i love learning about animals ive literally never seen or heard of before. what amazing diversity of life on this planet earth. what the hell is a japanese serow
you guys still make fun of people who can’t hold a normal 9-5 job, struggle with phone calls, generally don’t want to or can’t go outside, have not so great reading comprehension, have a hard time making small talk, struggle with picking up on sarcasm, and struggle with getting the joke
Thank you so much to everyone who asked about my absence from Tumblr the past two days. I’ve been experiencing severe pain and loss of consciousness for the past two days.
highkey i do think we need to start making convention artists feel shame for selling blind box merch lines. it’s a completely anti-consumer anti-art way of trying to bring your bottom line up. just because we can’t stop corporations from using the incentive structures of gambling for profit doesn’t mean we should be chill with our peers doing the same
Not to get into another discourse right after the other but I don’t think independent artists should be held responsible for market trends they have no control over nor should they be obligated to sacrifice their source of income for the sake of maintaining moral superiority over the major companies who are actually the problem.
And I say this as someone who hates pretty much all forms of blind bags.
There is literally nobody to hold responsible for this trend except for the artist themselves. Convention or event artist alleys and artists independent storefronts are not part of the same Market that general retailers are, and by their nature cater to niche specialty audiences. They are insulated and insular. The fact that they are independent means that they and they alone are 100% ethically responsible for every business decision they make. as a collective, within their specific communities, they are responsible for establishing the norms of what business practices are acceptable in their sphere and what isn’t. I guarantee you there was no external pressure for anyone selling a blind box to start doing it; it’s a decision they made after seeing one of their peers do it and deciding to give it a try.
Imagine trying to make the argument “I don’t think independent artists should be held responsible for market trends they have no control over nor should they be obligated to sacrifice their source of income for the sake of maintaining moral superiority” in defense of selling merchandise with AI generated images within these same communities. you would get laughed out of the room and then blacklisted by all of your peers. Because not capitulating to market trends and taking a moral stance about what kind of art you feel comfortable producing and selling is totally an option here, and something that happens all the time. It just seems it’s much easier to have a sense of ethics when it comes to things that infringe on their interests, rather than their customers’.
There is just no real reason to believe that the deciding factor in whether a given artist will be able to cover their basic living expenses comes down to offering blind box or gacha style merch lines vs offering those exact same products for sale by specific choice. And I don’t think “but everyone is doing it and I could use some money” is an acceptable defense for predatory business practices.
My mother is in Gaza, where every day is a struggle to survive. Some time ago, she was injured when shrapnel from nearby shelling struck her back. She tried to endure the pain for as long as she could, but her condition has become much worse.
Today, my mother is in critical condition. She suffers from unbearable back pain, extreme exhaustion, and her suffering is increasing with every passing day.
After examining her, the doctors told us that she urgently needs emergency back surgery. They warned us that delaying the operation could lead to serious complications and further deterioration of her condition.
The cost of this life-saving surgery is $1,000.
Thanks to the kindness of generous people, we have managed to raise only $188 so far. While we are deeply grateful for every donation, we still need $812 to reach the goal.
For my family, trapped in the devastating conditions in Gaza, raising this amount alone is simply impossible. Every day we wait means more pain for my mother and more fear that her condition will become irreversible.
Iam begging you from the bottom of my heart: please help us save my mother.
Every donation no matter how small brings us closer to giving her the urgent surgery she desperately needs. And if you cannot donate, please share this post with your friends and family. Your share could reach someone who is able to help.
Please don’t let my mother’s pain continue because we couldn’t raise the remaining $812 in time.
Thank you for your kindness, your prayers, and your compassion. ❤️🙏
ALT
