In the turkish language we have a saying: Until you've crossed the bridge, you have to call the bear holding it 'uncle'. Bringing it into context: you can be and say whatever you want, once you are secure and safe. Without monetization and/or people noticing you, I would not recommend to go against the stream. I know it's utterly sad, but these are the game rules right now. You play by it or lose all means to even step onto the court.
@@asenarc By whose rules, UA-cam? The game "is not only played" but those who only control the board. Some creatives are not eating right now, these rules can go out the window, especially when you have a family to feed. Remember the game is no longer played if the players tip over the board. UA-cam might be the top dog streaming service for the meantime but what happens when you start canceling everyone for speaking their minds, just like Josh did? Is the brave ones who will be acknowledged at the end. To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.
For me, I keep hearing the Sound of Silence as performed by Skillet, about the people who worship a neon god, who speak without listening, to listen without hearing, and don't dare disturb the sound of silence. It's about how in the face of this god of media, of this carefully constructed sham of an idolized idea of who we want to look like rather than who we are, that we are more disconnected than ever. I find myself craving more books than webtoons, more graphic novels than tv shows, more time outside my house than chained to my desk for the sake of worshipping the god of profit. I want to work to LIVE. Not live to work like a slave.
very powerful video. your gift lies in ur brilliant mind of just piecing together some profound pieces and bringing it down to earth. I also really loved and appreciated the affirmations toward the end, it really feels like a wake up call. Thank you for this
Best thing I've done to feel good about creating again is get back into my child-self's love of fanfiction. No, I'm not kidding. These people are unstoppable. These people are writing novels for free because they want to. They have an idea that cannot be monetized, is probably crazy niche and already out of vouge for writing trends by the time they get around their real life enough to publish it, it is never going to net them fame or notoriety in the world of literature in today's self-publishing culture, but they do it anyway. It breeds an actual community, too. People making art and loving the art for the sake of the art that was made. Stop getting into your head and get back into fanfiction. If nothing else, you'll be able to see a healthier model for creativity than what we have currently.
I dore your comment! Fanfiction has also been such an absolute wonder to me!!! They truely make a group of people fueled by pure passion, it was almost incomprehensible to me!
@@lollypuddn It almost feels unreal when you think about it, doesn't it? A perfect combination of 20k word out there, just waiting to inspire you, all done entirely on the back of a person's desire to _make the thing happen._ Nothing could be more pure.
"Sorry guys I couldn't update 😓 I got in a car crash, house burned down, toilet clogged, got cancer, I beat cancer, then broke my arm, essay due, and phone ran out of battery. I'll make sure to get the chapter out by tomorrow tho ^^/" - least dedicated fanfiction writer
Couldn't agree more. I started posting my art on social media as a beginner artist and realized after some time that the platforms make us all slaves to the algorithm. You stop posting for even a day and the engagement will drop. I decided to not force myself so constantly produce content for it but posting things that are meaningful for me as an artist. I feel a lot better now because I know the level of engagement has nothing to do with my value or success as an artist.
I did unfortunately became a slave to the algorithm and dealt with the worst art block because of it. And it sucked. I couldn't get myself to pick up a pencil for about a year and a half, and I felt a little depressed because of this. I finally got over it, and I also have been posting my art again, but I don't follow a schedule anymore, and I have been making art that I myself like and not art that I feel like would get me engagement.
I'm trying to teach myself how to draw too. I deeply regret stopping art when I was 12/13, (then only now picking up at 29) and losing all that time I could have spent drawing without the influence and pressure of social media.
Yes, creativity is a gift, God given if you believe in that! Many creatives were taught from an early age that their gifts should be suppressed, hidden, won’t make them $ and they’ll amount to nothing. Without support as an artist, the journey is nearly impossible. With enough decades of being beaten down verbally this way, you begin to believe the lies. Why did my art teacher tell me in college that I was good enough to do this for a living yet my parents were never supportive throughout my life?! Who lied to me? Did my upbringing fail me, did societal confines fail me because I don’t fit inside a mold, did every mundane non creative job fail me but it allowed me to barely survive, and diminished me at that same time? I’m certainly good at something but the world’s told me that I’m good at nothing! A part of me gave in a long time ago, the other part of me will never give up. Art is something that’s a calling and it’s not something that leaves you alone because you stop doing it…..once an artist, always an artist, despite this gaslighting society!
You two need to do a collab sometime! I love hearing you both talk. I can’t imagine how deep your conversations would go if you two joint in a discussion!
No idea if you'll see this but, I clicked on this video randomly and my jaw almost dropped seeing the shirt you're wearing! It was the first piece that Ilya and I had designed together back in 2019 and it was the first big peak of my career as a creative. Meeting him was like this crazy culmination of a bunch of things set in motion during my youth by the background radiation of my life and working with him was the first real affirmation that I owe it to myself to keep making things and try growing into an artist like so many of my heroes and now friends. Seeing the shirt in the wild, especially 5 years later feels like coming home. It's made even sweeter that it's being worn when discussing something so radically profound. So thanks Josh!
We’re reaching a stage where we’re understanding the long term affects from social media. It’s home to such a horrible toxic culture. I’m sick of it.. I don’t want it to control me or my fellow artists anymore.
Thats so true wow. Its a huge collective realization that x thing is poisonous in y dose. The upcoming generations should do it right if we keep adapting and don’t end up too bitter by the end lmao.
They've been known for a long time. I wouldn't have considered early sites like DA to be social media but you had a lot of the same issues with people seeking validation while not taking a moment to consider if they liked their own art. Say what you will about AI art, commodification of art has led to some technically impressive but overall shallow works. Hopefully more people will create for the intrinsic value than likes or a quick buck.
I realized in about 2018, it's not that hard if you're not half braindead. Anything I say is suppressed by the algorithm. The fact it's now allowed and promoted doesn't mean it's some kind of revolution, it means it's playing into whatever plan they have.
One thing I truly dislike about social media is how it values quantity over quality. When it comes to my own art, I prefer spending a lot of time on a single piece. I also prefer looking at highly detailed, highly polished work. But with the way algorithms work, it's far more effective to post 100 speed paintings than a single epic piece that took 100 hours to make.
Completely agree. I felt a lot of shame for a long time about being an artist who worked slow and the algorithms definitely encouraged that shame. But the speed they expect me to create is simply not feasible for me. I had to accept that embracing my slowness also meant embracing the fact that my art will be pushed down in the algorithms and my accounts will continue to see little growth.
As a self taught illustrator trying to grow desperately on social media, listening to this is comforting. To hear everything I feel when I post an artwork. My confidence takes a hit considerably even though I know it's not a reflection of my skills that I acquire by practicing and learning from creators like you. I feel like as humans, there's always that ingrained expectation of getting a small validation to know what you create is good. Although recently I have been better at jumping back in and not letting myself feel hopeless. It still takes a bit of time.
In the world of art, nothing feels better than a peer or even better an fellow artist you care for as a person complimenting your work. That's just how it is
@BT-qf3uc I'm offering that this isn't how things will work forever. If the suggestion that art shouldn't (as in, should not ethically, ideally) serve money. If you believe that this is all art is for, disengage. If you believe that you should challenge someone for suggesting otherwise, disengage. What good would it do to challenge just the idea that things could be better for everyone? I never said I'm solving your problems. I'm saying these problems don't NEED to exist. I'm not invalidating your very real struggles. I'm saying you deserve better. If that makes you uncomfortable, disengage.
@BT-qf3uc If you want patronage to be as vague as "industry and corporate business owners," "rich nobleman," or "the Catholic Church," then sure, that's historically true. Limited to certain parts of the world, but true. But I don't think I need patronage to paint on a wall. Unless you count "the owner of the building" as a patron or "where you got the paints from" which are things that aren't even necessarily true. I could find paint, make paint. Money is not rooted in reality, we just decided it should be true and we built society around that. Historical reality will tell you through sociology or philosophy in general what social constructs are, which are the things that build what you call reality. No. Art doesn't require patronage. If it did, you discredit the rest of history that doesn't fall within the narrative you tell yourself, from the world of art that exists past Europe or whatever have you. Indigenous art, all forms of art that don't have money motivating them. All of that exists and you'd be stretching your word "patronage" by a lot if you insist that beautiful architecture that people just made because their community wanted to are made from patronage-or the clothes that people made, or singing, dancing, et cetera, et cetera. Yes, we need it NOW to get made. But if you restrict it to just that, then you're on the side of those who allow art to be JUST that. Opportunistic investments and numbers. Which is, frankly speaking, quite sad.
A lot of the greatest and culturally impactful lasting art is that which was made by the most greedy capitalists lmao. The internet, the Simpsons, Basketball, Rock music etc. It sounds nice and cool to pretend art is better when its just for fun, but reality easily proves you wrong. Nobody remembers the films made by the Soviets (besides Stalker and Ilya Muromets, those are the GOATs), nobody is being culturally impacted by Cuba or North Korea, but everyone remembers the Godfather and Star Wars.
