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Norithics

Burnouts Everywhere

by
"Follow your dreams."

It's the single most common piece of advice given in pseudo-inspirational fluff articles featuring people who got lucky and managed to get the opportunity to do what they love. It's the promise dangled in front of us to explain to us why we're where we are. You just didn't try hard enough, you didn't believe, you didn't hustle, you weren't good enough. If you were, you'd be just like the people you watch, the people who make your entertainment!

But what about those people? Are they actually that lucky? As it turns out, even the people doing what they love are forced to put in so much time and labor that the dream frequently becomes a nightmare.

It doesn't surprise me, personally, because furry art is the prototype Youtuber experience. Back in the days of VCL, there were no comment boxes or shouts, no watches or faves or anything of the sort; you never knew your metrics, and the only way you got feedback was if you volunteered to go find it. Then DeviantArt happened, and everything changed forever. Engagement was instant, feedback was right there underneath every single picture in your gallery. Every picture you made became the automatic subject of a de-facto popularity contest, and every aspect of your participation was measured in various metrics. And most importantly, you were part of a machine that drives profit- and not a profit favorable, if even relevant to you.

I'm not here to wax nostalgic and tell you the old way was uniformly better, but I am here to point out that one system did not have a ton of extra invisible labor built in, and one definitely does. Interacting with feedback, pushing for more uploads, competing with other artists, prioritizing collaborations that will gain you more followers, more faves, more exposure, better metrics, etc., etc... it's all stuff we don't get paid to do, but we have to do it in order to succeed. And let me tell you from personal experience that the more success you find, the harder this invisible second job you have becomes.

I have deleted countless abusive comments, told off numerous aggressive, myopic people, had to put out a ridiculous number of fires between members of my own fan community- it's exhausting, and the reward is to get to keep doing it, inviting a ton of labels from maladjusted or misanthropic people. I used to tell off other artists for mismanaging their communities, but honestly at this point I can't blame anyone for buckling under the pressure. The expectations are ridiculous, especially if they gained a following on, say, 4chan, and a myopic, abusive fanbase is baked into the cake already.

So to circle back around: If you have what some poeple refer to as a "real job," you likely have more than one, endure stressful working conditions, still don't make enough money and don't choose your hours or days (because "Flexible Schedules" are only really "Flexible" for your boss- for you, they're a nightmare that destroys any chance of a social life). If you're one of the lucky ones, you're breaking yourself doing the work of three people so that you can feed the Metrics Monster for a chance to enter an even more high stakes game of chicken with your own stress, possibly one day breaking down and ruining all your good will with one exasperated outburst. And if you're one aspiring to be the other, you're doing some maddening combination of both.

And if at this point you're thinking "Wow, people burning out at 19 sounds really unsustainable," uh yeah you'd be right! No part of this system we're taking part in is healthy, sustainable or should in any way be preserved, and it's all being headed up by sociopaths with incalculable wealth- you know, the people running all these social media platforms and megacorps that profit off of young people killing themselves to increase those profit-making metrics, or slave away in warehouses under terrible conditions. In the end, the only way to stop this cycle of abuse is to stop having to break our backs just to make ends meet.

If you're an American wondering how you might make a difference, I'd suggest checking out people in your local area trying to make a change for the better- where you live, as well as across the nation.
Viewed: 606 times
Added: 5 years, 7 months ago
 
32 Comments on this Journal
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DireKyre
DireKyre
5 years, 7 months ago
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"No part of this system we're taking part in is healthy, sustainable or should in any way be preserved, and it's all being headed up by sociopaths with incalculable wealth" This part here is the one thing I just am absolutely amazed that other people don't see or understand. It seems so glaringly obvious to me that sometimes I have to forcibly take a mental step back and realize that not everyone thinks the same way that I do.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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They control the narrative! They've shamed us and made us shame ourselves and each other, and filled up our brains with garbage magical thinking articles like "Be more assertive" or "Turn yourself into a doer" or any number of other meaningless tripe cooked up by corporate board rooms.
Jerthose
Jerthose
5 years, 7 months ago
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Your comments really speak to me.  I just finished looking for a new job, and am taking a few moments to refresh my brain.  I've been in my current industry about 12 years now.  It's soul crushing, but has benefits and pays the bills.  

I'd love to change jobs, but really it's just a new coat of paint on the same thing. I am trying my hand and pursuing my hobbies and passions more to try and retain sanity as best i can.

