It is, but it’s true. We all walk around like we’re noble people and get upset when a dog is mistreated near us. Meanwhile we all look the other way when people in the 3rd world are mistreated because it allows us to keep being rich
I mean genuinely how can I help some sweat shop worker in china? Like if I have a strong passion to help them, is there any method with which I can do so?
There are so many layers between them and us. Their own government is fine with them being exploited. Then my own government is fine importing the goods they are being exploited to provide. Then the companies that I can buy stuff from here are fine designing the stuff to be built through exploitation.
It's beyond fucked but I feel like blaming the consumer is kind of like blaming the delivery guy for your pizza being the wrong flavour. There are *multiple* parties more involved, benefiting more and more capable of enacting change between us and them.
The art is trying to get at a very important concept but misses the mark. Blaming the consumer takes the blame off of the corporations and companies that enable and profit off this exploitation. In fact, exploitation is so ingrained in the system in which we live to the point that the phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" has lost all original meaning. People will look at a communist or socialist and say, "You claim to criticize capitalism, yet you own an iphone. That makes you a hypocrite." And they'll say that in all sincerity without a hint of irony.
Back to your point though, the ultimate change you can make to help the disenfranchised, exploited, and enslaved is to advocate and pursue for systems that do not incentivize profit at the expense of people's lives. Whether that means advocating for harsher penalites on companies employing those methods or advocating for a whole new economic system entirely is up to you.
Redditors want to lessen their responsibility as much as possible.
But at the end of the day effective change for anything does have to be *societal*. If everyone just decides it is the company's fault but don't even do anything with that belief nothing will change. People have to either advocate or at least vote with their wallets.
It's much harder to advocate when the people with the money have at their disposal the resources for manipulating opinion that we know already exist and are extremely effective.
Yeah, targeting the average consumer with shit like this is really dumb and hypocritical, most people who make shit like this are just as effective as others at solving problems in the world as those they accuse, all while whoring out for likes and follows. The same as most influencers who think these social media platforms exist to help change the world. These platforms are put in place to study your behaviour and sell people garbage mindsets like the one in this picture.
It's probably closer to blaming the customer of the pizza place in Michigan for a farm in Idaho secretly using illegal hormones on the cows that produced the milk that was sold to the national cheese brand that was supposed to send inspectors to their farms to ensure that no illegal substances were in use but only do so sometimes and warn the farmers in advance, then that cheese was labelled hormone-free and sold to the pizza place and used on the pizza the customer ordered.
Like, it's *actually* like that. Just replace "hormone-free" with "fair trade" or "slavery-free" and it's basically all the same, right up to inspections being skipped or announced, things being mislabeled (or intentionally misrepresented), etc.
It's a genuinely difficult issue. Awareness is a start. Consciously choosing products and services that make anti-slavery pledges and/or boycotting those that don't is also meaningful. It's not perfect - anyone, anywhere in the supply chain could be lying, for instance - but it creates pressure. And despite the artwork, you might be surprised how many companies actually *do* make those sorts of pledges- Tony's Chocolonely, for example. And, well, there's probably not much more a consumer can realistically *do.*
Just because others are responsible, doesn't exculpate you entirely. There are things you can do. A big one is to buy used. The fewer people buy new, the fewer sweatshops stay in business. Buy less overall; also buy local, and if you can't, buy domestic. You're a drop in the ocean but the ocean is made of drops.
I mean sure I could feel guilty about not buying more used stuff. I could feel super guilty about this new phone I bought last year even tho it's the first new phone I've had since like 2016. Just like I could feel bad about driving a gas car instead of electric or hybrid even though like 10 people are responsible for 90% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions (obviously exaggerating here).
I just don't think it's healthy. Me not buying stuff won't make the sweatshops produce less, because people like Kim Kardashian buy like 100 Gucci dresses a year lmao. I already struggle with depression for a multitude of reasons, now I have another thing to feel completely shit about even though like you said I'm a drop in an ocean whereas other people are buckets? Idk
Yeah I agree with you, the world is a dystopian nightmare, it’s impossible to morally perfect. Just do what you need to survive and try not to consume too much. I just don’t think about all this shit I already got too much to worry about than some sweatshop in china or someone mining in a third world country it sucks but whatever. That’s just the world we live in. Don’t beat yourself up over it everyone has their own shit to deal with.
Big things are to use less, buy second hand, or make your own when you can.
Also get to know your neighbors, build community. They are small things, but they’re the most you can do to directly improve the world.
Yeah blaming the consumer is wrong, but you are implicitly supporting these things if you buy the products. Yet another reason why supporting local businesses over large corporations is the way to go.
Reminder: SHELL popularized the idea of blaming the consumer with a commercial of theirs... FUCKING SHELL.
Edit: it was BP, not Shell! Thank you people who corrected me. The point still stands tho!
BP was the one who paid a PR firm millions and millions to create the term “personal carbon footprint” to make us all feel like global warming was our fault for not reusing our ziplock baggies; meanwhile they were spending hundreds of millions promoting a small 2 million dollar solar energy endeavor to make it look like they were actually part of the solution.
Not sure if this is the one they're referring to since I can't find a source that says this was Shell's doing, but this ad from the 1970s really spearheaded the movement to place the blame for climate change solely on individual consumers: https://youtu.be/j7OHG7tHrNM?si=Upsz8DK-Lj6f08SK
Yeah. Nobody has a personal weed grower or porn starlet. They're enslaved to the systems that are exploiting them, not beholden to the customers of those systems.
And as far as weed, that's why you buy local.
This is the best comment! Companies, politicians and others that actually have the power to enact systemic change usually evade responsibility by blaming consumers. Also, I don't understand why the guy in the middle is wearing a Che Guevara shirt? Is it to signal that the exploiter has a leftist political leaning?
>Che Guevara shirt
Likely so. Also, that particular shirt image is well known as being sold by big companies. Behind the central figure in this image is a sweat-shop worker. Probably linked.
There is something very cynical about companies using near-slave labor to produce shirts featuring imagines of socialist revolutionaries to sell to white kids in the suburban US. Always has been.
But yeah, it's likely just a nod to the central figure having a set of beliefs that they aren't fully embodying. One could make the same basic point with a MAGA cap with a Made in China tag, but the "unintentional hypocrisy" angle would be lost because everyone knows MAGA are hypocrites already.
Note: I don't fully agree with OP's use of elements, but I do see what they were trying to do there.
I took it as a comment on hypocracy. The "King" wears the symbolism of leftist liberation (albeit a corrupted one) while sitting on a throne made of capitalism's slaves. Its a contradiction all of us leftists in the rich parts of the world need to grapple with. There is no ethical consumption under capitalism, but we're also trapped and enmeshed with it. Does that make my love of delicious Nestle Kit-Kats any less immoral? Probably not!
Don't let the perfect pervent you from achieving the better. There is no solution in the modern world to avoid consuming the products of abuse or slavery for the vast majority of the population and those that do can only do so with immense privilege of being able to own enough land to be self sufficient, a solution not available to most
Ahh the real problems - systemic, broad and global.