There was too much here for me to comment on effectively or in a succinct way, but your last words, "what's wrong with being negative", being balanced, and the whole conversation around polarity is something that's been on my mind for some time. I try really hard to put out positive vibes in my videos and art, but that's just not what I feel consistently. I feel the negativity quite a lot more than I let on and I want to start expressing that in public and in private. I just don't want to be a source of negativity. Appreciate these little thought pieces. Hope you're doing well.
Im really happy to read this, Ive been mulling over it myself. I say lets show that people can grow, and if someone is mad today, it doesnt mean thats who they are. I had 2 versions of this script , each angrier than the one before. But at the end of the day its like you said - being positive all the time isnt how we actually are and it can be misleading to others and make them feel isolated for having emotions 😢
I wonder about this too. I know I have a tendency to put others' feelings and emotions before my own, even and especially when I cannot afford to. While it's good to be able to make others feel better, if you're doing it at the expense of your own sanity, you're just creating more suffering. Same for not wanting to feel like you're dumping or venting on others when you're having a bad day (or week, months, year). Life is dual, humans are dual, and trying to avoid the negativity and pain at all costs just creates resentment and refuses where most of our meaning and purpose comes from. If you can't accept, really accept the bad then you can't fully appreciate or create the good.
Josh... you are absolutely correct! I am a 71yr old covid survivor who used and still uses art as a comforter. God spoke to me during my recovery to utilize my "art" to assist in me during y healing and He was correct. Art is my safe place. I used digital art on my iPad to help me. I was a traditional artist with a teaching degree in Art Education. I really don't understand these platforms or their algorithms. I've posted a few things and got very discouraged. They have me doubting myself and feeling too old to be a part of the game. Art has healed my mind and spirit. My digital art has improved so much and I taught myself. I just love to create! It makes us like God who was and still is the "Greatest Creator". I follow you and plan on taking your course at some point to learn more about procreate because I really want people to experience my creations. Thank you for this. sorry for the book but I just had to comment. Please continue to chastise us ...giving us a reasons to continue. 💜
Wow! Im thrilled to know you enjoyed this video. Yes I agree, utilizing the gifts we have been given can be a miraculous source of healing across all parts of us, physical and spiritual. Thanks for sharing.
I didn't believe in God until two days ago, and yet I had always believed in Him. I now understand that I stopped believing in Him when I stopped believing in myself and my own ability to create. Creation is purpose and God made us like Him to continue Creation. God loves all of us and gave us the power to create because He loves us. We all have it in us to love like Him because we are made in his image, our minds and spirits. That's why, even though I've never met you, I know I love you.
I totally agree! Social media has been destroying so many things, mental health, creativity, and even the customer's perception of entertainment. I've twice now, created 2 successful animation channels that have gotten over 100k subscribers. But by the time that I've hit that success I'm angry and distraught. Like you said, the endless search for satisfaction. In order to get those 2 channels to that following count, I had to sell a big part of my creativity. I was chasing trends, popular audio clips, well recognizable characters. The craziest part is I love voice acting, creating stories, and character design. I was literally cutting out my favorite parts. The love bombing is almost as negative as the hateful comments. It's very kind of people to share that they loved your content, however it feeds into the algorithm, your decision on the next video or art piece, and your need for that praise again. I think this is why so many artists also struggle with imposter syndrome. We need to be satisfied with our art as OURSELVES, not seeking praise from others to determine if our art is good or not. It is sad that from a young age, we are pushed away from art. I remember getting in trouble in grade school for doodling on my homework. I literally did the assignment... I got the right answers, who cares if there are little characters on it? It's wild. Society teaches us in films and history that being an artist is a bad thing. OH don't marry an artist, artists make no money. Art and entertainment boom in the most desperate of times. Without art and entertainment, the world would be so bland. It's incredibly important... Thanks for posting this Josh, it's something we all needed to hear and be reminded of.
Hyper consumerism plus Social media and GenAI is indeed a bad combination. There is also a interesting Moon video regarding about these tech companies speeding up our need to consume, be it physical materials or even entertainment.
This video brings a lot of things to mind for me - about my views on the world, on social media, on how I see myself, on my personal struggles, but since I've lived in fear of judgment and failure for so long, it's difficult for me to express any of these thoughts in a comment section. All I can say is that the video really hit home, and thanks for speaking up for those of us who are struggling.
This resonated so deeply with me. Thank you for talking about this. I’ve noticed people in my life always pump me up about my abstract paintings that I put no thought into and do for myself/never shared online, while the digital works I felt like I forced so much effort into and posted for building a following never got engagement. It was one of the main reasons why I hopped off Instagram. The people that mattered appreciating my art was all that I cared about and I had no interest in pleasing the world. Just me and my little loving circle. Helped my mental health so much, and I surprisingly improved SO much with my digital art by incorporating some of my abstract styles and techniques - now I am on my way to create a graphic design magazine for myself and design friends to enjoy and a comic story I’ve been yo-yoing back and forth on for years. I never knew I had this much untapped creativity. I am so happy to hear other artists are tapping into their inner self and unleashing their potential. Show your mind’s beauty off to those who resonate with it and you will always feel like a success, even if it is just yourself ❤
I've stopped Social Media a long time ago. it. becomes a lot more illuminating for me and i've put so much less pressure on myself as an artist. i stopped creating art everyday and just make art for myself and myself only. i only make art that makes me happy. and i sell my art only if people want to. i don't put myself out there as much.
(16 min) "I think that's what's happening is that you simply disregarded anything about yourself that someone else said isn't valuable at an important time in your life". Profound, brother. I listened to that bit four times! This is the very root of why 'likes' are so detrimental to an artist's mental health. I took a month off of social media in 2022, and the effect it had on my sense of self and well being was so profound, I stayed off it until very recently. I find I have very little patience for it or interest in it now, I see it for what it is - an energy vampire.
"Your ancestors did not sacrifice, struggled, and fight for better opportunities so you can waste it living in fear and doubt, complaining that someone else is controlling you" How dare you cook the next mantra that will be on my mind for the rest of my life?
You are speaking everything that I have been thinking for the past year. Social media is a massively shared Skinner Box, in the same way that online multiplayer games are. By having an unpredictable reward structure, the audience finds themselves constantly experiencing the demand for further engagement in order to feel validated. It is a never-ending treadmill, and the platform owners can change the difficulty just with the nudge of a button. Now I am experiencing this as a fifty-year-old man with a very clear memory of the analog era, which gives me some perspective on this new mediated environment. I cannot even imagine how overwhelming this must be for younger generations. A very good talk. Thank you.
this hit hard because when i was in 7th grade a teacher who i respected said i shouldnt be draw and i shouldnt waste my time with. Like a fool i believed her. If i truly wanted to be an artist i probably shouldnt have believed her but now im trying to change that now by learning art now its tough
Being an artist is a mindset more than a skill imo. Sure, you may have lost a few years of growth and it may take you a while just to get to where you last left off, but if making art is still something you WANT to do, I say go for it. I know multiple artists who have taken multiple year long hiatuses from art, myself included. I dont blame you for being bothered by those comments, especially at such a young age. When I was 18, I once had an artist I looked up to say they knew kindergarteners who drew better than me and that it wasnt too late for me to find a hobby I'd actually be good at. It crushed me. Sometimes I like to think of my art as a gigantic middle finger to that artist in particular lmao.
Ahh. Boo! Can’t believe an adult would say that. I gave up around the same time in my life because one of the cool girls said that I shouldn’t be drawing and playing outside, that I should be thinking about stuff like boys. And that was the first i’d heard there was a right and a wrong way to be doing life and I’d been doing it all wrong! Set me on the wrong path and now I can’t seem to focus long enough on practicing to get any good at art. Good luck to you. Listen to your inner voice, wish I’d known to do that when I was younger. But the best we can do is try hard and give better advice to young people.
@@Emiliapocalypse yea i dont believe she was trying to be malicious with me she was very kind from the little i remember but those things happen. also ty so much for the advice stay great
Accidentally quit social media and playing video games for half a year now. And i gotta say that my artistic ability has been leveling up like crazy, haven’t felt like that ever since the first time i took art seriously. My motivation to create something original and speaks to me personally also seem endless and i felt like i could take on the world rn! Find your love for art again is a great thing and sometimes prioritize things that you know are healthy for you is necessary.
Thank you so much for clarifying what you meant about the narcissistic relationship. You're right, self love is strategically demotivated by our algorithms, unless it's the flashy kind that's able to be monetized, and arguably, that's made inversely more profitable as a result of the former. It's crucial to keep in touch with your genuine self, and the value you see in your abilities outside of online forums. That's the only way to stay sane through the extreme give and take nature of our online culture. We have to be our own point of stability, or we get ripped apart by those crashing tides. Remember that the audience cannot dictate who you are, as they will never truly know you. Despite trying, online databases and algorithms will never have access to all of you. Only you do. Thank you for the video, and for sharing your thoughts. You're an amazing communicator and there's few times I've heard these concepts explained so well.
