Thoughts On What Good Content Truly Is Using Real World Examples and A Clear Head
See this image above?
Exclusive to this blog. Nobody has ever seen it before, other than me.
I could easily post that image here and say absolutely nothing about it. Some would see my post and think:
"This is a shitpost, there's no effort here. Why is this guy earning money? This doesn't make sense."
I don't know how long this post I'm writing now will take but I'm certain that image took longer to produce than the words you're now reading. I can type fast and more often than not I've written the final draft on the first try.
Coming to my art post, or any of the other thousands of posts centered around the imagery one has produced then decided to share here, so you can knock it down and insult the artist or photographer, is much like walking into an art gallery downtown with blinders on to say, "There's nothing here; this shop is a waste of space."
Does that happen in the real world?
No.
People enter shops because what's inside is something they might be interested in. The other shops are there for someone else. Nobody says we should tear down half of a city simply because only half satisfies their own personal standards, unless they've forgotten to take their medication.
In the real world,
it's never about the content, it's about the people producing the content.
Some folks here seem to frown upon popularity.
That blogger produces things I don't like and only gets paid because they are popular. This is an outrage! Where are my pills?
Welcome to the arts and entertainment industry.
Did you forget to read the fine print?
I use the term arts and entertainment loosely. You're all included, no matter what sort of content you're producing. What do the first three letters of 'article' spell? You see?
Whatever you're doing, that is your art form, and it has the potential to entertain someone by grabbing their attention. People have been doing this for thousands of years. A stick was the first pen and a line in the sand was the first letter.
I enjoy consuming content online.
I do not like everything the internet has to offer even when it fits into the categories I prefer most.
I'm sure someone out there would think something like a moto-vlog is a waste of space. I just so happen to enjoy moto-vlogs.
A moto-vlog is when someone straps a camera onto their motorcycle or helmet, then drives around to offer us a glimpse of the scenery while talking about the things they wish to say.
If the individual behind the camera is not what I'd consider to be an interesting personality, I will not be interested in their moto-vlog even though I enjoy moto-vlogs. It all boils down to the people, not the content they produce, every time.
Some people like rap music.
Does that mean they like all rappers?
No. There are probably more rappers out there who they do not like than rappers they enjoy. Change that to your favorite genre of music and you'll see what I mean.
The same thing happens in comedy. I love comedy but I don't like every single comedian on the planet.
The same thing does, and will happen, here, with our content.
And when it comes to popularity in this industry; nobody on this platform or even the entire planet, no matter how successful they are now, woke up one day and reached the height of their popularity without doing anything to earn it. They started out at the bottom with nothing but confidence in their work and a vision to succeed; clawed their way up.
If you don't like someone now because they are popular, you're setting yourself up to be angry at the world forever because the one you hate will most likely become even more popular. They are not being popular on purpose just to piss you off. They have no control over how people react to their work. It just happens, naturally; there's nothing you can do or say to stop it.
The highschool hallway mentality.
The cool kids.
Many bring that mentality with them to this platform. Popularity in the arts and entertainment industry and popularity in the highschool are not the same thing.
Maybe you hated that kid in highschool but there's no reason to hate on someone for working and striving for the same things you want here. Besides, that kid wasn't popular. Only about ten other kids actually liked him. The rest hated him. His popularity was all an illusion you created within your own mind to set yourself up to live in a reality that made you uncomfortable with the way of the world.
There are, and always will be, people here who are more popular than me.
I don't have a problem with that.
If I see people succeeding, that tells me this is a worthwhile venue, and I can feel comfortable sharing my efforts here. Cheers to success.
If I only see people failing, it's time to move on. Why make the same mistakes as everyone else and expect a different outcome?
If I allow jealousy or the highschool hallway mentality to distort reality, then I will never truly know if this place is worth it or not.
If my mind only allowed me to see junk; if success and popularity in my mind was a sign of foul play; then if I was of sound mind, I would leave. Hint hint. If you don't like it here, the door works the other way as well, and you're free to leave at any time. Nobody will take your departure personally, like we do when you tell us our contributions are garbage.
