It feels MLM adjacent. It’s the, “if you cared more, you would put your life on hold,” which is classist, ableist, and gross. There are artists that charge thousands of dollars to potentially get a chance to become a, “represented,” illustrator, with zero job guarantees. This is the biggest bee in my bonnet at the moment and reading this makes me feel deeply seen💛
YES! It truly felt like a test of sorts: “If you REALLY cared, if you were TRULY committed, you’d be willing to wreck yourself for us.” It was just so gross. I’m both glad and sorry that this resonated with you ❤️🩹
So awful. This reminds me of conversations I've had with my husband about work experience while studying. My BA was in German and English Literature - I did two short unpaid internships at publishing companies which cost me a fortune in travel expenses. He couldn't believe that anyone studying would work for free - he studied telematics (a combination of maths and telecommunications) and worked as a software developer during his degree.
It's no wonder so many writers have got sick of it all and decided to do it alone.
Isn’t it terrible that folks in STEM have access to paid internships/fellowships but writers and other artists have to grovel? I’m happy for our friends in sciences and math—my own partner is a software engineer—but I sure wish the arts offered the same “perks.”
I feel like these dynamics start even earlier in our careers with unpaid internships, which are really just scams to get young people to work for free (also gatekeeping privilege, because what isn't?) It seems like even artistic and educational institutions will do anything to avoid paying people fair wages, including tricking them into going bankrupt just for the privilege of working for them 💀
It feels MLM adjacent. It’s the, “if you cared more, you would put your life on hold,” which is classist, ableist, and gross. There are artists that charge thousands of dollars to potentially get a chance to become a, “represented,” illustrator, with zero job guarantees. This is the biggest bee in my bonnet at the moment and reading this makes me feel deeply seen💛
YES! It truly felt like a test of sorts: “If you REALLY cared, if you were TRULY committed, you’d be willing to wreck yourself for us.” It was just so gross. I’m both glad and sorry that this resonated with you ❤️🩹
"The first option is predatory; the second is exclusive."
If this didn't hit me where it hurts! Hugging you virtually while listening to Electrolytes ❤️
Hugging you right back! Isn’t it the prettiest album?
So awful. This reminds me of conversations I've had with my husband about work experience while studying. My BA was in German and English Literature - I did two short unpaid internships at publishing companies which cost me a fortune in travel expenses. He couldn't believe that anyone studying would work for free - he studied telematics (a combination of maths and telecommunications) and worked as a software developer during his degree.
It's no wonder so many writers have got sick of it all and decided to do it alone.
Isn’t it terrible that folks in STEM have access to paid internships/fellowships but writers and other artists have to grovel? I’m happy for our friends in sciences and math—my own partner is a software engineer—but I sure wish the arts offered the same “perks.”
Yes! My husband loves doing electronics and software - why do we have to do what we love for free?
I feel like these dynamics start even earlier in our careers with unpaid internships, which are really just scams to get young people to work for free (also gatekeeping privilege, because what isn't?) It seems like even artistic and educational institutions will do anything to avoid paying people fair wages, including tricking them into going bankrupt just for the privilege of working for them 💀
What are "pithy wages"?