What's missing is real community: likeminded people hanging out, having constructive conversations, sharing skills & insights and building a network. Social media gives the illusion of connection but it's not built for that, it's main purpose is to make money and the more you stay on the app the more they earn. 🤷🏻♂️ Stay united folks, aggregate, gather contacts, keep in touch, help each other. Don't fall for the shallow glimmer of empty likes and follower count... At the end of the day what matters most? 10k followers but no real connection or a couple of phone numers of people you trust, and can count on that work in your field or can link you up with the people you need to, for example, get into that art gallery you wished to be in.
Yes, it's a shame, I tried a couple of times to have a conversation with artists on social media but was barely a conversation, if you don't buy then they aren't so interesting in form a bond with other artists
I just discovered your channel and I'm in awe by this essay. Art is such an awesome thing. Beauty brings us closer to the truth, and superficial capitalism and transactions ruin its meaning. Trends are born, trends die: First, it is a banana taped to a wall; later, it'll be mindless consumption of artistic trends on Instagram and content creation just to keep up with the algorithms and fame. We must rebel against the system and make art Beautiful and Fun again! Long live beauty! *Let's make art for fun's and beauty's sake again!*
I quit posting my art anywhere years ago and I've never felt more like I was wasting my time with art than the last few years, but at the same time I don't have the time or energy to learn how social media works now. Back when I was still posting, deviantart was still a decently viable way to land commissions. Instagram was nothing but food photos and shitty makeup hacks. Idk how any of it works now and I'd rather finish quitting art than try to learn how to get it seen.
Apologies for my last comment. I left it purely in jest. As for the video itself, you hit the nail on the head. A lot of people are stuck in a game of cat and mouse regarding staying true to themself versus staying “relevant”. True relevance is what most should delve into learning about, and large corporations do what they can to establish themselves as the gatekeepers of it. They are not.
im too busy crying over everything you said right now to form coherent thoughts, so i'll just leave it at thank you. thank you so much, this message was really needed. thank you
I think this was an excellent video, especially for an art channel with your subscriber count! As I was watching, I felt that some of the messaging reflected what this UA-cam streamer, Demon Mama, has been saying about content creation. From what I can recall, she recognizes the same problem that infinitely chasing the engagement metrics is a plague that infects us all. Doing what Instagram, UA-cam, etc. wants and what the algorithm desires is just an unfulfilling lifestyle. It sucks the passion and joy that can come from whatever you're doing like art or streaming. She hopes to one day utilize streaming as a way to create art that is memorable and inspires others. After listening to your entire video, you both come away with the same idea of just doing what inspires you and creating communities with the people that will follow you on your journey. Also, nice Dune quote in the description lol definitely another thing that you two have in common and a really good quote. Aside from that, I think the Capitalism section of the video is interesting. For me, being an artist is difficult for many reasons. One reason is connected to social media in a way and that's the money aspect of being an artist. You mention in your video how the "excessive pressure to show never ending markers of growth is killing all meaning in the world," and I agree to an extent. I would define "growth" in this context to being more like the profit incentive. Just to make money and survive, you would do things that you aren't really passionate about or just dislike entirely. It's seen not only in art, but in everyday life. Personally, I go to a job that I hate and it barely pays the bills. While I do that, I'm exhausted from working 40 hours to even think about making art or just get sad at the time I have left to make art. So, I understand why people would make art that appeals to likes and trends. It's a means to get out of this exhausting job cycle. Just to be clear, I think that making art for money or for social media engagement does end up inhibiting your artistic expression. I agree we should all be making art that we are passionate about and that reflects us, it's just that capitalism incentivizes us to monetize it to survive. A step to making a world where we can artistically express ourselves freely is by voting for progressive policies and being engaged in progressive politics, so people are more financially stable to do more of what they want.
Yeah I feel you there. Without capitalism Id be out of a job lol. But growth can be a fun thing rather than the ultimate decider of value like its been feeling. If you grow - hey good job! That means you are doing something well and/or something lots of people needed. But when it becomes the priority? I don’t think it EVER turns out well.
Thank you so much! I needed to hear this. I created my Instagram-Art account two weeks ago, but I soon realised, that if I want to create art for instagram, it just doesn't work. I can't create as well as I could. What I find interessting (relating to religion etc.) is that my creativity is at an all time high if i'm in the here and now. I'm not super intro spirituality but I think Eckhart Tolle has a good view and it helped me to overcome a lot more than an artblock. You don't need to get into spirituality at all. Tolle talks about how every religion is somehow saying the "same" thing just in a different way. I love you approach to this topic and I'm looking forward to watch your videos because they inspire me so much. You're an amazing person and i'm really gratefull, that you share this knowledge or insight with us
I'm thankful there are creators out there like you who aren't afraid to voice the realities that many of us face daily and advocating for self-worth, mental health, and being oneself. This is something I know I needed to hear and hope others will stumble upon . I really look up to your videos and find inspiration seeing your journey and resonate with your message ❤
This channel came up randomly in my suggested feed and I thought the title looked catchy but ultimately wasn’t sure what I was clicking on. Glad I stuck around and listened to some wisdom. I’d love to see a future video on potential action items on self reflection and finding oneself again (the more artist specific the better) as you mentioned, no one can tell us who we are, we have to find out ourselves, but as someone who has seriously struggled to find the stories I want to tell, if you have any advice on ways bring out the truer version of myself that’s been (potentially) lost, I’d love to hear it! Cheers man
I've never seen this UA-camr before (this video was just recommended to me via the algorithm) but wow, this Josh dude is p sweet. He seriously has the most relaxing radio voice, and his sentence structure just flows really well. It's like every sentence is filled with wisdom. Thanks for the video Josh!
Hey, Josh! I see what you’re saying. You’re a young Philosopher, bro. 💪🏽 Personally, I can’t sign onto every course nor afford to. I really love to see what people can do. So, for what it’s worth, I’ll binge just watching you work. Even if it’s behind-the-scenes. But I’ve noticed that I personally don’t listen to talk about artistry as much as I want to see how it’s done. The process speaks for itself. It feels like doing homework in Art School versus what way I’ve learned since UA-cam was created and what got me into Art School with scholarships entirely in 2005. The powerfully empowering presentation of the process(es) of creation. The visual journey. The meritocratic marketplaces of talent. But, I could never afford Art School on my own. Nor pay any others’ bills. So, there’s a disconnect. Just pointing out what I’ve noticed about myself, is all. I want to learn a lot and learn as I do. Extremely and heftily Visually. If I ever have a social media presence, I’ll shout you out. It’s not until I’d entered my 30’s that I’d found my voice & passion which is reinventing my style along with all the newest wares in which I can create. So I’m being redefined even after finding my voice. I will be waiting here on UA-cam for any free content showing your methods though! God Bless. 💯🙏🏽💯
Thank you for this video! This has helped me with art/sewing but also it's helped me realise I've abandoned myself in life and I've become too codependant with others; it puts a massive strain on my current relationships. I'm constantly scared of losing people and I get disappointed by others a lot. I think it's time to start doing stuff for myself again and not completely scarifice myself for others acceptance.
It’s always been tough relating to lots of people and when I got my wheelchair there was almost no one I knew who was a wheelchair artist then I stopped trying to fit in and then my health became a problem for a while now I’m way better. This video makes me want to get back into the animation industry again and also create those crazy stores I use to have. Thank you Sensei 🙌
As I'm getting out of my creative slump you've been so consistent and transparent and I think not a lot of artists on here have it as much as you. Thanks for always giving us nuggets of wisdom 💜💜
I stopped drawing for a bit so I could focus on the conversation instead of having it in the background, and I'm glad I did. It's been really insighful to be able to hear you talk about all these things that have been floating in my mind for years now but didn't find the proper words to express them. From trying to appeal to different people and changing gears towards pleasing them instead of creating things that pleased mainly myself, my taste and my goals, to the effect that "content" creation has had or will have in all of us, I think I definitely experienced a bit of everything you mentioned. Even with some successful posts or work over the past decade I've been online, it never worked for me to just repeat the process and keep making the same stuff over and over again for the sake of the algorythm. For some people it definitely did work, and that's why social media can feel pretty stagnant sometimes, but I'm glad it didn't for me, because it made me realise how I neglected myself and my own identity. This is a nice reminder that likes, views or comments don't translate to the quality of the piece, nor how we should feel towards it, or ourselves as individuals, and that no one might see them or pay too much attention to them now, but if we keep being truthful towards our goals and our identity, and keep on improving our skills, that will eventually atract the same kind of "rebels", and we'll all finally be able to just have fun again, sharing what we love and our knowledge to other fellow artists, as utopic as that sounds. In the meantime though, I'll enjoy not feeling forced to upload everything I create as well, that final part where you mentioned how even a simple doodle on a bus has meaning in the universe, rather than the usual feeling of worthlessness I tend to feel towards my creations, was oddly refreshing and inspiring for me. Sorry for the rambling, hopefully it made some sense to someone out there. I've been struggling a lot ever since the pandemic as well, so thank you so much Josh for doing what you do. It really helps out and means a lot. I've been subbed for a while and I was doing some gesture drawing with one of your videos right before watching this one. I look forward to keep learning and expanding my art journey with yours and other fellow artists's guidance. :)
Wow, that is the best message I have seen on this platform.🔥It's plain to see that creating this video was an act of rebellion for you. I can feel the satisfaction radiating off you at the end, and the cool thing is that I think I know what that feels like. This is beautiful, authentic communication; bravo. I am jealous of how well that was executed. I love how you framed yourself in the video and even the transitions. I also love how you have some objects in the foreground and your art in the background; excellent framing of yourself in the shot. Also, I always wondered if you were Nigerian. Though you didn't say it, and I might be wrong, you sound too much like certain Yoruba uncles I have with that disciplined intellect that intimidates everyone around you. Way to represent my brother. I love it. Thank you for saying this. I'll be a soldier in this war for my own sake, for my sanity and creative freedom.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Ever since I started practicing in 2014, I always felt like I was pursuing the outside world. And not looking internally. Which led to stopping to draw twice for 3-5 months. But then I got back into it, and slowly began understanding "the self" and its only recently like, a year ago that I am finally beginning to tap into something. So really appreciate hearing that you went through a similar struggle, and have now tapped into your voice.
