Stuff

Serious-ish Topics: Being an artist and pop culture

The thing I hate most about art today is how formulaic it is. Almost industrial in the sense that each song, painting, joke, or even piece of writing is churned out all sounding the same.

And honestly, I'm a culprit of that too. You all expect me to write in the way that I do. In my style. It's become so formulaic. Boring to the point where that's the reason no one comments. Because it's all the same. Like, for awhile I was only expected to be writing Hetalia one shots. I've evolved into actual competent story telling.

The difference is that I'm more subtle in what I put it. I pour pieces of myself in what I write and draw waiting for someone to figure it out and put together the puzzle that is me. All artist do this. We all want someone to look deeper. To put us together and understand the tornado that is our heads.

But doing just that is what makes us unique. Each piece we put into what we make, differentiates us from the rest. And we want that. We want to be more than just the status quo.

But the thing about artist, is that we're greedy for attention and envious of others. We push ourselves so low to fit people's standards so we are likes and we're jealous of those who are liked more. But in order to get more, we need to make more. Do the thing that gets us what we got.

So we, ourselves, go with the status quo. We want to be liked. We want to belong. It's just human nature.

Being an artist is hard because of this. Not just because of ourselves but because of you, the consumers too. You are just as greedy as we are. Fuck you by the way.

Anyway, since those churning out the same shit all the time create more content you look to them more than you look to those below them. Again, it's the greed.

Which is why I don't really like pop culture. Not because I'm some emo kid who thinks their too cool for pop culture. It's because most of it isn't good. I look through Tumblr and I see the same type of art style because everyone likes it so artists are putting themselves to that status quo. I look at the music charts and I see the same shit like the Chainsmokers and tons of bad rappers fill it because it's what works with the widest audience.

People just like shit.

So, us, the people that put effort go unnoticed because you, the consumer, are so saturated with the same shit, it's weird to step out of the comfort zone.

Artists who step out of the zone and make something new and refreshing and add to the conversation are the best.

They leave you thinking. Which is what an artist should always do. Leave you thinking about what they made.

I try to do that. Not by cliffhanger but the majority of what characters say or do are important. I delve so deep into characters I learn and I pass the information onto you. I wrap some of myself in the words and so you relate to. This has your head thinking more about it. Because damn it's relatable. 

"Other people think like me."

You, the consumer, is honestly stupid in the sense that you fall for it.

We, the artist, are great manipulators. You fall for it.

But it's really fucking hard to do.

We put so much effort and work into it that we want you to see, want you to fall into that trap. Spread the word about us. It's hard because of you and all of you also being artists and different opinions.

Being an artist really just sucks.

Dick.