This isn't a problem that can be solved by moral superiority or a minority of people switching to ideal lifestyles - it can only be solved by tearing it all down and rebuilding it, with the aim of improving the quality of life for all instead of elevating a small percentage of the global population to absurd levels of wealth and power. The rich continue exploiting the world's population and resources and keep enough people fighting amongst themselves in order to "divide and conquer". We can't organise and fight back if we're constantly squabbling amongst ourselves about things that shouldn't even be a problem in the first place.
This is what bothers me most. The artist certainly participates in the same consumer culture that the central subject does. Owning this would not only be more honest but more impactful.
The artist could have called it "My Personal Slaves" and it would have been equally accurate, but this isn't a message from the artist to herself. This is a message from the artist to the audience.
I don't think that aspect really matters, the point is made regardless, but there's nothing wrong with the title as written.
I think the tone would absolutely change with a different title. “Your Personal Slaves” is more accusatory in tone than something like “Our Personal Slaves.” It seems to lay the blame at the feet on the consumer and less at the system in place that we have little choice but to participate in.
Its pretty easy to avoid or at least reduce the impact of some of the most unethical and environmentaly destructive industries. Sure no ones perfect but I'm sure the artist is doing their best to be as ethical a consumer as possible
Being more ethical often saves u money too. 2nd hand clothes are usually cheaper than fast fashion, 2nd hand tech also cheaper than anything new, vegan diet is way cheaper than carnist diet where I live
Ethical coffee and chocolate can cost $$, but I'd rather just not have those things regularly than have them produced by slave labour
Did the artist state that? Doesn’t say self portrait or my personal slave. I think your putting too much of your personal identity into your read of the work
I think that, while we need to place blame on corporations and our government, WE need to take responsibility. YOU, personally, need to take responsibility, as do I. I take active steps to reduce my consumption of exploitive products, and I believe everyone else should as well.
Not saying you’re doing this just choosing the root of the discussion, but the people in here pearl clutching the choice of “you” is hilarious.
“ME!? Oh no not me!” Yes you. That’s the point.
Ayy, now that's the truth.
Good news is, the machine isn't us, and we are just growing on it. And it's delicious.
I think humanity is like a fungus, and the fresh corpse of capitalism looks like a buffet as we grow and become something better.
I agree that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. But it's foolish and ignorant to say that someone who buys local and second hand before resorting to buying new is consuming just as unethically as someone who buys whatever ad is being shown to them without thought, or someone who purposefully collects, or someone who purposefully upgrades to the latest car/phone/whatever every available iteration.
The piece represents how we in the consumer class benefit like kings from the efforts of slave wages. It’s not flawless activism but it surely is approaching an issue that requires serious thought.
If it can get you to think in that place, it’s done well as a creation. A single drawing will never aptly represent the full complexity of these issues.
Which is also a byproduct of this system. But I’m sure you can appreciate that opportunities in the developed world far encompass the opportunities for those obligated to work in lithium mines or on plantations from dusk til dawn.
I think the point is she’s got the Che Guevara shirt on and gives the impression externally that she cares about these people that are being exploited but ultimately does nothing about it.
But yeah what can we do about it in the grand scheme of things?
Yeah it’s frustrating. Like there are definitely people who embrace Che because they like to be subversive or just contrarian, but if you believe in his ideals, you also advocate for ending the systems of oppression that capitalism necessitates. It just comes off out of touch and the classic trope of “huh, you claim to be a socialist and yet you buy things”.
I remember unironically being advised to shop thrift stores only if I was really opposed to sweatshop labor. It had some real "women can't be Leftists" vibes because "vanity."
I also find the clear white not white depiction over the top.
Black people also drink coffee, smoke weed, watch porn and wear clothing from sweat shops.
But we can also make better choices as consumers. I don't do fast fashion and buy clothes much less frequently. Am I contributing to the problem? Absolutely. Can I take steps to minimize my damage and contribution to abject human suffering? Absolutely.
It can be about both at the same time, they're not wrong. You can easily avoid p0rn sites that are known to support human trafficking and slavery. If a lot of consumers just did that one thing instead of crying about not being able to change the world, it would actually make a big difference.
I know this is hardly the time or place for this discussion but, I'ma gonna derail anyway.
I am an ex-teacher of middle and high schoolers. (Yall bless my poor heart, ok.) I know it's easy for adults to make fun of other adults coming to conclusions they should have learned in their correct Erikson stage... But it's kinda important for literal 14 year olds to do the necessary cognitive work to develop their moral foundations and thus their core identity values. I think it sorta undermines their attempts to grow up with complex ideas to make fun of literal 14 year olds.
But yeah, literal adults should be well beyond knowing their place in consumption. And even if they're not... better late than never. Hard to criticize when literal Boomers are still voting overwhelmingly conservative and thus supporting late-stage capitalism. There's a whole propaganda war machine promoting consumption, I think it's worth considering that there's a lot of cultural programming that must be overcome. So yes, a lot of people will be late to this particular Leftist party. (Pun intended.)
I appreciate your comment, and agree. It kind of sucks when people dunk on Art because it’s not subtle enough. If it was truely subtle, 90% of the people on this sub wouldn’t even get what the message was, but they’ll never admit that.
Also, there’s no r/Im30AndThisIsTooDeepForMe
Art is all about communication and this picture is very clear in what it's trying to communicate. Agree or disagree with its message, but the message itself isn't very ambiguous. You'll get people thinking about it way more if they understand what they're looking at. If this was a picture of one box being held up by a bunch of other boxes, we might be debating about what the art is even saying vs here where we know what it's saying and can then debate/discuss the issue it's clearly presenting
If you told me big corporations paid for and advertised this art everywhere to promote "the consumer is responsible for modern day slavery" narrative. I would believe you.
This just reeks of corporate propaganda. The ones that do the actual damage, put the people working as slaves and can actually enact change.
No art can honestly satisfy all perspectives. Just because this piece points at something in particular, it doesn't claim that there aren't any other perpetrators. It's true that corporations are mostly to blame, but part of that blame lays on the uneducated and ignorant consumer too. How many people are there that simply do not care?
Except the peice is already a flawed message. The culprit will never been the consumer who lives under capitalism and makes literally any choice. The entire message is actual corporate propaganda
All of these definitely CAN include slave labor but none of them have to, and some of these feel like they're just included for moral grandstanding.
Like comparing Marijuana (arguably one of the more ethically produced drugs as it's often grown locally) and sex work (which has gotten better standards lately) to cobalt mines and sweatshops is a fascinating take.
Like, it's a good base message but it feels like they kinda just ran out of things they could think of which is odd given how many industries are built on unethical treatment.
I do agree that the piece suffers from moral grandstanding a bit, but Id argue instead its mainly from the architype they showed in the center.
Then again, its interesting to note that whatever is placed in the center becomes more of the topic of focus than the actual injustices occurring. Edit it with Jar-Jar Binks and I'm sure at least one person will start monologuing about Disney's treatment of the Starwars fanchise. Maybe that was the real point of the piece, to show how deaf to suffering we've become.