I needed this video. 😭 Thank you so much for sharing. A lot of what you discussed I myself have been struggling with and it's comforting to know that I as a creative am not alone in this war. It's so exhausting every time I share something online, and I've been conditioned to worry if my post is going to do well. I've been taking a lot of time stepping back and fundamentally thinking about my own identity away from the platforms and seeing something like this further pushes myself that I am heading in a direction I genuinely want to be at. The carrot on the stick analogy certainly has hit the nail on the head when it comes to social media. I need to take time to not just see, but fundamentally believe that I'm not some blocky Minecraft pig chasing the stick these platforms want me to be. I am the builder, and I can create whatever I so desire because that's who I am at my core. A creative. An artist. Thank you so much for this video. ❤
I’ve been looking for your account for the longest! I was just thinking about your art and how I’ve missed being as creative as I once was. You showed up at the best moment.
From a Buddhist perspective; social media operates and has power over us because of our craving desires. Even the need for a clearly defined identity, especially one that can be concisely described according to the society we exist in, is part of this craving. And simply put, craving is the root of suffering. When we abandon our craving, we can be free from mindless drives, we can enjoy life in the moment, and we can even find our true self; a self that defies definition, fads, and formats. Thank you for the awesome message!
I like to look at it as forgetting that we have everything already - leads to craving. desire isnt bad in and of itself, it creates movement. but the craving…desperation? yeah Buddha is so right. Pure suffering. Im working on integrating a few “cravings” myself. It’s quite a challenging journey but we gon make it to realizing we already made it right G? hahaaha
I love how we’re finally talking about this. Social media is definitely a double-edged sword. I’ve had to be really mindful not to get wrapped up in the soul-sucking aspects of it. But I also see that I only know to take that step back because I’ve experienced art-making without Social Media present. A lot of young people today haven’t had that time. That moment to create with no restrictions, with no expectations, no looming pressure of post performance. So, thanks Josh for bringing this conversation to the forefront again for artists young and old to reflect on.
thought this video was going to be another piece on AI, which I wouldn't have complained about, but this was so much more carefully considered than that and I am incredibly grateful for it. You give voice to so many things that I have been feeling so deeply in the last several years, not even as a content creator or as an artist, but as a human in general. It's comforting knowing that there are other people out there who are going through similar struggles in terms of attempting to balance self-actualization and just trying to survive the pressures of the world we live in.
Idk if I should refer to myself as "up and coming", but regardless, as an artist, the message in this video confirms why I look to you for inspiration since I found your channel a year or 2 ago
I appreciate this message.. so very much. For years I have been struggling just to create anything.. let alone something for me.. because when I sit down I never know what to draw.. and after about 20 minutes of sitting there not able to think of anything I just.. put my sketchbook down and walk away. I really feel.. like this is something I needed to hear. I need to stop trying to think about what to draw.. and just.. do it. Doesn't matter what it is. Doesn't matter if its good. I know its a lot harder to practice than the preach it, but thank you. Truly. Thank you.
I refuse to jump through social media’s hoops. So, my growth suffers. That’s okay. I’d rather do what I’m pulled to do creatively than fake my way through it for numbers. It is frustrating and discouraging at times, but I trust that I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing. This was a really good discussion btw and this all needs to be said a lot more often. So many artists are suffering from the mess that social media has created, it’s good to hear some words of encouragement.
Got trapped into same issues, with algorithms, no more genuine comments, feedback, lack of community. But this year I just started to sketch again, not digitally, no colors, just me paper and pencil, just like in time when I have started to learn drawing because I was enjoying it. I am not posting it anywhere, just doing it for myself. And that brought me the joy and motivation again. I would like to share them online, but I am afraid that I will get caught into that social media rabbit hole again and will lose interest quickly. At least for now I just will keep enjoying what made me happy into the first place. Don't lose it and just keep it going!
I love to draw as i was young but took a break for over 10 years. I wanted to start to draw again with 24 y/o but i feel so *pressured* I don't even post things on social media but social media gave me the nerve eating feeling that I have to perform in a high level, always, even when I'm alone by myself. Art used to be relaxing and an escape into my fantasie world. I didn't cared about if it was perfekt and I allowed me to make mistakes and how to handle, include or move around some cracky strokes on the wrong places. Now I feel watched and not good enough. Like I have wasted my time with my break in art and now it is too late to start to become *enough* I'm "gifted" and have adhd and I really would love to know if anyone has the same experience? I can't tell if this is only because of my circumstances or is it duo to social media.
Hello from 2 weeks later, I'm a former gifted kid + AuDHD and MAN is it hard trying to get back into art after also around 10 years. I remember some of the happiest moments in my life came from seeing my growth and improvement, but the toxic shame from comparing myself to other artists on social media (Tumblr especially) and also my general upbringing (lol) overtook any pleasure I got from creating. Plus I'm now really burnt out in general and just don't have that much energy for art. Definitely a combo of upbringing/undiagnosed neurodivergence/social media. TRYING to slooooowly, very slowly, ease my way back into it. It's still hard, but being involved in the local zine community has definitely helped! Being around people of all different skill levels who are willing to put themselves out there and lift each other up is really inspiring.
We are who and what we are. Art moves us, and we move it. Forget about all the doubt and disbelief and understand why we do what we do…. We do it for the LOVE of what we do. Art is everything, and everything is art! ❤
this is my outlook on my personal art journey, ive loved art my whole life and over the last few years have i ever considered taking it seriously for myself. after starting to get better i realized that you do have to make a choice when it comes to growth, focus on my art and personal expression or focus on playing the social media game. I chose me. I chose to chase art my own way without going with a goal to become the next greatest influencer artist but to do the t hing i love and to discover what it means to see the world and to put my personal expression and interpretion to form and life. self discovery, connection, introspection, expression and love are what makes us human. absolutely amazing video.
"Something as simple as a little Doodle that you made on the bus ride home from school has vaue in the eyes of the infintite Cosmos." You made my day Josh, thanks for that 🥰 Amazing video, keep it up my friend.
The quote "Our Tools Shape Us," spoken in the days of TV and mass media shaping public perception is true now more than ever. As someone who was present through the proto-internet up until modern day media platforms, I am completely in agreement with you that the boundaries shifting has taken place as a conscious effort of monetizing people, and now attention. I am heartened when I've seen many videos, some from very young people, who have instinctively grasped that their goal cannot and should not be creating grist for someone else's mill.
Beardless ergojosh asking me if I have free will felt like I was staring at Morpheus while I decided between the red and blue pill. Fantastic video, as always.
Oh wow, this tore into me... Ever since covid, ive been mute. Havent drawn or finished anything, havent been apt enough to hold down a job for more than a year. Cool video... gonna try to go out more and do more stuff. And draw.
You made me realise the intrinsic connection of Art and humanity ok both an individual and collective Level. How, to put it rather poetically, we are our own lifelong artwork
I know exactly what you mean by when people can't say what we want to say, even if we mean no harm, I was kicked out of a community I was in since the age of 12, 17 as of now I found out the truth, told it, meant no harm, but that cost me my sanity, I wanted a civil conversation, but that was wishful thinking, kept this from my own parents, sinlings, everyone, only on the Internet ( certain chanels) where I actually I felt mentally safe, people listened, helped me understand, discussed both sides, etc. All I can do is try do my best to share my story, discuss with people and find middle ground, etc. Challenging ideas, being able to speak, you have helped me with this very video, i do hope in the future that I'll be able fight, understanding, discovering, etc. 100% facts!
Josh, ive been following you since year one. Its been beautiful to follow your growth (not just in your artistic skills) as a person and it makes me proud. Youre an incredibly reflective, deep and conscious person who doesnt settle for surface level meaning in life. It does make you a powerful artist in my eyes. For that at least im glad i am on UA-cam.