I followed your link and signed up. :D
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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I know that struggle too damn well. Good on you.
Sizalia
Sizalia
5 years, 7 months ago
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Things like this make me glad to have a small fanbase made up mostly of friends.  I work the grueling labor job, and making art whenever I feel I have the energy is relaxing for me, plus I only see a couple of comments most of the time, being kind in nature.
I used to think I wanted all the fame and attention, but over the years I've realised I enjoy my calm and privacy.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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The human mind just isn't equipped to deal with a ton of other people with any frequency.
Sizalia
Sizalia
5 years, 7 months ago
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Agreed.
mouse24
mouse24
5 years, 7 months ago
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I wish we could fave journals.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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Favorite a journal journaling favorites. 🤔
MaximilianUltimata
MaximilianUltimata
5 years, 7 months ago
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It implies the audience is barely sentient meat and only gravitate towards the most active or popular, and not subscribing to individual artists based on personal merit. Which unfortunately is the case for a disgustingly large percentage of the human population.

It also makes you socialize with your fan base on a broad and unbelievably shallow and meaningless level, and I'd rather get shot in the stomach than do that.

There's a lot about our society that is unsustainable, and we're zooming ever closer towards that brick wall where it all comes crashing down at an ever increasing speed.
Corona688
Corona688
5 years, 7 months ago
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That's what the "controlling the narrative" bit is about.  That's what the system makes it easiest to do.  Making anything else happen takes a lot of effort for fairly random results.  You can find "okay" on-tap, or have a 1% chance of finding something great if you really look hard, what will a human do?
pyrostinger
pyrostinger
5 years, 7 months ago
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Thankfully, posting art doesn't seem to be as cutthroat as being a YouTube personality, but... damn.
Lamia
Lamia
5 years, 7 months ago
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Edited 5 years, 7 months ago by Owner
it's still generally in the entertainment genre of artistry, I assure you it can feel pretty close, and it can take its toll
Exelbirth
Exelbirth
5 years, 7 months ago
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"No part of this system we're taking part in is healthy, sustainable or should in any way be preserved, and it's all being headed up by sociopaths with incalculable wealth"

That's capitalism for ya!
FlameFox1987
FlameFox1987
5 years, 7 months ago
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Norithics, you have earned my eternal respect with this post. No matter what you draw, I'll always know that they were drawn by someone who is a good person, someone who wants to change things for the better.
I dare say your heart and mind are as big and great as the assets that you give your characters. ^^
8jj3
8jj3
5 years, 7 months ago
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I work for a mega corporation warehouse, and while the pay sucks the "poor" conditions are highly exaggerated. I'm extremely lucky, honestly.

I'm not trying to attack with what I'm to say, just my 2 cents. The world is hard, life is hard, and the systems in place are most definitely slavery. I'm done considering political solutions, I got other shit to worry about. Look at the Japanese, prime examples of working themselves to death, to the point where they have labor shortages because people would rather become NEETs than kill themselves at a shitty workplace! But the structure is unyielding and won't easily give up its grip on humanity, so the only thing to do about it is to nut up and do the work you have to do. Grow or decay. If that means political solutions on your end, go for it man.

As far as your art community goes, I feel like artists have a large hand in not just maintaining, but also cultivating those that enjoy their work. There are always outliers (like me) that stumble in, but by and large you make the bed you sleep in. I've followed you off and on for maybe four years now? and you've always had political opinions and such to voice. There's nothing wrong with that, but politics is already an angry hornets nest just leaving it alone. You might just be making things harder on yourself bruv.

As far as politics go, what I find most infuriating is the 'well I'm right and you're wrong!' attitude, the unyielding dogma that relies solely on talking points and groupthink to survive. I'm not saying you do that, but I think we all do to an extent, and in face-to-face conversation I refuse to confront people like this. You may as well try to convince a brick wall to turn into a liquid. I still have my political opinions but by and large I'm done engaging with the issue. I've got other shit to concern myself with.

All that said, I do find your posts are pretty insightful, if only from the leftist side of the spectrum, and I appreciate hearing your take on things. I guess the only thing that bothers me with politics is the absolutism of it all, but you do you, and hey I'm not saying you do do that, I just think the majority of people DO.

This was more stream-of-consciousness than anything else, just giving some feedback and wot's on my mind.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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" Juunie wrote:
I work for a mega corporation warehouse, and while the pay sucks the "poor" conditions are highly exaggerated. I'm extremely lucky, honestly.