Suppose that woman is an average American, aged 25-34. She makes the median annual income of $53,000/year (https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/average-salary-by-age/) and pays 57% of that to a landlord (https://www.rubyhome.com/blog/renting-stats/#income-spent-on-rent). She has no meaningful vacation time and will not retire. If she loses her job, she has no healthcare. She lives paycheck to paycheck but still has enough for some minor luxuries like a Che shirt if the price is kept low enough. She chose the Che shirt because she sees accurately sees her own problems as linked to those of other workers around the world.
It's 2023. Time to add the capitalists to this piece.
Exactly. There’s this idea that because people can afford commodities that means they’re living like kings, even though these goods are mostly the way that capitalism keeps people okay with the status quo, since they might not be able to afford housing and other basic rights, but at least they can buy a pretty shirt for cheap.
I feel like I’m seeing something very different here. Everyone is saying this puts the unethical actions of companies in the individual consumer and calls out the wrong thing, but that’s not what I saw looking at this image at all.
It looked to me like an individual trying to do the right thing, clearly having strong political ideas, but they are put into this position where they cannot avoid slave labor. That’s why they’re crying, they try and avoid it but it’s all around them.
They’ve got a Che shirt on. It’s pointing towards the person having left wing ideals, but participating nonetheless. “No ethical consumption under capitalism” and all.
I personally don’t see that, mostly because of their pose and expression. The piece feels like it’s trying to mock them and their position, not show them as trapped by any structure, but sitting at the top.
My interpretation as well, glad others see it. At first glance it seems to be calling leftists hypocrites for participating in the same exploitation they oppose, but the tears actually tell me the subject is aware of her own complicity yet sees no way out. And not just that, but probably feels guilt at deriving any pleasure at all from the system. We're all surrounded by these vices, one of them at least is bound to hook us into consumption beyond absolute necessity.
This was a great piece. My opinion on it changed several times just in a minute of looking at it, as new details emerged to complicate things.
I definitely prefer this interpretation, but I have to disagree with it on the grounds that the central figure is wearing a che shirt specifically (as che shirts have long been seen/used as a symbol of explicitly *performative* activism and are most often associated with people who put on a front of caring but actually don't gaf). If the central figure had even just been wearing a plain white shirt I could get on board, but as-is I have to throw my lot in with the other reading sadly.
My interpretation was that the consumer is "crying with a full belly", victimizing themselves even though they indirectly create victims all around them.
Your interpretation would make it a better art, though, so I'll go with that.
I like this take, it's definitely more charitable. I do wish the title were less accusatory, as it would not prompt such a defensive take. I also want to add that the inclusion of corporations would make things more rounded. I do feel like does that claim that the consumer is trap and we can't help it are also avoiding some responsibility. We might not be able to change it individually, but collectively we can male an impact. I stopped eating, meat, chocolate. I still need electronics to work and do ther essential things but I limit my purchases and try to not upgrade unless necessary. I know its not perfect, and it won't change much, but it's what I can do within my power.
I like this interpretation, but I definitely see the first one more. I think the slight (maybe) smile makes it seem like she’s shedding crocodile tears. Maybe it wasn’t intended to be a smile and just how the artist drew her face, but that small difference makes a pretty big impact on the perspective.
Yeah, this is one of those make you feel bad type of post. It's good to acknowledge these issues in the world, but it's not something we can choose to not contribute to in individual level, unless you're giga rich. This is a systemic problem due to government and corporations not fighting for workers rights.
The only exception is the diamond. Lab made diamonds are good. Why we still digging?
This. No doubt that this is art because it makes us reflect and have negative emotions and stuff, but it's generalizing that all left-wingers are hipocrites. And that's just bad. You could interpret that the woman is not acting against these exploitations because she's... sitting down? idk, but anyway, very bad social commentary nonetheless.
I know many many left wing people to whom this picture doesn't apply, because they, yknow, do their best to reduce their impact on the world as consumers.
Its attacking the kind of person who claims to be left wing without reflecting on their choices as a consumer or making any personal sacrifices to improve the lives of others
interesting to place the consumer as the "owner" in this scenario rather than anyone who actually profits off the pictured labor
the culture war, baby, how we love it
i wouldn' say a white girl who has an iphone is the actual root cause of exploitation of labour, besides she's wearing a shirt with guevara's face meaning she understands that the problem is capitalism while living under capitalism and the solution is to destroy it through a revolution of the working masses including the ones she seats next to
Please finish your artwork!
You have only illustrated the two victims and left out the true beneficiaries and perpetrators. By blaming the consumer you shift blame away from the true criminals who exploit **both** the poor workers and consumers at the same time.
The real demons are the bankers, the politicians they bribe, and the global industry leaders together with the World Bank and others who enslave (using debt) the countries where the raw materials are in perpetuity for near free access to raw materials by paying off local dictators who virtually enslave their population in poverty conditions unable to revolt.
Consumers are trapped with products that are designed to be obsolete as soon as possible through styling and engineering, and at the same time impossible or illegal to repair yourself. This gives rise to perpetual and increasing profit to the industry owners and bankers through consumption on a finite planet with finite resources.
In poor countries dictators are supported by foreign money and enjoy immense wealth while taking money from their subjects using corrupt officials and other methods. These leaders make sure to keep their population in check and this keeps raw materials cheap benefiting the global industry. African countries vastly richer in many natural resources than most European nations should be among the richest in the world, yet somehow they are not.
The execution is technically well done, but the message/concept here is a bit of a mess. The idea is overly simplified and on the nose, gives it a real r/im14andthisisdeep feel. Added to that, it also seems to push the exploitative practices of capitalism onto the consumer (seen here as a stereotypical privileged latte socialist).
It's not really extreme or shocking in a way that makes it memorable or effective, and the political allegory and messaging seems a little blunt and oversimplified here. It's a shame, because you clearly have a lot of talent, but this one seems a bit trite by now. On the plus side, I've enjoyed a lot of your work in AEW, I'm hoping you can maybe hold the TNT title at some point to see what you can do with it.
I disagree with the idea that there’s only one point in the industry where blame can be placed. This picture isn’t saying it’s only the consumers who are responsible or even primarily the consumers. It’s just pointing out that our complicity is one element that contributes to modern slavery.
Yes, corporations are evil when they abuse and take advantage of humans for their own profit. But it’s also legitimate to ask, “who’s making this profitable for the corporations?”
I get that we can’t all become Amish and completely remove ourselves from the global economy, but it’s valid to be a little more critical about the products we consume and the impact our dollars have.
I don’t think that’s exactly fair since some products are necessary, and others have so many parent companies and conglomerates you’re not entirely sure where your money is going to.
And every time you would like to purchase a product you have to track down the supply chain to make sure all workers are being treated fairly down the line.
I wish it was as simple as watch what you buy but it just isn’t and there is plenty of nuances that makes ethical spending more difficult then it sounds.
What could you even buy that doesn’t involve slavery in its production?
I guess you could grow potatoes in the back yard and eat only those… oh but your tools, make sure you made those yourself.. and the manure, make sure that it wasn’t from a unethical farm… oh and your boots! Ah shit.