I am 25 and I have been around since social media existed. I don’t know anything but that. Social media absolutely ruins my self image for my art and my creativity. It’s cool to discover artists but I have to limit myself so much because I get so sucked into comparisons. I recently have decided I do not want to make art for anything else but myself. I am going to take my sweet time and hope I get to where I want to be by 40. It takes years to get to master status and I admire artists who actually put in the time and effort learning. I want to make art that is meaningful to me and has emotion and takes time. I want art to be what it used to be and kind of the old fashioned way. I absolutely refuse to make art for a living and for anyone else because it makes me miserable. I love art for it being art especially people who do it because they love it and just want to learn and discover and be artists. It’s meant to take time. It’s meant to mean something to you. You’re not meant to create every single day imo. People can not be that productive. I just feel like the internet, social media, and capitalism has drained every bit of joy of art from us. We can take it back.
I have such a small following on social media and the thought of starting any business including art seems like a tall task especially because I don’t enjoy posting on social media. I find myself listening to people like Rick Ruben and David Choe who talk about the process of the art being what really matters, this brings me back to the question of why I create and it’s ultimately for me, because I like expression and the feeling of growth when I see progress and THAT reminds me that social media, anyone’s opinion, or even money doesn’t matter… just the ART
I’m starting again after giving up completely for several years, it’s not that I have time, I work a crap job over 40 hours a week. Because the job doesn’t pay enough, I have to add another job on top now. Despite all these obstacles, I’m going to restart my art again. I’m going to create a website first and later move to social media. The goal of course of all artists is to do this for a living. It’s going to take time. I’m unwilling to revolve my art around the latest fad. Because my life is a struggle and I’m unhappy, art will probably be that one thing that would keep me going so I don’t end up somewhere too dark. If something goes viral and helps me financially, that would only be a blessing to me. However, I’m not chasing the next fad or thing and I’m not loosing myself because life is short and I don’t want to be anyone else but myself. I have found this world to be cruel and unkind to creatives in general, I feel there’s no place for us yet everything’s aesthetically based! I would probably be better off in Europe or a country that doesn’t place such hard values on looks, power, agelessness, and money. I’m already a wage slave right now but my art work will not be governed by anyone but myself. I want to create to keep myself alive and to have some hope left in life!
Thank you, for this. This is what I need to be hearing right now; and I think you know that. I have long been in the esoteric sphere of the art world for a while, and hearing others begin to talk on ideas of nonduality and intrinsic value of creation is sooooo refreshing. Thank you.
Hey Josh, I don't follow your videos as much as before, but i feel like this video is a movement in the direction, for you and generally for us artists (I'm an animation student at the end of his degree), I saw more and more artists taking ownership back again over what THEY want to create and not what the algorithm or a company that makes money of us wants. Art is an extension of us, so first of all, it should be made for us, and say the things we want to say. This video is important, and I hope even if it won't do well maybe you'll think of this comment and remember that some people know how important what people like you are doing! Keep on the good work.
I’ve been doing the art that I’ve felt could be financially viable. I’ve been thinking non-stop about how I want to get back into music, but only through the lens of the academic to career pipeline I could take. Despite knowing exactly what I want to do but this parasite funnels my thoughts. I needed this video
I cannot tell you what this video meant to me. I am a much older woman who lost my art and who I am trying to gain the acceptance of others. Wish I could have heard this so many decades ago. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH. 💖
Awareness, Love, Truth, Life... All are EQUAL, ALL are the SAME, and that is at the heart of all. Which is why it is so easily overlooked in awareness.
what a beautiful video. I hadn't watched your stuff in a while since I'd taken an art hiatus. I feel like I'm listening to a completely different person. well done.
Abandoning self is the final, and most damaging of the 4 abandonments. Don't do it for likes or a paycheck.
In the turkish language we have a saying: Until you've crossed the bridge, you have to call the bear holding it 'uncle'. Bringing it into context: you can be and say whatever you want, once you are secure and safe. Without monetization and/or people noticing you, I would not recommend to go against the stream. I know it's utterly sad, but these are the game rules right now. You play by it or lose all means to even step onto the court.
This video is NOT "woke"; it's "AWAKE" ... TY!
@@asenarc By whose rules, UA-cam? The game "is not only played" but those who only control the board. Some creatives are not eating right now, these rules can go out the window, especially when you have a family to feed. Remember the game is no longer played if the players tip over the board. UA-cam might be the top dog streaming service for the meantime but what happens when you start canceling everyone for speaking their minds, just like Josh did? Is the brave ones who will be acknowledged at the end. To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.
For me, I keep hearing the Sound of Silence as performed by Skillet, about the people who worship a neon god, who speak without listening, to listen without hearing, and don't dare disturb the sound of silence. It's about how in the face of this god of media, of this carefully constructed sham of an idolized idea of who we want to look like rather than who we are, that we are more disconnected than ever. I find myself craving more books than webtoons, more graphic novels than tv shows, more time outside my house than chained to my desk for the sake of worshipping the god of profit. I want to work to LIVE. Not live to work like a slave.
very powerful video. your gift lies in ur brilliant mind of just piecing together some profound pieces and bringing it down to earth. I also really loved and appreciated the affirmations toward the end, it really feels like a wake up call. Thank you for this
*bald beardless ergojosh won't hurt you he isn't real*
bald beardless ergojosh:
I was like
Ergo collaborating with who?
he lost the ergo, he is now simply josh
ceo of art
his head is fully naked now
He's glowing! Bro can rock anything
Best thing I've done to feel good about creating again is get back into my child-self's love of fanfiction. No, I'm not kidding. These people are unstoppable. These people are writing novels for free because they want to. They have an idea that cannot be monetized, is probably crazy niche and already out of vouge for writing trends by the time they get around their real life enough to publish it, it is never going to net them fame or notoriety in the world of literature in today's self-publishing culture, but they do it anyway. It breeds an actual community, too. People making art and loving the art for the sake of the art that was made. Stop getting into your head and get back into fanfiction. If nothing else, you'll be able to see a healthier model for creativity than what we have currently.
I dore your comment! Fanfiction has also been such an absolute wonder to me!!! They truely make a group of people fueled by pure passion, it was almost incomprehensible to me!
@@lollypuddn It almost feels unreal when you think about it, doesn't it? A perfect combination of 20k word out there, just waiting to inspire you, all done entirely on the back of a person's desire to _make the thing happen._ Nothing could be more pure.
I also plan to write fanfiction, I abandoned some cause I didn’t like how I wrote them
Now I’m going head on
"Sorry guys I couldn't update 😓 I got in a car crash, house burned down, toilet clogged, got cancer, I beat cancer, then broke my arm, essay due, and phone ran out of battery. I'll make sure to get the chapter out by tomorrow tho ^^/" - least dedicated fanfiction writer
Hate fan fiction lol but love your description of it!
Couldn't agree more. I started posting my art on social media as a beginner artist and realized after some time that the platforms make us all slaves to the algorithm. You stop posting for even a day and the engagement will drop. I decided to not force myself so constantly produce content for it but posting things that are meaningful for me as an artist. I feel a lot better now because I know the level of engagement has nothing to do with my value or success as an artist.
Yes!
I did unfortunately became a slave to the algorithm and dealt with the worst art block because of it. And it sucked. I couldn't get myself to pick up a pencil for about a year and a half, and I felt a little depressed because of this. I finally got over it, and I also have been posting my art again, but I don't follow a schedule anymore, and I have been making art that I myself like and not art that I feel like would get me engagement.
💯 💯💯💯
I'm trying to teach myself how to draw too. I deeply regret stopping art when I was 12/13, (then only now picking up at 29) and losing all that time I could have spent drawing without the influence and pressure of social media.
entering monk era with intense self reflection, pondering why we are alive, and most importantly bald head
"maybe i should draw something other than girls" era, fingers crossed
No kiddin' when I shaved my head for the first time it was a life-changing experience.
“I believe that the people who think that they’re good at nothing have just been failed by the world around them.” FACCCTS 👏
Yes, creativity is a gift, God given if you believe in that! Many creatives were taught from an early age that their gifts should be suppressed, hidden, won’t make them $ and they’ll amount to nothing. Without support as an artist, the journey is nearly impossible. With enough decades of being beaten down verbally this way, you begin to believe the lies. Why did my art teacher tell me in college that I was good enough to do this for a living yet my parents were never supportive throughout my life?! Who lied to me? Did my upbringing fail me, did societal confines fail me because I don’t fit inside a mold, did every mundane non creative job fail me but it allowed me to barely survive, and diminished me at that same time? I’m certainly good at something but the world’s told me that I’m good at nothing! A part of me gave in a long time ago, the other part of me will never give up. Art is something that’s a calling and it’s not something that leaves you alone because you stop doing it…..once an artist, always an artist, despite this gaslighting society!
@@zofiajaneczek184 I feel you!! I do hope you won’t give up, though. Your art is important!!
Facts!!
"Your own personal identity IS the most valuable thing that you have to share as an artist"
THANK YOU.
I feel compelled to contribute to this conversation Josh - you really unlocked a wave of thought in me
YESS an art talk with a mass of the art community would be awesome
PLEASE do!