I would say that's an excellent reason why you're not. I mean relative luck compared to people with less is always a thing, but if you're still not getting what you need then there's no need to imbue the job with more gravitas than it deserves.

" But the structure is unyielding and won't easily give up its grip on humanity, so the only thing to do about it is to nut up and do the work you have to do.


I agree completely! It's why the group I'm a part of (DSA) is kind of a hybrid. They register people to vote, give information on candidates, help canvass for them, that kind of thing; but they also help keep people from being evicted, use existing employment laws against employers to stop abuse, fix tail lights to curb police abuses- real things that help real people between elections.

" There's nothing wrong with that, but politics is already an angry hornets nest just leaving it alone. You might just be making things harder on yourself bruv.


I've dealt with worse. :P

" I guess the only thing that bothers me with politics is the absolutism of it all


I feel you. This is why I try not to respond with emotion as days go on, but rather with clear explanations for why what I'm proposing is correct. Fortunately I'm not really beholden to a party ideology in this case, but a strange mix of idealism and pragmatism. Ideology helps us understand what to do, but ultimately none of it means a thing if it's not helping real people right now.
LoZeed
LoZeed
5 years, 7 months ago
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I'm glad nobody even knows who I am, I could never handle living up to the high standards of people today and having to maintain a reputation.
TheBurningDonut
TheBurningDonut
5 years, 7 months ago
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I just saw some pics of an actor being interviewed. (For the life of me I can't remember who it was)

It was amazing because he admited he just got where he was because he was lucky.

I remember one quote he had was "Taylor Swift telling people to work hard at their dreams, is like a Lottery winner telling people to invest on Power ball tickets"

Or something like that.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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That's exactly what it's like. But we've been so thoroughly trained, almost indoctrinated by our culture, to think that if you don't get what you want or deserve, it's because of some personal failing, rather than the system itself aggressively working against your interests. And it's not like Taylor Swift installed unbridled casino Capitalism; it's just that if you're in a position of influence and you're not trying to push toward fixing things, then it's really hard to listen to that.
Seritaph
Seritaph
5 years, 6 months ago
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Good memory!  I believe you were referring to this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-JgG0ECp2U
skyboxmonster
skyboxmonster
5 years, 7 months ago
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There is a lot of words there, and its too late to come up with a detailed response.

I looked at the facebook pages of the chapters nearest me. I wasnt all that impressed with the posts there. Senator Sanders page has much more on point posts on issues and solutions.

Fixing the problems of even one country would require changing EVERY-THING.
every last little detail of how people do their daily jobs.

I already have written down several pages of problems of my corner, of my department, of my building, of my employer.
things that waste a lot of time and effort to work AROUND.

Communication, accountability, transparency, LISTENING, problem solving, exploring options, optimizing, data collection.....

a big list of things businesses and people dont, but should, Do.

I am wired to solve problems. but its almost painful when my proposed solutions are turned down without giving me the time to fully explain them.
and most people put all their effort into breaking apart new ideas with their only goal to crush them. instead of "you have a good idea, but maybe this could make it better"

sorry a bit off topic mini rant...  but I face these things every minute of the day.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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One thing that's gained a lot of traction is the idea of Worker Cooperatives to replace Corporations. Same production model, same general way of creating things, but the ethos is bottom-up instead of top-down. Every employee gets an equal vote in how the company runs.
skyboxmonster
skyboxmonster
5 years, 7 months ago
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Any boss worth a damn should know if they have a high turn-over rate of employees. the problem is them. not the employees.
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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A high turnover rate is a feature, not a bug! Means your workers are always afraid, and therefore compliant.
Milkie
Milkie
5 years, 7 months ago
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Wait, wait, so you mean to tell me... that my 9-5 job stocking shelves and hauling food product around (and yesterday having to haul big metal shelving into a disposal bin, by myself, while... you know, disabled) while also trying to write personal projects and commissions at the same time is double burn-out? I never would've guessed!

My life is a constant back-and-forth of being dissatisfied with my job, and being dissatisfied with my writing, and trying desperately to find little moments in the middle to be proud of myself in. They're pretty spaced out! Takes me three months to write a single chapter of Harbington Heroes, takes me ~a year to write a Cookie's Monsters, takes about as long to finish any commission, unless for some reason I am incredibly motivated (but I've recently been informed by the Facebook swath of "self-improvement" and "business savvy" entrepreneur advertisements that motivation is actually bad and I should work, work, work - and also buy their books), while busting my butt five days a week and generally running my already poor body further into the ground, paying for a home and internet that makes it all possible.