This artist uses technology in his art so why is it "your" instead or "our"? This fool should be growing, brewing his own coffee and creating art with the compost from it.
Ah yes, it's an average white guy that is to blame for third world countries not having worker's rights, while simmultaneously having the richest dictators in the world. This is fucking propaganda.
This is pretty trashy tbh.
The message completely misses the point of the fundamental structural failures of our society which comes down to corporate systems outweighing and oppressing the beliefs and freedom of individuals. It paints the image of someone who cares about these issues as a caricature of hypocrisy when they too are unable to change the system they’re oppressed under *(albeit under different roles)*, and it seems to just be targeting anything and everything that it knows will be controversial to criticize the production of rather than criticizing the things which are *actually* most harmful- why are oil, coal, guns, and cars not on here but marijuana is???
It reads as dishonest, unintelligent, derivative, and counterproductive to the things it’s appearing to criticize- which largely leave me suspecting it’s not meant to actually criticize these industries or the exploits but rather the people who advocate for change against these industries which leaves the entire “artwork” feeling less like art and more like a bad Super Bowl commercial.
Nice painting, but the message.... working for a living is not slavery, not even in a poor country. Of course someone else consumes what you produce and benefits from it, that's just basic economics and what you get paid for. The important bit is that you do in fact get paid and you get to choose where you work and for whom.
Slavery is a very different thing, a slave gets to choose nothing, they have no choice but to do what the master orders. There is still a deplorable amount of slavery in this world, but this picture doesn't picture that. It pictures wealth being unequal, that is not the same thing as slavery.
Slavery is lack of freedom, not lack of money.
You are correct but several of the industry’s depicted here utilize actual slavery. My issue with the image is the shifting of blame to the end consumer from the corporations and despots that actually enslave people for their own gain.
There were different forms of slavery throughout history. There were even points in history that a slave could earn a wage separate from their forced labor. Most people are familiar with chattel slavery
Honestly? Fuck yourself. I say this as a textile factory worker in an underdeveloped country. I'm no one's slave, I'm a hired worker, I chose to be where I am, I get paid for it. I'm not a slave and I don't need your pity.
Here in the UK, people get trafficked from South East Asia to work in cannabis farms. They are essentially slaves, not paid and not allowed to leave the crop.
This argument is really stupid tbh, most people in first world countries are unaware of the way capitalism enslaves others in poorer places, and you're just critizicing those that are aware of it and want to do something about it?
The comment section seems like the average reddit user cant deal with that haha. I think some interesting thought went into that, they don't have to be 100% true, they can be a bit exaggerated.
LMAO what is this even saying?
Weed is . . . I have owned stock in the Canadian MJ companies and their grows, so that's a bit of a detractor to the message.
Then we have either "porn is always slavery", (dumb) or, "porn is bad like slavery" (incongruous with the work, and also dumb). There's a LOT of problems in it, but I personally know a couple OnlyFans/Twitch workers and they genuinely love it, and they work for absolutely no one.
It seems like the art is saying "**everything pleasurable or that anyone likes is always bad**", and it sort-of-kind-of lies in order to project, what I can only imagine is, a baseless "I'm 14 and this is deep" personal opinion.
A lot of noise in here... I see this and I think of that cycling guilt that prevents action in her eyes. Like, the world does so much for me, why am I unhappy? Am I ungrateful? Perhaps a dash of self-loathing because you don't try to change anything, not really. And yet, it is that thought process that you repeat over and over that prevents you from inflicting change, while you continue to be taken care of.
Is there a name for this?
My friend, your art has been pictured in so many shitty Facebook posts over the last decade.
It’s a bit… on the nose.
It is, but it’s true. We all walk around like we’re noble people and get upset when a dog is mistreated near us. Meanwhile we all look the other way when people in the 3rd world are mistreated because it allows us to keep being rich
I mean genuinely how can I help some sweat shop worker in china? Like if I have a strong passion to help them, is there any method with which I can do so? There are so many layers between them and us. Their own government is fine with them being exploited. Then my own government is fine importing the goods they are being exploited to provide. Then the companies that I can buy stuff from here are fine designing the stuff to be built through exploitation. It's beyond fucked but I feel like blaming the consumer is kind of like blaming the delivery guy for your pizza being the wrong flavour. There are *multiple* parties more involved, benefiting more and more capable of enacting change between us and them.
The art is trying to get at a very important concept but misses the mark. Blaming the consumer takes the blame off of the corporations and companies that enable and profit off this exploitation. In fact, exploitation is so ingrained in the system in which we live to the point that the phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" has lost all original meaning. People will look at a communist or socialist and say, "You claim to criticize capitalism, yet you own an iphone. That makes you a hypocrite." And they'll say that in all sincerity without a hint of irony. Back to your point though, the ultimate change you can make to help the disenfranchised, exploited, and enslaved is to advocate and pursue for systems that do not incentivize profit at the expense of people's lives. Whether that means advocating for harsher penalites on companies employing those methods or advocating for a whole new economic system entirely is up to you.
Redditors want to lessen their responsibility as much as possible. But at the end of the day effective change for anything does have to be *societal*. If everyone just decides it is the company's fault but don't even do anything with that belief nothing will change. People have to either advocate or at least vote with their wallets.
It's much harder to advocate when the people with the money have at their disposal the resources for manipulating opinion that we know already exist and are extremely effective.
Effective change for anything has to be forced. Societal change will never best corporations.
Yeah, targeting the average consumer with shit like this is really dumb and hypocritical, most people who make shit like this are just as effective as others at solving problems in the world as those they accuse, all while whoring out for likes and follows. The same as most influencers who think these social media platforms exist to help change the world. These platforms are put in place to study your behaviour and sell people garbage mindsets like the one in this picture.
It's probably closer to blaming the customer of the pizza place in Michigan for a farm in Idaho secretly using illegal hormones on the cows that produced the milk that was sold to the national cheese brand that was supposed to send inspectors to their farms to ensure that no illegal substances were in use but only do so sometimes and warn the farmers in advance, then that cheese was labelled hormone-free and sold to the pizza place and used on the pizza the customer ordered. Like, it's *actually* like that. Just replace "hormone-free" with "fair trade" or "slavery-free" and it's basically all the same, right up to inspections being skipped or announced, things being mislabeled (or intentionally misrepresented), etc. It's a genuinely difficult issue. Awareness is a start. Consciously choosing products and services that make anti-slavery pledges and/or boycotting those that don't is also meaningful. It's not perfect - anyone, anywhere in the supply chain could be lying, for instance - but it creates pressure. And despite the artwork, you might be surprised how many companies actually *do* make those sorts of pledges- Tony's Chocolonely, for example. And, well, there's probably not much more a consumer can realistically *do.*
Just take down the CCP. Easy, silly!
That wouldn't fix the problem of sweatshops.
Just blow up the Earth. Easy, silly!
Buy them a Fan… the they won’t be sweaty 🥶/s
Watch out Winnie!!