Can't wait! 😄
You two need to do a collab sometime! I love hearing you both talk. I can’t imagine how deep your conversations would go if you two joint in a discussion!
"The characteristic of a life brings is movement. The characteristic of a dead being is stillness"
No idea if you'll see this but, I clicked on this video randomly and my jaw almost dropped seeing the shirt you're wearing! It was the first piece that Ilya and I had designed together back in 2019 and it was the first big peak of my career as a creative. Meeting him was like this crazy culmination of a bunch of things set in motion during my youth by the background radiation of my life and working with him was the first real affirmation that I owe it to myself to keep making things and try growing into an artist like so many of my heroes and now friends. Seeing the shirt in the wild, especially 5 years later feels like coming home. It's made even sweeter that it's being worn when discussing something so radically profound. So thanks Josh!
This is an awesome comment
I hope he sees this. This is PRIME engagement 💯
We’re reaching a stage where we’re understanding the long term affects from social media.
It’s home to such a horrible toxic culture. I’m sick of it.. I don’t want it to control me or my fellow artists anymore.
Thats so true wow. Its a huge collective realization that x thing is poisonous in y dose. The upcoming generations should do it right if we keep adapting and don’t end up too bitter by the end lmao.
They've been known for a long time. I wouldn't have considered early sites like DA to be social media but you had a lot of the same issues with people seeking validation while not taking a moment to consider if they liked their own art.
Say what you will about AI art, commodification of art has led to some technically impressive but overall shallow works. Hopefully more people will create for the intrinsic value than likes or a quick buck.
I realized in about 2018, it's not that hard if you're not half braindead. Anything I say is suppressed by the algorithm. The fact it's now allowed and promoted doesn't mean it's some kind of revolution, it means it's playing into whatever plan they have.
One thing I truly dislike about social media is how it values quantity over quality. When it comes to my own art, I prefer spending a lot of time on a single piece. I also prefer looking at highly detailed, highly polished work. But with the way algorithms work, it's far more effective to post 100 speed paintings than a single epic piece that took 100 hours to make.
For me, is what or how you are and not what or how you do.
And of course, the main stream silencing the niches
Completely agree. I felt a lot of shame for a long time about being an artist who worked slow and the algorithms definitely encouraged that shame. But the speed they expect me to create is simply not feasible for me. I had to accept that embracing my slowness also meant embracing the fact that my art will be pushed down in the algorithms and my accounts will continue to see little growth.
Yeah, it's the one thing I hate about social media algorithms
DAMN JOSH
Hi sam😄
Hello Sam!
Beardless ergojosh jump scare
True😂
-jumpscare- jumpstart. Prr prr uwu
I immediately hate myself for saying this but I already posted my thoughts, and I am committed, it’s too late 😂
As a self taught illustrator trying to grow desperately on social media, listening to this is comforting. To hear everything I feel when I post an artwork. My confidence takes a hit considerably even though I know it's not a reflection of my skills that I acquire by practicing and learning from creators like you.
I feel like as humans, there's always that ingrained expectation of getting a small validation to know what you create is good. Although recently I have been better at jumping back in and not letting myself feel hopeless. It still takes a bit of time.
In the world of art, nothing feels better than a peer or even better an fellow artist you care for as a person complimenting your work. That's just how it is
@@Amaling couldn't agree more!!
Art is greatest when the interest of capital isn't a considerable factor.
@BT-qf3uc According to a world run by money.
@BT-qf3uc I'm offering that this isn't how things will work forever.
If the suggestion that art shouldn't (as in, should not ethically, ideally) serve money. If you believe that this is all art is for, disengage. If you believe that you should challenge someone for suggesting otherwise, disengage.
What good would it do to challenge just the idea that things could be better for everyone?
I never said I'm solving your problems. I'm saying these problems don't NEED to exist. I'm not invalidating your very real struggles. I'm saying you deserve better.
If that makes you uncomfortable, disengage.
@BT-qf3uc If that's all art is to you, that's fine. That just sounds upsetting to me. Sorry to hear that.
@BT-qf3uc If you want patronage to be as vague as "industry and corporate business owners," "rich nobleman," or "the Catholic Church," then sure, that's historically true. Limited to certain parts of the world, but true.
But I don't think I need patronage to paint on a wall. Unless you count "the owner of the building" as a patron or "where you got the paints from" which are things that aren't even necessarily true. I could find paint, make paint.
Money is not rooted in reality, we just decided it should be true and we built society around that. Historical reality will tell you through sociology or philosophy in general what social constructs are, which are the things that build what you call reality.
No. Art doesn't require patronage. If it did, you discredit the rest of history that doesn't fall within the narrative you tell yourself, from the world of art that exists past Europe or whatever have you. Indigenous art, all forms of art that don't have money motivating them. All of that exists and you'd be stretching your word "patronage" by a lot if you insist that beautiful architecture that people just made because their community wanted to are made from patronage-or the clothes that people made, or singing, dancing, et cetera, et cetera.
Yes, we need it NOW to get made. But if you restrict it to just that, then you're on the side of those who allow art to be JUST that. Opportunistic investments and numbers. Which is, frankly speaking, quite sad.
A lot of the greatest and culturally impactful lasting art is that which was made by the most greedy capitalists lmao. The internet, the Simpsons, Basketball, Rock music etc. It sounds nice and cool to pretend art is better when its just for fun, but reality easily proves you wrong. Nobody remembers the films made by the Soviets (besides Stalker and Ilya Muromets, those are the GOATs), nobody is being culturally impacted by Cuba or North Korea, but everyone remembers the Godfather and Star Wars.
There was too much here for me to comment on effectively or in a succinct way, but your last words, "what's wrong with being negative", being balanced, and the whole conversation around polarity is something that's been on my mind for some time. I try really hard to put out positive vibes in my videos and art, but that's just not what I feel consistently. I feel the negativity quite a lot more than I let on and I want to start expressing that in public and in private. I just don't want to be a source of negativity. Appreciate these little thought pieces. Hope you're doing well.
Im really happy to read this, Ive been mulling over it myself. I say lets show that people can grow, and if someone is mad today, it doesnt mean thats who they are. I had 2 versions of this script , each angrier than the one before. But at the end of the day its like you said - being positive all the time isnt how we actually are and it can be misleading to others and make them feel isolated for having emotions 😢
I wonder about this too. I know I have a tendency to put others' feelings and emotions before my own, even and especially when I cannot afford to. While it's good to be able to make others feel better, if you're doing it at the expense of your own sanity, you're just creating more suffering. Same for not wanting to feel like you're dumping or venting on others when you're having a bad day (or week, months, year). Life is dual, humans are dual, and trying to avoid the negativity and pain at all costs just creates resentment and refuses where most of our meaning and purpose comes from. If you can't accept, really accept the bad then you can't fully appreciate or create the good.
Josh... you are absolutely correct! I am a 71yr old covid survivor who used and still uses art as a comforter. God spoke to me during my recovery to utilize my "art" to assist in me during y healing and He was correct. Art is my safe place. I used digital art on my iPad to help me. I was a traditional artist with a teaching degree in Art Education. I really don't understand these platforms or their algorithms. I've posted a few things and got very discouraged. They have me doubting myself and feeling too old to be a part of the game. Art has healed my mind and spirit. My digital art has improved so much and I taught myself. I just love to create! It makes us like God who was and still is the "Greatest Creator". I follow you and plan on taking your course at some point to learn more about procreate because I really want people to experience my creations. Thank you for this. sorry for the book but I just had to comment. Please continue to chastise us ...giving us a reasons to continue. 💜
Wow! Im thrilled to know you enjoyed this video. Yes I agree, utilizing the gifts we have been given can be a miraculous source of healing across all parts of us, physical and spiritual. Thanks for sharing.
I didn't believe in God until two days ago, and yet I had always believed in Him. I now understand that I stopped believing in Him when I stopped believing in myself and my own ability to create. Creation is purpose and God made us like Him to continue Creation. God loves all of us and gave us the power to create because He loves us. We all have it in us to love like Him because we are made in his image, our minds and spirits. That's why, even though I've never met you, I know I love you.
I totally agree! Social media has been destroying so many things, mental health, creativity, and even the customer's perception of entertainment. I've twice now, created 2 successful animation channels that have gotten over 100k subscribers. But by the time that I've hit that success I'm angry and distraught. Like you said, the endless search for satisfaction. In order to get those 2 channels to that following count, I had to sell a big part of my creativity. I was chasing trends, popular audio clips, well recognizable characters. The craziest part is I love voice acting, creating stories, and character design. I was literally cutting out my favorite parts.
The love bombing is almost as negative as the hateful comments. It's very kind of people to share that they loved your content, however it feeds into the algorithm, your decision on the next video or art piece, and your need for that praise again. I think this is why so many artists also struggle with imposter syndrome. We need to be satisfied with our art as OURSELVES, not seeking praise from others to determine if our art is good or not.
