@tacticalglasses
I don't really see much hostility or ridicule in this forum here. If you speak so much of understanding this whole ordeal with generative AI, then you must have an understanding of the frustration, disappointment, anger, and sadness that creatives are feeling at this time. It doesn't come off like you do, but that may just be my perception of how you are writing. There are lots of emotions in this forum on this specific topic matter. I think that is quite apparent. I think that tends to put everyone on edge and makes this topic one of high tension with every response made.
Ehhh. The idea that people should respond with utmost professionality (to the point of apathy) to the plight of themselves and others for the sake of civility is incredibly... delusional. (Sorry, can't really think of a better word to put there. I know that comes off as very harsh.)
Thinking that we shouldn't unify, discuss, and execute an action because you feel that "it's not going to work" and "it's always been this way, so just deal with it" ...it's not a great mindset to share. But I understand where that mindset comes from, as I've had it before with many things in life.
Listen. Getting mad works. It pushes progress. It gets things done.
People here in this forum are artists. When the discussion is about how they feel about the exploitation of them and their work--they're gonna be mad about it and express it with frustration, contempt, and even some more cynical viewpoints. They're exhausted. And when someone comes in and says, "Why can't you just be like me and see it my way instead?" It feels like you are disregarding the whole problem. Even if you aren't, it comes off that way. Thus garners aggravated responses like above. (I'm not saying it's wrong to come in and try to pose a solution, but this is a raw topic. And I think how you've written some things gets across an oppositional attitude.)
Been seeing a lot of this from you in this topic so far:
"Nobody knows what they're talking about."
"People are apathetic to you creatives because you're all the ones who are the pretentious jerks."
"People on the internet are really mean, and some of them are artists."
Those things stick out to me. Kind of put a bad taste in my mouth, and doesn't convince me that you care about the plight of others--in fact, it comes off as though you really don't like artists at all. But that may not be the case.
"Artists should use things like Glaze and other software to protect themselves. Other things aren't going to change for them."
Ehhhh. Again, we're trying to push for progress, not settle for a bandage solution so that the system can keep crushing people further into the dirt. Nonetheless, I think Glaze and the like is a great thing to have right now! (I'm on Cara for that very reason. It's the only safe places to share art and portfolio works atm.)
There is a well known socio-economic and cultural stigma surrounding art and the art community. It's not because "it's the artists who are the big meanies." It's because of a very long history of the arts, how artists have been and are treated, and how art is perceived in an industrialized society that favors fast cash and sees monetary gain as the only success in life. By the principles of capitalism, art should not be worth anything nor gain any capital because of its very nature.
The term is starving artist. Society looks down upon art. Especially because it has been, for a while now, associated with the "non-functioning parts of society" like hippies, sex workers, alt-leftists, anti-fascists, feminists, the LGBTQ+ community, marginalized peoples, etc. (The why's of this? Art is an entirely accessible outlet that gives power and voice to those with a lack of it. Yes, it is a skill set that must be learned, practiced, and applied... but anyone is welcome to be a part of it, whether it's a hobby, career, lifelong passion, or just a moment in time when you doodled on a notepad to make yourself laugh.)
Starving artist has been a term weaponized to deter people from choosing art as their course of action to take as a lifestyle/career. (Art forms bonds between marginalized groups. A cause for unification, which is a big no-no. lol)
Because of technological advancements and the booming industry of video games, art has been an avenue for people to hone a skill set they are passionate about and in turn receive a salary. That was possible for not even a few years before it became astoundingly exploited by the non-artists of the industries. Because people started seeing a rise in art being taken seriously. Universities were beginning to have game art as a degree you could have--and degrees used to be worth something around that time. It definitely has changed.
Lmaaaao what the heck is an "elitist artist?" That's an oxymoron if ever I heard one. Looks like yet another term to push artists down even further. Awesome. (Maybe don't use that in a forum dedicated to artists, and I think you'll get more positive responses.)
The industrialization of art and post-capitalistic (and leaning fascist) systems have caused this skewed perception of what is "real art/good art" and that there even is a concept of that in the aspect of money-making, and puts this stigma of precociousness onto the art community. Not artists themselves. I'm sorry if you've run into a lot of buttheads.
Lemme tell ya, the vast majority of people in this world are kind, want to make progress, and will hear you out. If you've been getting a lot of stink from people, then maybe you gotta take off your shoes and see if you stepped in crap at some point. I've applied that to myself in the past, and it has helped me out quite a bit to listen to others more.
The BIGGEST problem here right now in this forum is that we are all typing and reading words. Not speaking. Not listening. What transpires from this is miscommunication and misunderstandings, which harbors a lot of emotions and lack of perception. That is why the internet is not a great way to have productive discussions. Even having the idea that a conversation "should be productive" is flawed. I'm typing right now with a lot of emotion, expressing how I feel. That's how communication works, even if it doesn't push the conversation anywhere. Some people see this forum as sitting on a pillow in a room chatting, and others think it is a debate podium.
I may not come across as calm through my typed words, it may come off as hostile or something. From what I've read in this forum so far, the vast majority of us are on the same side of the discussion--just maybe we're in different quadrants, or have different ideas of solutions and what should be done. I think that's okay... but we're all here sharing those different ideas/solutions, and I think that's causing a LOT of emotional strain.