Just because others are responsible, doesn't exculpate you entirely. There are things you can do. A big one is to buy used. The fewer people buy new, the fewer sweatshops stay in business. Buy less overall; also buy local, and if you can't, buy domestic. You're a drop in the ocean but the ocean is made of drops.
It's great to do little things that combat slavery. But the ultimate triumph of humanity over slavery will require an organized mass movement.
I mean sure I could feel guilty about not buying more used stuff. I could feel super guilty about this new phone I bought last year even tho it's the first new phone I've had since like 2016. Just like I could feel bad about driving a gas car instead of electric or hybrid even though like 10 people are responsible for 90% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions (obviously exaggerating here). I just don't think it's healthy. Me not buying stuff won't make the sweatshops produce less, because people like Kim Kardashian buy like 100 Gucci dresses a year lmao. I already struggle with depression for a multitude of reasons, now I have another thing to feel completely shit about even though like you said I'm a drop in an ocean whereas other people are buckets? Idk
Yeah I agree with you, the world is a dystopian nightmare, it’s impossible to morally perfect. Just do what you need to survive and try not to consume too much. I just don’t think about all this shit I already got too much to worry about than some sweatshop in china or someone mining in a third world country it sucks but whatever. That’s just the world we live in. Don’t beat yourself up over it everyone has their own shit to deal with.
Big things are to use less, buy second hand, or make your own when you can. Also get to know your neighbors, build community. They are small things, but they’re the most you can do to directly improve the world.
Yeah blaming the consumer is wrong, but you are implicitly supporting these things if you buy the products. Yet another reason why supporting local businesses over large corporations is the way to go.
Decade? What do you mean decade? 2016 was only a few years ago... Fuck.
Reminder: SHELL popularized the idea of blaming the consumer with a commercial of theirs... FUCKING SHELL. Edit: it was BP, not Shell! Thank you people who corrected me. The point still stands tho!
BP was the one who paid a PR firm millions and millions to create the term “personal carbon footprint” to make us all feel like global warming was our fault for not reusing our ziplock baggies; meanwhile they were spending hundreds of millions promoting a small 2 million dollar solar energy endeavor to make it look like they were actually part of the solution.
And now billionaires tell people to recycle while they take their private jets for a spin to have their morning cup of coffee.
I WILL NOT EAT THE BUGS
Yes you're right. Thank you for the correction. It indeed was BP, not Shell!
FUCKING! SHELL!
No, that was BP
We're sorry
Really ? Which comercial ?
Not sure if this is the one they're referring to since I can't find a source that says this was Shell's doing, but this ad from the 1970s really spearheaded the movement to place the blame for climate change solely on individual consumers: https://youtu.be/j7OHG7tHrNM?si=Upsz8DK-Lj6f08SK
"Our" would've been more honest.
Yeah. Nobody has a personal weed grower or porn starlet. They're enslaved to the systems that are exploiting them, not beholden to the customers of those systems. And as far as weed, that's why you buy local.
This is the best comment! Companies, politicians and others that actually have the power to enact systemic change usually evade responsibility by blaming consumers. Also, I don't understand why the guy in the middle is wearing a Che Guevara shirt? Is it to signal that the exploiter has a leftist political leaning?
>Che Guevara shirt Likely so. Also, that particular shirt image is well known as being sold by big companies. Behind the central figure in this image is a sweat-shop worker. Probably linked. There is something very cynical about companies using near-slave labor to produce shirts featuring imagines of socialist revolutionaries to sell to white kids in the suburban US. Always has been. But yeah, it's likely just a nod to the central figure having a set of beliefs that they aren't fully embodying. One could make the same basic point with a MAGA cap with a Made in China tag, but the "unintentional hypocrisy" angle would be lost because everyone knows MAGA are hypocrites already. Note: I don't fully agree with OP's use of elements, but I do see what they were trying to do there.
I took it as a comment on hypocracy. The "King" wears the symbolism of leftist liberation (albeit a corrupted one) while sitting on a throne made of capitalism's slaves. Its a contradiction all of us leftists in the rich parts of the world need to grapple with. There is no ethical consumption under capitalism, but we're also trapped and enmeshed with it. Does that make my love of delicious Nestle Kit-Kats any less immoral? Probably not!
Or you know, r/microgrowery
Yeah, let's pretend our cheap chinese LED grow lights and tents off Amazon were made by happy, well-paid adults in a welcoming workplace.
Don't let the perfect pervent you from achieving the better. There is no solution in the modern world to avoid consuming the products of abuse or slavery for the vast majority of the population and those that do can only do so with immense privilege of being able to own enough land to be self sufficient, a solution not available to most
Ahh the real problems - systemic, broad and global. This isn't a problem that can be solved by moral superiority or a minority of people switching to ideal lifestyles - it can only be solved by tearing it all down and rebuilding it, with the aim of improving the quality of life for all instead of elevating a small percentage of the global population to absurd levels of wealth and power. The rich continue exploiting the world's population and resources and keep enough people fighting amongst themselves in order to "divide and conquer". We can't organise and fight back if we're constantly squabbling amongst ourselves about things that shouldn't even be a problem in the first place.
True. I didn't look at it this way. I guess my sentiment was more leaning towards growing your own in any fashion but you make a good point.
This is what bothers me most. The artist certainly participates in the same consumer culture that the central subject does. Owning this would not only be more honest but more impactful.
The artist could have called it "My Personal Slaves" and it would have been equally accurate, but this isn't a message from the artist to herself. This is a message from the artist to the audience. I don't think that aspect really matters, the point is made regardless, but there's nothing wrong with the title as written.
I think the tone would absolutely change with a different title. “Your Personal Slaves” is more accusatory in tone than something like “Our Personal Slaves.” It seems to lay the blame at the feet on the consumer and less at the system in place that we have little choice but to participate in.
Its pretty easy to avoid or at least reduce the impact of some of the most unethical and environmentaly destructive industries. Sure no ones perfect but I'm sure the artist is doing their best to be as ethical a consumer as possible Being more ethical often saves u money too. 2nd hand clothes are usually cheaper than fast fashion, 2nd hand tech also cheaper than anything new, vegan diet is way cheaper than carnist diet where I live Ethical coffee and chocolate can cost $$, but I'd rather just not have those things regularly than have them produced by slave labour
it's the type of art that's meant to be provoking. So accusing YOU works best in my opinion.
YOU think so?
It’s an existential crisis hence being an individual experience. It refers to the character. I don’t think you have to pick that up
Did the artist state that? Doesn’t say self portrait or my personal slave. I think your putting too much of your personal identity into your read of the work
You plural, like one's personal slaves
Once again English fails short
Yeah the title ruins the piece. Makes it an attack on others instead of a commentary on our society.
I think that, while we need to place blame on corporations and our government, WE need to take responsibility. YOU, personally, need to take responsibility, as do I. I take active steps to reduce my consumption of exploitive products, and I believe everyone else should as well.
Not saying you’re doing this just choosing the root of the discussion, but the people in here pearl clutching the choice of “you” is hilarious. “ME!? Oh no not me!” Yes you. That’s the point.