Thank you.
Have a nice day.
As the old saying goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."
In this world one must face the fact they will be both trash and treasure at the same time.
Well... as a gallery owner, I have to tell you that the broader level of cluelessness w.r.t. art is pretty deep. If we had a buck for every person who has walked in here and declared "Oh look! An art shop... my sister took a painting class once; I wonder if she still paints?" we'd not be worried about how we're going to pay the next electric bill.
Art is strange... it's one of those things few people truly appreciate, and yet everyone pretends to be an "expert art critic." Like the couple in the gallery today who looked at some of our prints from Digital originals and declared it "cheating." Meh... whatever.
I still think it's better to have a small dedicated following who truly care about what what you... than pretending to be "popular."
Yes. I once straight up asked in a post, "Is digital art considered cheating." I was met with a few responses from physical artists who in fact think all I do is push a button and apply a filter to something.
The process is different. Still takes a lot of work. Even the graphic artists who use a lot of technology and photograph manipulation still have to be creative and still have to work to come up with their finished product.
I guess I'm what's called an outsider artist. Self taught, don't follow any trends or templates; just doing my own thing. I can only expect an underground type following. Pushing my style on people would be a huge mistake.
Part of the entitlement crowd that seems to grow larger by the day. I see some saying this place needs to be more like Fakebook where random memes and brainless posts should be published multiple times a day. I wonder who they think will upvote it. I am already down to 76% voting power tonight and will be leaving many posts I find value in on the table tonight. I don't have votes to waste on things that have no value to me.
One also needs to realize that what they may perceive as value might not be so valuable for others. For example, I write in a niche area that isn't most peoples cup of tea. I don't take it personally, I feel blessed that there are some that do find value in it here. Some need to realize that if the platform doesn't seem to bend to what you are offering, it might be time to assess if you have anything of interest that will be valued here.
Probably if others didn't know you were paying the other people to be your friend. They would want to jump on the bandwagon and be cool by association too. Isn't that what they hope for when they pay the vote bots to be their friend?
The entitlement issues bother me just as much as they bother a lot of others. I did not and do not expect my post today to be the best post on Steemit and I will not be earning the most money. I'm fine with that. I'll just try again tomorrow. It's no big deal.
I would hate to see so many of the great minds I see around this place get drowned out by the Facebook mentality and it's hoard of zombies. That place is toxic.
I don't have enough voting power either. If I had more, I'd vote more. I'm already maxed out as it is. If people want to make more money, they need to power up so their votes are worth more, then help each other. It's a simple concept.
I too feel blessed that people actually pay attention to my work. I know when I'm sitting around acting like a goof, that behavior isn't for everyone. If what I did wasn't working at all, I would have changed things up, much like I did when I noticed at first how nobody was paying attention to me. It wasn't the platform's fault, it was mine. I'm glad I recognized that fact early on.
That is exactly what they're hoping for. Fake friends attract more fake friends. Good luck with that when you need someone to have your back.
It does take some art to entertain, and it's what I like about this venue, it allows me to practice one art form while showing another- which is a whole art form of its own.
A 'cool kid' t-shirt might have actually been cool to have, but I don't think I would have been cool enough to wear it. I could wear one now, but at my age, it would be creepy. Which is cool these days.
Art within art within art within art. I sound like a seal!
Just wear the shirt that says, "I'm creepy."
I love everything you have written and as it has done, I draw only that it is not digital "although I am learning, not very well, I am in it" but if people tend to judge others because they have something they do not have but I think you make your own way and if you want something you have to look for it, right?
Will not come alone, you do not have to worry about what the other has, everyone has their tastes and each person buys, sees, reads, listens and enjoys what they like, that is something normal and we should not fall into that game that is the envy.
We just have to surpass ourselves as people, improve in what we do and be calm that someday someone will read us, listen, buy, and enjoy what we do, then we see that hard work has had its reward.