The downtime is generally spent in exhausted misery or desperately procrastinating so as not to give any thought to either my job or my writing. I just play video games instead. The result is a steady erosion of the self, wherein I don't want to socialize or put any real effort into just about anything. I'm always late with my disability paperwork not because I can't do it on time, I just never want to.

Makes it sound like doing one and not the other would solve the problem, but it really doesn't. Take away my job and give me unlimited time to write, and I'll still try and put it off after a while. I'll get bored and want to get out, go to work, make some money, and just not think about it. Likewise, have me working too much and I'll want nothing more than to be out of the place and writing. Always thinking about one while doing the other. It's a rough time.

It really gives a guy some grey hairs!
Milkie
Milkie
5 years, 7 months ago
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Corresponding to this insight into my life, the new Spider-Man game is really fun.
SenGrisane
SenGrisane
5 years, 7 months ago
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Wow. VCL. It's been a long time since then.
I think it was possible to see how many views a picture had gotten, but that's about it.

I have a job that is my main source of income. And I have been very lucky in that regard, as it pays rather well and is not too stressful. However in the recent 9-12 months it has turned very stressful and even just such a short period is a huge drain on energy and creativity. There were some weeks I only barely made it into the weekend without breaking down. And on such weekends nothing gets done.
Icestorm
Icestorm
5 years, 7 months ago
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never ending treadmill. Yeah we need a change in our system.
Crystalcia
Crystalcia
5 years, 7 months ago
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I'll admit the system isnt perfect - nothing is - but that isnt the point. People dont burnout because the system is bad, it's because they are too submissive and generally expect the system to favour them. A lot of people follow their dreams right up until the day their dreams get crushed. Then they're left with no alternative plan. People these days dont understand what hard work actually is. I remember going to a McDonald's on Canada day just before midnight. The joint was about to close up but they kept letting people inside, so I expected them to at least take the orders of the people who got in before close. Unfortunately, they decided to close while there were still people waiting to have their orders taken. I waited 15 minutes before I asked this giant fat guy working the register why he wasnt taking my order. He refused to speak with me. I talked to his manager and he too refused to speak with me. I later learnt out from the cashier that everyone was working overtime, no one wanted to do graveyard shift for ONE stat holiday, and that everyone was fed up with taking people's orders. My last job was working as a Front Desk Manager for a Historical Village and Museum. It was a short contract, but I cant help but be disgusted by some of the Elementary and Junior High kids who visit. They admit they'd rather be home playing Fornite and eating junk food than be at School doing the year's ONE boring field excursion.

It's sad knowing that technology is being so needlessly abused by educators and by students - where people can't put up with ONE bad day and would rather
Norithics
Norithics
5 years, 7 months ago
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" People dont burnout because the system is bad, it's because they are too submissive and generally expect the system to favour them.


Boy, if I were a corporation, profiting from everyone scrambling over themselves to give me the most profit from the most work with the least compensation, like crabs in a bucket, this sure sounds like the mindset I would drill into literally everybody so they kept perpetuating the system that helps only directly me.  (งツ)ว
SoraWolf7
SoraWolf7
5 years, 7 months ago
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I'm certainly on this train of thought.

I've been working for roughly 3-4 years straight with my previous job and newest job without any vacation time for more than a few days assigned by the supervisor in scheduling, and I know I still feel burnt out since I can't often bring myself to do what I love in drawing. I've got a few things I still owe people and it bugs me.

There's nothing I'd love more than to quit my job and dedicate myself full-time to being an artist for transformation and TG stuff, but I have bills to pay, so sadly I can't without having a proper cushion to sit on. Maybe it's just my self-justification for how scared I am this won't work out or I'll fail people. I'll be honest, I don't like dealing with asshats (especially after 3 years in the service industry), but I've come to know HOW to deal with them. And you're right, even as an artist, you do have to sometimes inject yourself into bad situations in order to stop them. It's part of the social networking that makes being a well-known person of your trade possible.

Anything of my downtime is spent trying to decompress from work and letting my mind veg out. It's why I end up not really making any progress drawing. If I spent some time actually focusing on drawing, I'd probably be able to get my rear in gear sooner than later. Any more putting things off will just keep the down-spiral going.
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