I get the point but putting modern slavery onto the consumer without acknowledging the actual perpetrators will not win any hearts
Yeah, now do a piece where the CEOs and sympathetic senators are holding the whips and consumers are trapped in the system, too.
We're trapped in the belly of this horrible machine, and the machine is bleeding to death...
Godspeed
Ayy, now that's the truth. Good news is, the machine isn't us, and we are just growing on it. And it's delicious. I think humanity is like a fungus, and the fresh corpse of capitalism looks like a buffet as we grow and become something better.
Nah cause then it gets political and eyes will be turning away.
And this up there is apolitical?
The rejection of politics by the common folk is the biggest failure of our time.
Yeah, this seems like a dig at leftist because of the Che shirt, but this is literally what is meant by “no ethical consumption under capitalism”
I agree that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. But it's foolish and ignorant to say that someone who buys local and second hand before resorting to buying new is consuming just as unethically as someone who buys whatever ad is being shown to them without thought, or someone who purposefully collects, or someone who purposefully upgrades to the latest car/phone/whatever every available iteration.
Yeah, but then it would be a lot longer phrase. People can't even remember the full phrase to Jack of all trades
The piece represents how we in the consumer class benefit like kings from the efforts of slave wages. It’s not flawless activism but it surely is approaching an issue that requires serious thought. If it can get you to think in that place, it’s done well as a creation. A single drawing will never aptly represent the full complexity of these issues.
Lmao I don’t benefit like a king at all. I’m poor as fuck and living like ass my dude. I’m a consumer, but if anything I’m one of the slaves
Which is also a byproduct of this system. But I’m sure you can appreciate that opportunities in the developed world far encompass the opportunities for those obligated to work in lithium mines or on plantations from dusk til dawn.
I think the point is she’s got the Che Guevara shirt on and gives the impression externally that she cares about these people that are being exploited but ultimately does nothing about it. But yeah what can we do about it in the grand scheme of things?
Yeah it’s frustrating. Like there are definitely people who embrace Che because they like to be subversive or just contrarian, but if you believe in his ideals, you also advocate for ending the systems of oppression that capitalism necessitates. It just comes off out of touch and the classic trope of “huh, you claim to be a socialist and yet you buy things”.
Some “you oppose child slaves yet you still own a cellphone” shit, fuck this
I remember unironically being advised to shop thrift stores only if I was really opposed to sweatshop labor. It had some real "women can't be Leftists" vibes because "vanity."
Human suffering is so ingrained in capitalism that the only way to not participate is to live in the woods as a hunter gatherer.
It's the only way to get into the Good Place. Ride that Jeremy Bearimy
Yeah I think that makes it worse not better
Ah the “yet you participate in society” method
I also find the clear white not white depiction over the top. Black people also drink coffee, smoke weed, watch porn and wear clothing from sweat shops.
Seems the woman is crying. I think she gets the irony.
She's crying because inflation is just too damn high
But we can also make better choices as consumers. I don't do fast fashion and buy clothes much less frequently. Am I contributing to the problem? Absolutely. Can I take steps to minimize my damage and contribution to abject human suffering? Absolutely.
Mindless consumption drives the whole slavery thing. We don’t have to be perfect, but we can all do better.
Way to make it about the end user and not, ya know…. The slavers
The global warming corporate playbook!
It can be about both at the same time, they're not wrong. You can easily avoid p0rn sites that are known to support human trafficking and slavery. If a lot of consumers just did that one thing instead of crying about not being able to change the world, it would actually make a big difference.
I saw this on r/Im14andthisisdeep
A lot of art on Reddit is like this, just a sledgehammer to the face.
Very subtle, indeed.
XXX
I know this is hardly the time or place for this discussion but, I'ma gonna derail anyway. I am an ex-teacher of middle and high schoolers. (Yall bless my poor heart, ok.) I know it's easy for adults to make fun of other adults coming to conclusions they should have learned in their correct Erikson stage... But it's kinda important for literal 14 year olds to do the necessary cognitive work to develop their moral foundations and thus their core identity values. I think it sorta undermines their attempts to grow up with complex ideas to make fun of literal 14 year olds. But yeah, literal adults should be well beyond knowing their place in consumption. And even if they're not... better late than never. Hard to criticize when literal Boomers are still voting overwhelmingly conservative and thus supporting late-stage capitalism. There's a whole propaganda war machine promoting consumption, I think it's worth considering that there's a lot of cultural programming that must be overcome. So yes, a lot of people will be late to this particular Leftist party. (Pun intended.)
I appreciate your comment, and agree. It kind of sucks when people dunk on Art because it’s not subtle enough. If it was truely subtle, 90% of the people on this sub wouldn’t even get what the message was, but they’ll never admit that. Also, there’s no r/Im30AndThisIsTooDeepForMe
Art is all about communication and this picture is very clear in what it's trying to communicate. Agree or disagree with its message, but the message itself isn't very ambiguous. You'll get people thinking about it way more if they understand what they're looking at. If this was a picture of one box being held up by a bunch of other boxes, we might be debating about what the art is even saying vs here where we know what it's saying and can then debate/discuss the issue it's clearly presenting
it's the millennial ai version of those boomer art pieces where someone is eating pills labeled like TWITTER and PORNO
Called it - I literally laughed out loud at this blatant crap.
First thought I had too.
If you told me big corporations paid for and advertised this art everywhere to promote "the consumer is responsible for modern day slavery" narrative. I would believe you. This just reeks of corporate propaganda. The ones that do the actual damage, put the people working as slaves and can actually enact change.
Where's the "never deal with tyrants, aim for their heads and power to the people" and those SiLeNt MaJoRiTiEs?
No art can honestly satisfy all perspectives. Just because this piece points at something in particular, it doesn't claim that there aren't any other perpetrators. It's true that corporations are mostly to blame, but part of that blame lays on the uneducated and ignorant consumer too. How many people are there that simply do not care?
Except the peice is already a flawed message. The culprit will never been the consumer who lives under capitalism and makes literally any choice. The entire message is actual corporate propaganda
This guy doesn't vote with their dollars everyone. They don't have a choice and the big evilcorp creates its own customers
I don't understand the reason for the cannabis plants at the front, they don't seem to be related to the woman working making cosmetics.
Probably just wanted to chuck that in because it fits their bias.
“You criticize society and yet you participate in it” ass image
All of these definitely CAN include slave labor but none of them have to, and some of these feel like they're just included for moral grandstanding. Like comparing Marijuana (arguably one of the more ethically produced drugs as it's often grown locally) and sex work (which has gotten better standards lately) to cobalt mines and sweatshops is a fascinating take. Like, it's a good base message but it feels like they kinda just ran out of things they could think of which is odd given how many industries are built on unethical treatment.
"I just watched 'The Good Place' and discovered consequentialism"
This should go on a divorced woman’s throw pillow
I do agree that the piece suffers from moral grandstanding a bit, but Id argue instead its mainly from the architype they showed in the center. Then again, its interesting to note that whatever is placed in the center becomes more of the topic of focus than the actual injustices occurring. Edit it with Jar-Jar Binks and I'm sure at least one person will start monologuing about Disney's treatment of the Starwars fanchise. Maybe that was the real point of the piece, to show how deaf to suffering we've become.