I say: I like this because I think you have great art and I love your writing flows freely and I do not think it boring,
You have a new fan!
Postscript: I read the little letters! @nonameslefttouse
I've been writing a few things lately about the folks who have been complaining and looking down on others for working hard and actually earning rewards for it. Many say, "Just ignore them." Well, we can't always ignore them. They need to be put in their place. A lot of us want to make something good of this place and do well. Those complaining aren't helping, only hindering.
Thanks for stopping in. It's good to see another artist here earning for working honestly, you seem to be doing well. I'll follow along now as well.
Yes, well, I love what you do! I really do not write very well that is not easy for me but it seems that in you the writing flows naturally and I love it!
This is happening a lot in these moments, everyone has to concentrate on what he does and that's it!
Yes, when I started here in Steemit, everything was really difficult, everything happened through the months, there are difficult times and with the situation that is in my country I have been very desperate but I have never stopped working to improve a little each time, I have known a lot of artists here that rather I see as inspiration because I did not draw for many years until I joined Steemit and practically what little I have learned here! (Something I'm very grateful for because Steemit has helped me survive in my country and learn more and more)
I also like to meet you and know that you think just like me!
Thanks for follow me!
I'm very grateful!
Writing short stuff (I consider articles short because I used to want to be a novelist so have written lots of novel length stuff) is definitely quicker and easier than producing artwork!
I took freaking weeks to finish my last piece and the three short stories that accompanied it were literally a slightly long day's work that I was a little brainfried after but still the difference in time to produce
Has someone been giving you a hard time recently? I'm kind of surprised that in this day and age people are still making stupid assumptions about digital art XD An actual thing that was said to me once a long time ago was along the lines of "you just design it and the computer does it all for you". I wish? LoL XD
You'd know, you're an artist. Don't have to be an artist though to know a house can't paint itself.
To answer your question, yes, unfortunately, things were said to me recently and combined with what I read in comments written by others... whatever. It's not easy to work hard and be told you do fuck all.
Ergh, people >_< (that's a very simplified version of my actuial expression, I didn't go all the way squinty eyed though) It still amuses me how some can speak so authoritatively about things they have exactly no clue whatsoever about.
Even if you become the most popular person on the planet it usually doesn't last long. The population continues to grow, trends shift and someone else more popular comes along.
If you're the most popular, the way this world looks and how so many frown upon success, that'll make you the least popular at the same time. If you work is popular, that's no different than someone being good at driving a taxi. One is simply doing their job properly. That's all it is.
Amen.
Nothing else to be said really, I agree 100%.
I am fine with the image. There are many interpretations that can come from it, like, for example, I white bird coming our from a cave. Or is it an angel? Or, its probably a healing ulcer seen through the lens of an endoscope.
I do like the words too, do not get me wrong.
One of the main reasons why I produce art and then talk about other unrelated things in my posts is so each individual can paint their own picture with what they see. If I tell you, "This is how it is," then there's nothing left for people to say and my comment section would be a ghost town.
Wow. Where can I learn this superpower? I take 2 hours to write a post, and spend another 2 hours reading it looking for things I missed. I think it might be why I don't post as much as others. It's truly a night's worth of effort for me. (Even this comment took over 10 minutes).
I used to love those. I think I might have watched the first ever moto-vlogger, or at least the first widely-known one, for a long time. Don't know what he's up to these days; I moved onto other things. It was cool to remember that whole thing, though, just now, because of what you wrote here.
I format and edit as I go then proofread as I add the final touch to the end of each sentence. Usually I know what I want to say before I write it. Elon Musk was right in Joe Rogan's interview. How we interact with these devices using our fingers slows us down. If I could have projected this thought process onto the screen without using my hands, it would have taken one second to produce.
I don't like the moto-vlogs when the rider is irresponsible on the roads. I saw a young lady fall off the back of a crotch rocket once because some dipshit was doing a wheelie. I've also been on a motorcycle since I was nine so I know how stupid it is to be a showoff.