thou moral high ground on a device that had slave labour involved at some point in it's creation.

Maybe I'm growing more and more cynical as I age.

[therippleeffectcomic]

I have a couple of examples that are a little bit complicated. I think it has to depend on how much the person has done (creatively) means to you.

Not comic book related, but the murder-suicide of wrestler Chris Benoit is an example of a complicated situation. At the time I was able to separate the wrestler from the man (because he was a great wrestler who was playing a character on TV). If he hadn't committed suicide, however, I'm not sure I could follow him.

There are more recent examples that are bad such as Rolph Harris and, to a lesser extent, Hulk Hogan, but I wasn't really a fan of either to begin with so it's easier for me to distance myself from them pretty much forever.

More pertinently, Frank Miller is a difficult man to like for his various controversial views, but he has written some great stories over the years.

Ultimately, I think it's got to be about the artwork first and foremost. If the artwork itself is something you find offensive then that's something you can choose to stay away from, but otherwise I don't think it's unethical to enjoy the works of people who are less than savoury.

Really interesting question to bring up, though. It's definitely food for thought and something I'm going to ponder over for a while!

[crayon_witch]

Thank you everyone! It was lovely to hear from you, and I’m glad we could have this discussion!