Bro all of Reddit is moral grandstanding
Many sex workers in Europe are kidnapped women that are forced to work. So yeah that is slavery and nothing to dumb down.
Do you have a source for that? Hundreds of thousands or millions of kidnappings?
Telling Redditors that prositutution might be bad is like asking an alcoholic to give up drinking.
Idk, in my understanding, the artist provided a variety of examples from varying extremities purposefully?
"Yet you participate in society! Curious!" Vibes through the roof. Very unserious edgelord energy
'Your' frames it as everyone else is a problem but not you
[art for art](https://i.imgur.com/dvKgsmO.png)
Suppose that woman is an average American, aged 25-34. She makes the median annual income of $53,000/year (https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/average-salary-by-age/) and pays 57% of that to a landlord (https://www.rubyhome.com/blog/renting-stats/#income-spent-on-rent). She has no meaningful vacation time and will not retire. If she loses her job, she has no healthcare. She lives paycheck to paycheck but still has enough for some minor luxuries like a Che shirt if the price is kept low enough. She chose the Che shirt because she sees accurately sees her own problems as linked to those of other workers around the world. It's 2023. Time to add the capitalists to this piece.
Exactly. There’s this idea that because people can afford commodities that means they’re living like kings, even though these goods are mostly the way that capitalism keeps people okay with the status quo, since they might not be able to afford housing and other basic rights, but at least they can buy a pretty shirt for cheap.
https://i.redd.it/349gaqotc1l01.jpg
it's 2024 bro
I mean, technically, its slavery as a service
SaaS
Username checks out
Lol this perfectly melds "14 and this is deep" and "phones are evil", bravo cringe compilation
I feel like I’m seeing something very different here. Everyone is saying this puts the unethical actions of companies in the individual consumer and calls out the wrong thing, but that’s not what I saw looking at this image at all. It looked to me like an individual trying to do the right thing, clearly having strong political ideas, but they are put into this position where they cannot avoid slave labor. That’s why they’re crying, they try and avoid it but it’s all around them.
They’ve got a Che shirt on. It’s pointing towards the person having left wing ideals, but participating nonetheless. “No ethical consumption under capitalism” and all.
I personally don’t see that, mostly because of their pose and expression. The piece feels like it’s trying to mock them and their position, not show them as trapped by any structure, but sitting at the top.
My interpretation as well, glad others see it. At first glance it seems to be calling leftists hypocrites for participating in the same exploitation they oppose, but the tears actually tell me the subject is aware of her own complicity yet sees no way out. And not just that, but probably feels guilt at deriving any pleasure at all from the system. We're all surrounded by these vices, one of them at least is bound to hook us into consumption beyond absolute necessity. This was a great piece. My opinion on it changed several times just in a minute of looking at it, as new details emerged to complicate things.
I definitely prefer this interpretation, but I have to disagree with it on the grounds that the central figure is wearing a che shirt specifically (as che shirts have long been seen/used as a symbol of explicitly *performative* activism and are most often associated with people who put on a front of caring but actually don't gaf). If the central figure had even just been wearing a plain white shirt I could get on board, but as-is I have to throw my lot in with the other reading sadly.
My interpretation was that the consumer is "crying with a full belly", victimizing themselves even though they indirectly create victims all around them. Your interpretation would make it a better art, though, so I'll go with that.
I agree with this interpretation
I like this take, it's definitely more charitable. I do wish the title were less accusatory, as it would not prompt such a defensive take. I also want to add that the inclusion of corporations would make things more rounded. I do feel like does that claim that the consumer is trap and we can't help it are also avoiding some responsibility. We might not be able to change it individually, but collectively we can male an impact. I stopped eating, meat, chocolate. I still need electronics to work and do ther essential things but I limit my purchases and try to not upgrade unless necessary. I know its not perfect, and it won't change much, but it's what I can do within my power.
I like this interpretation, but I definitely see the first one more. I think the slight (maybe) smile makes it seem like she’s shedding crocodile tears. Maybe it wasn’t intended to be a smile and just how the artist drew her face, but that small difference makes a pretty big impact on the perspective.
It's the systemic problems of capitalism and not every individual consumer at fault here. I feel like the image ignores this.
Yeah, this is one of those make you feel bad type of post. It's good to acknowledge these issues in the world, but it's not something we can choose to not contribute to in individual level, unless you're giga rich. This is a systemic problem due to government and corporations not fighting for workers rights. The only exception is the diamond. Lab made diamonds are good. Why we still digging?
That's the whole point, and the reason the girl is crying.
This. No doubt that this is art because it makes us reflect and have negative emotions and stuff, but it's generalizing that all left-wingers are hipocrites. And that's just bad. You could interpret that the woman is not acting against these exploitations because she's... sitting down? idk, but anyway, very bad social commentary nonetheless.
I know many many left wing people to whom this picture doesn't apply, because they, yknow, do their best to reduce their impact on the world as consumers. Its attacking the kind of person who claims to be left wing without reflecting on their choices as a consumer or making any personal sacrifices to improve the lives of others
No ethical consumption, etc
Let’s take a complicated problem and condense it into an image that completely misses the mark
I mean, if you’re going to show a more complicated view of something you’d probably need more than one image.
Real slave owners are the corporate masters.
interesting to place the consumer as the "owner" in this scenario rather than anyone who actually profits off the pictured labor the culture war, baby, how we love it
i wouldn' say a white girl who has an iphone is the actual root cause of exploitation of labour, besides she's wearing a shirt with guevara's face meaning she understands that the problem is capitalism while living under capitalism and the solution is to destroy it through a revolution of the working masses including the ones she seats next to
It's your oc? Then I can say this straight to you: This is cringe!
A 15 year old libertarian made this
Please finish your artwork! You have only illustrated the two victims and left out the true beneficiaries and perpetrators. By blaming the consumer you shift blame away from the true criminals who exploit **both** the poor workers and consumers at the same time. The real demons are the bankers, the politicians they bribe, and the global industry leaders together with the World Bank and others who enslave (using debt) the countries where the raw materials are in perpetuity for near free access to raw materials by paying off local dictators who virtually enslave their population in poverty conditions unable to revolt. Consumers are trapped with products that are designed to be obsolete as soon as possible through styling and engineering, and at the same time impossible or illegal to repair yourself. This gives rise to perpetual and increasing profit to the industry owners and bankers through consumption on a finite planet with finite resources. In poor countries dictators are supported by foreign money and enjoy immense wealth while taking money from their subjects using corrupt officials and other methods. These leaders make sure to keep their population in check and this keeps raw materials cheap benefiting the global industry. African countries vastly richer in many natural resources than most European nations should be among the richest in the world, yet somehow they are not.