It is sad that from a young age, we are pushed away from art. I remember getting in trouble in grade school for doodling on my homework. I literally did the assignment... I got the right answers, who cares if there are little characters on it? It's wild. Society teaches us in films and history that being an artist is a bad thing. OH don't marry an artist, artists make no money. Art and entertainment boom in the most desperate of times. Without art and entertainment, the world would be so bland. It's incredibly important...
Thanks for posting this Josh, it's something we all needed to hear and be reminded of.
sometimes, you need a talk like this... thanks Josh.
Content like this is the reminder that we're not as alone on our art journey as it sometimes feels. Thanks Josh
Hyper consumerism plus Social media and GenAI is indeed a bad combination. There is also a interesting Moon video regarding about these tech companies speeding up our need to consume, be it physical materials or even entertainment.
Ew not that guy
Moon is a bit much...
But I agree with you.
This video brings a lot of things to mind for me - about my views on the world, on social media, on how I see myself, on my personal struggles, but since I've lived in fear of judgment and failure for so long, it's difficult for me to express any of these thoughts in a comment section. All I can say is that the video really hit home, and thanks for speaking up for those of us who are struggling.
This resonated so deeply with me. Thank you for talking about this. I’ve noticed people in my life always pump me up about my abstract paintings that I put no thought into and do for myself/never shared online, while the digital works I felt like I forced so much effort into and posted for building a following never got engagement. It was one of the main reasons why I hopped off Instagram. The people that mattered appreciating my art was all that I cared about and I had no interest in pleasing the world. Just me and my little loving circle. Helped my mental health so much, and I surprisingly improved SO much with my digital art by incorporating some of my abstract styles and techniques - now I am on my way to create a graphic design magazine for myself and design friends to enjoy and a comic story I’ve been yo-yoing back and forth on for years. I never knew I had this much untapped creativity. I am so happy to hear other artists are tapping into their inner self and unleashing their potential. Show your mind’s beauty off to those who resonate with it and you will always feel like a success, even if it is just yourself ❤
I've stopped Social Media a long time ago. it. becomes a lot more illuminating for me and i've put so much less pressure on myself as an artist. i stopped creating art everyday and just make art for myself and myself only. i only make art that makes me happy. and i sell my art only if people want to. i don't put myself out there as much.
(16 min) "I think that's what's happening is that you simply disregarded anything about yourself that someone else said isn't valuable at an important time in your life".
Profound, brother. I listened to that bit four times! This is the very root of why 'likes' are so detrimental to an artist's mental health. I took a month off of social media in 2022, and the effect it had on my sense of self and well being was so profound, I stayed off it until very recently. I find I have very little patience for it or interest in it now, I see it for what it is - an energy vampire.
Hey! In case you didn't know, you can timestamp a spot in the video by using this format: @16:00
Thanks, I didn't know - I'll remember that for next time!@@arknark
@@elle325 :)
"Your ancestors did not sacrifice, struggled, and fight for better opportunities so you can waste it living in fear and doubt, complaining that someone else is controlling you"
How dare you cook the next mantra that will be on my mind for the rest of my life?
You are speaking everything that I have been thinking for the past year. Social media is a massively shared Skinner Box, in the same way that online multiplayer games are. By having an unpredictable reward structure, the audience finds themselves constantly experiencing the demand for further engagement in order to feel validated. It is a never-ending treadmill, and the platform owners can change the difficulty just with the nudge of a button. Now I am experiencing this as a fifty-year-old man with a very clear memory of the analog era, which gives me some perspective on this new mediated environment. I cannot even imagine how overwhelming this must be for younger generations.
A very good talk. Thank you.
this hit hard because when i was in 7th grade a teacher who i respected said i shouldnt be draw and i shouldnt waste my time with. Like a fool i believed her. If i truly wanted to be an artist i probably shouldnt have believed her but now im trying to change that now by learning art now its tough
Being an artist is a mindset more than a skill imo. Sure, you may have lost a few years of growth and it may take you a while just to get to where you last left off, but if making art is still something you WANT to do, I say go for it. I know multiple artists who have taken multiple year long hiatuses from art, myself included.
I dont blame you for being bothered by those comments, especially at such a young age. When I was 18, I once had an artist I looked up to say they knew kindergarteners who drew better than me and that it wasnt too late for me to find a hobby I'd actually be good at. It crushed me. Sometimes I like to think of my art as a gigantic middle finger to that artist in particular lmao.
Ahh. Boo! Can’t believe an adult would say that. I gave up around the same time in my life because one of the cool girls said that I shouldn’t be drawing and playing outside, that I should be thinking about stuff like boys. And that was the first i’d heard there was a right and a wrong way to be doing life and I’d been doing it all wrong! Set me on the wrong path and now I can’t seem to focus long enough on practicing to get any good at art. Good luck to you. Listen to your inner voice, wish I’d known to do that when I was younger. But the best we can do is try hard and give better advice to young people.
@@Emiliapocalypse yea i dont believe she was trying to be malicious with me she was very kind from the little i remember but those things happen. also ty so much for the advice stay great
"You didn't come this far to only come this far" comes to mind, here. Thank you for an insightful video, as always, Josh.
Accidentally quit social media and playing video games for half a year now. And i gotta say that my artistic ability has been leveling up like crazy, haven’t felt like that ever since the first time i took art seriously. My motivation to create something original and speaks to me personally also seem endless and i felt like i could take on the world rn! Find your love for art again is a great thing and sometimes prioritize things that you know are healthy for you is necessary.
Thats awesome to hear! Games can be so inspiring these days.
Thank you so much for clarifying what you meant about the narcissistic relationship. You're right, self love is strategically demotivated by our algorithms, unless it's the flashy kind that's able to be monetized, and arguably, that's made inversely more profitable as a result of the former. It's crucial to keep in touch with your genuine self, and the value you see in your abilities outside of online forums. That's the only way to stay sane through the extreme give and take nature of our online culture. We have to be our own point of stability, or we get ripped apart by those crashing tides.
Remember that the audience cannot dictate who you are, as they will never truly know you. Despite trying, online databases and algorithms will never have access to all of you. Only you do.
Thank you for the video, and for sharing your thoughts. You're an amazing communicator and there's few times I've heard these concepts explained so well.
What's missing is real community: likeminded people hanging out, having constructive conversations, sharing skills & insights and building a network. Social media gives the illusion of connection but it's not built for that, it's main purpose is to make money and the more you stay on the app the more they earn. 🤷🏻♂️ Stay united folks, aggregate, gather contacts, keep in touch, help each other. Don't fall for the shallow glimmer of empty likes and follower count... At the end of the day what matters most? 10k followers but no real connection or a couple of phone numers of people you trust, and can count on that work in your field or can link you up with the people you need to, for example, get into that art gallery you wished to be in.
Yes, it's a shame, I tried a couple of times to have a conversation with artists on social media but was barely a conversation, if you don't buy then they aren't so interesting in form a bond with other artists
As someone who is at a crossroads creatively and entering a new chapter in life, I needed to hear this. Thank you. 👍
Thank you for being voice for change. Proud to be another artist working with yall for positive change at this time.
I just discovered your channel and I'm in awe by this essay.
Art is such an awesome thing. Beauty brings us closer to the truth, and superficial capitalism and transactions ruin its meaning. Trends are born, trends die: First, it is a banana taped to a wall; later, it'll be mindless consumption of artistic trends on Instagram and content creation just to keep up with the algorithms and fame. We must rebel against the system and make art Beautiful and Fun again! Long live beauty! *Let's make art for fun's and beauty's sake again!*
I quit posting my art anywhere years ago and I've never felt more like I was wasting my time with art than the last few years, but at the same time I don't have the time or energy to learn how social media works now. Back when I was still posting, deviantart was still a decently viable way to land commissions. Instagram was nothing but food photos and shitty makeup hacks. Idk how any of it works now and I'd rather finish quitting art than try to learn how to get it seen.
I cried, i really needed to hear this
Your voice over my headphones is just pure bliss!
Apologies for my last comment. I left it purely in jest. As for the video itself, you hit the nail on the head. A lot of people are stuck in a game of cat and mouse regarding staying true to themself versus staying “relevant”. True relevance is what most should delve into learning about, and large corporations do what they can to establish themselves as the gatekeepers of it. They are not.
im too busy crying over everything you said right now to form coherent thoughts, so i'll just leave it at thank you. thank you so much, this message was really needed. thank you
I think this was an excellent video, especially for an art channel with your subscriber count! As I was watching, I felt that some of the messaging reflected what this UA-cam streamer, Demon Mama, has been saying about content creation. From what I can recall, she recognizes the same problem that infinitely chasing the engagement metrics is a plague that infects us all. Doing what Instagram, UA-cam, etc. wants and what the algorithm desires is just an unfulfilling lifestyle. It sucks the passion and joy that can come from whatever you're doing like art or streaming. She hopes to one day utilize streaming as a way to create art that is memorable and inspires others. After listening to your entire video, you both come away with the same idea of just doing what inspires you and creating communities with the people that will follow you on your journey. Also, nice Dune quote in the description lol definitely another thing that you two have in common and a really good quote.
