Things I've learned from disagreeing about (Media) Art on the Internet
October 15, 2011
- Don’t do it. Count to 10. Read XKCD. Don’t do it.
- Art is more fun to make than talk about. If you’re an artist you’re better off working. It’s not like there are enough hours in the day.
- If you must discuss art, do it only with people you 90% agree with. It’s more productive that way.
- Being pragmatic rarely pays off in a debate. Who cares that you might be right?
- Never try to explain why you don’t give away the source code to all your projects. You will look like a selfish dick, and it’ll make you want to quit making art altogether.
- Never discuss making a living from art. You will be seen as a money-grubbing capitalist without ideals. Art is the only job where people expect you not to worry about your living standards or having a sustainable economy.
- People who aren’t artists generally expect artists to be principled and noble, even if it means going hungry and not being able to have health insurance.
- Articulating a well-reasoned argument in written form takes a minimum of an hour. Think of the things that could have been accomplished in that hour.
- Net art 2.0 is a lot of fun. I haven’t seen so much nihilism since highschool. Also, there are kittenz.
- Discussing art over a beer in a bar or at home is a Good Thing. Discussing art on the Internet while drinking a beer is a Bad Thing.
- Don’t do it. It won’t make anyone like you more, and it’s likely to make you enjoy art less.