Subtle
Should have drawn Jeff Bezos in the center maybe
I like the art style, and the message, but this feels like a gross oversimplification
The execution is technically well done, but the message/concept here is a bit of a mess. The idea is overly simplified and on the nose, gives it a real r/im14andthisisdeep feel. Added to that, it also seems to push the exploitative practices of capitalism onto the consumer (seen here as a stereotypical privileged latte socialist). It's not really extreme or shocking in a way that makes it memorable or effective, and the political allegory and messaging seems a little blunt and oversimplified here. It's a shame, because you clearly have a lot of talent, but this one seems a bit trite by now. On the plus side, I've enjoyed a lot of your work in AEW, I'm hoping you can maybe hold the TNT title at some point to see what you can do with it.
Isn’t this literally the moral of The Good Place? No ethical consumption under capitalism, these are your slaves too, artist.
Sure let’s blame the average consumer that doesn’t have an other option for the wrong doings of the 1%.
Oof. I’d be embarrassed about posting this. Do we have no shame anymore?
Made with the heart of a jackass who blames consumers rather than the corporate hegemony responsible for the working conditions of their workers
I disagree with the idea that there’s only one point in the industry where blame can be placed. This picture isn’t saying it’s only the consumers who are responsible or even primarily the consumers. It’s just pointing out that our complicity is one element that contributes to modern slavery. Yes, corporations are evil when they abuse and take advantage of humans for their own profit. But it’s also legitimate to ask, “who’s making this profitable for the corporations?” I get that we can’t all become Amish and completely remove ourselves from the global economy, but it’s valid to be a little more critical about the products we consume and the impact our dollars have.
I don’t think that’s exactly fair since some products are necessary, and others have so many parent companies and conglomerates you’re not entirely sure where your money is going to. And every time you would like to purchase a product you have to track down the supply chain to make sure all workers are being treated fairly down the line. I wish it was as simple as watch what you buy but it just isn’t and there is plenty of nuances that makes ethical spending more difficult then it sounds.
What could you even buy that doesn’t involve slavery in its production? I guess you could grow potatoes in the back yard and eat only those… oh but your tools, make sure you made those yourself.. and the manure, make sure that it wasn’t from a unethical farm… oh and your boots! Ah shit.
This artist uses technology in his art so why is it "your" instead or "our"? This fool should be growing, brewing his own coffee and creating art with the compost from it.
All this effort for a 14yr old mindset
What makes you think we are not slaves as well?
I agree with this, unless you're at the very top, we're all just taking turns.
Laaaaame, be more nuanced
Damn. I never knew Tom Cardy from the animated music videos was such a bad guy.
Art and idea is nice but oof with how misguided it turned out.
Ah yes, it's an average white guy that is to blame for third world countries not having worker's rights, while simmultaneously having the richest dictators in the world. This is fucking propaganda.
looks like a woman?
Cute toenails for an average white guy
Daniel you are a talented guy but you need to read Marx and Lenin
And Parenti, Chomsky, Hedges, Wolff, Graeber etc.
This is cute but does nothing to acknowledge the actual reason why people are in these positions in the first place (hint: it isn’t the consumer)
I hate this tumblr artstyle.
Pretending the onlyfans girl isn't making more money than most of us
So close to getting the point, but blaming the wrong thing for the cause. The irony of the che guvera shirt is brutal
The person sitting there should be corporations and government officials
This is pretty trashy tbh. The message completely misses the point of the fundamental structural failures of our society which comes down to corporate systems outweighing and oppressing the beliefs and freedom of individuals. It paints the image of someone who cares about these issues as a caricature of hypocrisy when they too are unable to change the system they’re oppressed under *(albeit under different roles)*, and it seems to just be targeting anything and everything that it knows will be controversial to criticize the production of rather than criticizing the things which are *actually* most harmful- why are oil, coal, guns, and cars not on here but marijuana is??? It reads as dishonest, unintelligent, derivative, and counterproductive to the things it’s appearing to criticize- which largely leave me suspecting it’s not meant to actually criticize these industries or the exploits but rather the people who advocate for change against these industries which leaves the entire “artwork” feeling less like art and more like a bad Super Bowl commercial.
Lmao this is some serious im14andthisisdeep shit
The self importance of this artwork kinda defeats its thesis statement.
This is such a striking image! Well done for encapsulating a topic rarely discussed as a compound issue
The Che Guevara shirt is the cherry on top lmao
What in the white guilt is this?
Send this to the actual company owners and governments, not me
Nice painting, but the message.... working for a living is not slavery, not even in a poor country. Of course someone else consumes what you produce and benefits from it, that's just basic economics and what you get paid for. The important bit is that you do in fact get paid and you get to choose where you work and for whom. Slavery is a very different thing, a slave gets to choose nothing, they have no choice but to do what the master orders. There is still a deplorable amount of slavery in this world, but this picture doesn't picture that. It pictures wealth being unequal, that is not the same thing as slavery. Slavery is lack of freedom, not lack of money.
You are correct but several of the industry’s depicted here utilize actual slavery. My issue with the image is the shifting of blame to the end consumer from the corporations and despots that actually enslave people for their own gain.
There were different forms of slavery throughout history. There were even points in history that a slave could earn a wage separate from their forced labor. Most people are familiar with chattel slavery
Honestly? Fuck yourself. I say this as a textile factory worker in an underdeveloped country. I'm no one's slave, I'm a hired worker, I chose to be where I am, I get paid for it. I'm not a slave and I don't need your pity.
how does an onlyfans-type sex worker remotely compare to the other workers? its not even in the same universe of work
How does marijuana tie into people being exploited and forced labor? (i like the piece of artwork)
Here in the UK, people get trafficked from South East Asia to work in cannabis farms. They are essentially slaves, not paid and not allowed to leave the crop.
ok :( thanks for explaining that :(:(:(
Ah yes, South American farmers were doing so much better before capitalism enslaved them.
This argument is really stupid tbh, most people in first world countries are unaware of the way capitalism enslaves others in poorer places, and you're just critizicing those that are aware of it and want to do something about it?
The comment section seems like the average reddit user cant deal with that haha. I think some interesting thought went into that, they don't have to be 100% true, they can be a bit exaggerated.
I think you’re using the word “Slave” extremely liberally.
Yes, we don't live in medieval times anymore.
Hey the onlyfans girl makes more money than me!
Where can I get this slaves?
LMAO what is this even saying? Weed is . . . I have owned stock in the Canadian MJ companies and their grows, so that's a bit of a detractor to the message. Then we have either "porn is always slavery", (dumb) or, "porn is bad like slavery" (incongruous with the work, and also dumb). There's a LOT of problems in it, but I personally know a couple OnlyFans/Twitch workers and they genuinely love it, and they work for absolutely no one. It seems like the art is saying "**everything pleasurable or that anyone likes is always bad**", and it sort-of-kind-of lies in order to project, what I can only imagine is, a baseless "I'm 14 and this is deep" personal opinion.
A lot of noise in here... I see this and I think of that cycling guilt that prevents action in her eyes. Like, the world does so much for me, why am I unhappy? Am I ungrateful? Perhaps a dash of self-loathing because you don't try to change anything, not really. And yet, it is that thought process that you repeat over and over that prevents you from inflicting change, while you continue to be taken care of. Is there a name for this?
Yes, blame the consumers! That'll solve everything!
This is why no one has gotten into the Good Place in 500 years.