Have you met people?
Yeah. They suck.
You suck.
I suck.
We all suck.
Whether you’re an influencer or a follower, the social media aspect of platforms is a lesson in futility.
Networks lost ground when streaming platforms cut out advertisements. Those same streaming platforms lost ground when social media took over and made every single video an advertisement.
Every. Single. Video.
Every. Single. Clip.
They don’t even try to hide it anymore.
Social Media made video shorter. It dropped attention spans from 15 seconds to 3.
And yet, videos online have gotten longer and aimless. Some of them are blatantly copying other peoples works…and profiting from it. And yet, no one cares.
The structure is gone.
The format is garbage.
And if it sounds like these are the ramblings of a grumpy old man.
You’re right.
These are the ramblings of a grumpy old man.
But take them in stride.
Because what’s happening in social media…what’s been done to video, has also been done to art.
It’s happened because we let it happen.
It’s happened because we have contributed, each of us, to its growth.
And now, on the cusp of art under siege…what are we going to do about it?
You may not be an artist.
I consider myself more of a prostitute than an artist.
I’m not a very good one, but I’ll show up for a buck.
Where you put your dollar matters.
What you stream, whether or not you watch the whole thing, how often you tune in, if you subscribe, how often you search the title, if you share…it all adds up.
Yes, it’s simple. But don’t be blind to the simplicity.
It takes effort, to make effort.
Support art, no matter the medium.
I’m not asking you to support it financially. But I am asking you to pay attention. Give someone’s art your time. Shine the light of your attention in someone else’s direction.
History is full of fantastic art.
Let’s hope the future is, too.