Angry Rant on What We Do to Creators

 How tacky can people be? Apparently, pretty tacky.

It's no secret that things are tough all over, financially speaking.

But to go to Etsy or Ravelry or wherever and *encourage* people to not pay for patterns, *and* to do it b/c the crochet designer is *nice enough* to post tutorials about her work on YouTube (which I happen to know isn't easy just doing a video where you blithely talk into a phone cam, let alone put in the work to create actual tutorials) is what I would call the height of entitlement!

No artist owes you free stuff or free work hours (craft items can take *many* hours to complete, let alone create the design for and work out instructions for, etc.) which art creators have to put in in order to make what we buy from them. Those that are nice enough to add value to what they sell by making teaching videos or blog posts should most definitely be supported if one can.

And it should go without saying that *encouraging* others not to buy requires a special kind of nasty that seems to only be found among the very privileged. As a former retail worker, guess who I saw most often stealing and attempting to steal (expensive, non-essential stuff?)

It wasn't angry bands of teenagers of color, looting at a BLM riot. It was polished, comfortable looking white ladies (probably the kind that go to Harris/Walts rallies) whose cars and clothing betrayed the fact that their monthly salaries were likely more than I'd make in a year. The kind of "customers" I have grown to revile. 

Karens.

This type of entitlement and larcenous attitude toward creative workers isn't limited to fiber artists. Since I've been on the internet for almost 30 years now, I've seen all kinds of artists, writers, and creators get taken advantage of in a myriad of ways.

If you are a creative, be vigilant and don't let people mess you over!

And those of us who are patrons of the arts, do let's be gracious, and mindful of the blood, sweat, and tears artists put into their work!