This video blew up Music Critic Twitter today.  I think he’s mostly wrong and oversimplifies a good amount of what he says but it should be watched anyway.

My personal opinion?  It’s patronizing to herd up everyone who writes about music into a group and slap on the label of “21st Century Creative Chattel” and preach to the world about how international multimedia corporations are using you and your talents AND YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW AND YOU’RE BEING MANIPULATED BY LATE CAPITALISTIC SYSTEMS.  One, that’s alarmist rhetoric.  Two, it’s not as if all paid writers are blissfully typing away at their computers with eyes only for their screens and their next paycheck as the creative system crumbles around about them.  Not that anyone’s suggesting so, but creativity and awareness aren’t mutually exclusive.  I can write, and get paid, and be fully aware that I’m helping shovel money into some rich CEO’s bank account.  I’m out here trying to pay my expenses and get along in the world; I’m not on a vendetta to destroy the capitalistic system.  As long as successful creativity is desirable and exclusive and not universally attainable, it’s going to exploited in some way.  Absurd to think otherwise.  So I’d rather not give a shit and just write and maybe get paid on the side too.

Given, I’ve been writing about music for about two years and two weeks.  Anything before maybe this spring or summer I wouldn’t have accepted money for even if it was offered to me, aka it was terrible and shitty and generally not anything I’m particularly proud of at this point.  I’ll probably feel the same way about the last six months come June 2014.  I’m still a growing and improving writer, unlike most people who write for a (partial) living.  I’ve also got two parents backing me financially, and I’ve never paid a bill in my life.  I’m lucky enough that money isn’t really a concern of mine at the age of seventeen.  I’ve never received a paycheck for my writing (although one may be incoming), nor have I ever been remotely close to a financial point where I’ve considered trying to get one.  Basically what I’m saying is that I’m in a mighty high place to be able to lay down judgments.  

But I don’t think that makes my points less valid.  Who gives a shit whether I’m getting paid for my writing?  And telling talented people to starve for their efforts and live off close to nothing for the sake of “DESTROYING LATE CAPITALISTIC EXPLOITATION OF CREATIVES” isn’t really helping anyone.  In fact, it kinda sucks.  I’m glad Chris Ott brought up this debate; it’s an important one to be had even if I’m firmly placed in one side.  I just think he’s wrong.