Aside from that, I think the Capitalism section of the video is interesting. For me, being an artist is difficult for many reasons. One reason is connected to social media in a way and that's the money aspect of being an artist. You mention in your video how the "excessive pressure to show never ending markers of growth is killing all meaning in the world," and I agree to an extent. I would define "growth" in this context to being more like the profit incentive. Just to make money and survive, you would do things that you aren't really passionate about or just dislike entirely. It's seen not only in art, but in everyday life. Personally, I go to a job that I hate and it barely pays the bills. While I do that, I'm exhausted from working 40 hours to even think about making art or just get sad at the time I have left to make art. So, I understand why people would make art that appeals to likes and trends. It's a means to get out of this exhausting job cycle.
Just to be clear, I think that making art for money or for social media engagement does end up inhibiting your artistic expression. I agree we should all be making art that we are passionate about and that reflects us, it's just that capitalism incentivizes us to monetize it to survive. A step to making a world where we can artistically express ourselves freely is by voting for progressive policies and being engaged in progressive politics, so people are more financially stable to do more of what they want.
Yeah I feel you there. Without capitalism Id be out of a job lol. But growth can be a fun thing rather than the ultimate decider of value like its been feeling. If you grow - hey good job! That means you are doing something well and/or something lots of people needed. But when it becomes the priority? I don’t think it EVER turns out well.
Inspiration beams from every sentence. Very well said & thank you for sharing these wise words of encouragement ergojosh
Thank you so much! I needed to hear this. I created my Instagram-Art account two weeks ago, but I soon realised, that if I want to create art for instagram, it just doesn't work. I can't create as well as I could. What I find interessting (relating to religion etc.) is that my creativity is at an all time high if i'm in the here and now. I'm not super intro spirituality but I think Eckhart Tolle has a good view and it helped me to overcome a lot more than an artblock. You don't need to get into spirituality at all. Tolle talks about how every religion is somehow saying the "same" thing just in a different way. I love you approach to this topic and I'm looking forward to watch your videos because they inspire me so much. You're an amazing person and i'm really gratefull, that you share this knowledge or insight with us
I'm thankful there are creators out there like you who aren't afraid to voice the realities that many of us face daily and advocating for self-worth, mental health, and being oneself. This is something I know I needed to hear and hope others will stumble upon . I really look up to your videos and find inspiration seeing your journey and resonate with your message ❤
This man spoke to my soul for 24 minutes…
This channel came up randomly in my suggested feed and I thought the title looked catchy but ultimately wasn’t sure what I was clicking on. Glad I stuck around and listened to some wisdom. I’d love to see a future video on potential action items on self reflection and finding oneself again (the more artist specific the better) as you mentioned, no one can tell us who we are, we have to find out ourselves, but as someone who has seriously struggled to find the stories I want to tell, if you have any advice on ways bring out the truer version of myself that’s been (potentially) lost, I’d love to hear it! Cheers man
I've never seen this UA-camr before (this video was just recommended to me via the algorithm) but wow, this Josh dude is p sweet. He seriously has the most relaxing radio voice, and his sentence structure just flows really well. It's like every sentence is filled with wisdom. Thanks for the video Josh!
Hey, Josh! I see what you’re saying. You’re a young Philosopher, bro. 💪🏽 Personally, I can’t sign onto every course nor afford to. I really love to see what people can do. So, for what it’s worth, I’ll binge just watching you work. Even if it’s behind-the-scenes. But I’ve noticed that I personally don’t listen to talk about artistry as much as I want to see how it’s done. The process speaks for itself. It feels like doing homework in Art School versus what way I’ve learned since UA-cam was created and what got me into Art School with scholarships entirely in 2005. The powerfully empowering presentation of the process(es) of creation. The visual journey. The meritocratic marketplaces of talent. But, I could never afford Art School on my own. Nor pay any others’ bills. So, there’s a disconnect. Just pointing out what I’ve noticed about myself, is all. I want to learn a lot and learn as I do. Extremely and heftily Visually. If I ever have a social media presence, I’ll shout you out. It’s not until I’d entered my 30’s that I’d found my voice & passion which is reinventing my style along with all the newest wares in which I can create. So I’m being redefined even after finding my voice. I will be waiting here on UA-cam for any free content showing your methods though! God Bless. 💯🙏🏽💯
Thank you for this video! This has helped me with art/sewing but also it's helped me realise I've abandoned myself in life and I've become too codependant with others; it puts a massive strain on my current relationships. I'm constantly scared of losing people and I get disappointed by others a lot. I think it's time to start doing stuff for myself again and not completely scarifice myself for others acceptance.
It’s always been tough relating to lots of people and when I got my wheelchair there was almost no one I knew who was a wheelchair artist then I stopped trying to fit in and then my health became a problem for a while now I’m way better. This video makes me want to get back into the animation industry again and also create those crazy stores I use to have. Thank you Sensei 🙌
Disabled artists unite!!! Your story is worth sharing!
@@16ShiningUmbreon unite!!
As I'm getting out of my creative slump you've been so consistent and transparent and I think not a lot of artists on here have it as much as you. Thanks for always giving us nuggets of wisdom 💜💜
I stopped drawing for a bit so I could focus on the conversation instead of having it in the background, and I'm glad I did. It's been really insighful to be able to hear you talk about all these things that have been floating in my mind for years now but didn't find the proper words to express them.
From trying to appeal to different people and changing gears towards pleasing them instead of creating things that pleased mainly myself, my taste and my goals, to the effect that "content" creation has had or will have in all of us, I think I definitely experienced a bit of everything you mentioned.
Even with some successful posts or work over the past decade I've been online, it never worked for me to just repeat the process and keep making the same stuff over and over again for the sake of the algorythm.
For some people it definitely did work, and that's why social media can feel pretty stagnant sometimes, but I'm glad it didn't for me, because it made me realise how I neglected myself and my own identity.
This is a nice reminder that likes, views or comments don't translate to the quality of the piece, nor how we should feel towards it, or ourselves as individuals, and that no one might see them or pay too much attention to them now, but if we keep being truthful towards our goals and our identity, and keep on improving our skills, that will eventually atract the same kind of "rebels", and we'll all finally be able to just have fun again, sharing what we love and our knowledge to other fellow artists, as utopic as that sounds.
In the meantime though, I'll enjoy not feeling forced to upload everything I create as well, that final part where you mentioned how even a simple doodle on a bus has meaning in the universe, rather than the usual feeling of worthlessness I tend to feel towards my creations, was oddly refreshing and inspiring for me.
Sorry for the rambling, hopefully it made some sense to someone out there. I've been struggling a lot ever since the pandemic as well, so thank you so much Josh for doing what you do. It really helps out and means a lot. I've been subbed for a while and I was doing some gesture drawing with one of your videos right before watching this one. I look forward to keep learning and expanding my art journey with yours and other fellow artists's guidance. :)
Wow, that is the best message I have seen on this platform.🔥It's plain to see that creating this video was an act of rebellion for you. I can feel the satisfaction radiating off you at the end, and the cool thing is that I think I know what that feels like. This is beautiful, authentic communication; bravo. I am jealous of how well that was executed. I love how you framed yourself in the video and even the transitions. I also love how you have some objects in the foreground and your art in the background; excellent framing of yourself in the shot. Also, I always wondered if you were Nigerian. Though you didn't say it, and I might be wrong, you sound too much like certain Yoruba uncles I have with that disciplined intellect that intimidates everyone around you. Way to represent my brother. I love it. Thank you for saying this. I'll be a soldier in this war for my own sake, for my sanity and creative freedom.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Ever since I started practicing in 2014, I always felt like I was pursuing the outside world. And not looking internally. Which led to stopping to draw twice for 3-5 months. But then I got back into it, and slowly began understanding "the self" and its only recently like, a year ago that I am finally beginning to tap into something. So really appreciate hearing that you went through a similar struggle, and have now tapped into your voice.
I needed this video. 😭
Thank you so much for sharing. A lot of what you discussed I myself have been struggling with and it's comforting to know that I as a creative am not alone in this war. It's so exhausting every time I share something online, and I've been conditioned to worry if my post is going to do well. I've been taking a lot of time stepping back and fundamentally thinking about my own identity away from the platforms and seeing something like this further pushes myself that I am heading in a direction I genuinely want to be at.
The carrot on the stick analogy certainly has hit the nail on the head when it comes to social media. I need to take time to not just see, but fundamentally believe that I'm not some blocky Minecraft pig chasing the stick these platforms want me to be. I am the builder, and I can create whatever I so desire because that's who I am at my core. A creative. An artist. Thank you so much for this video. ❤
I’ve been looking for your account for the longest! I was just thinking about your art and how I’ve missed being as creative as I once was. You showed up at the best moment.
From a Buddhist perspective; social media operates and has power over us because of our craving desires. Even the need for a clearly defined identity, especially one that can be concisely described according to the society we exist in, is part of this craving. And simply put, craving is the root of suffering. When we abandon our craving, we can be free from mindless drives, we can enjoy life in the moment, and we can even find our true self; a self that defies definition, fads, and formats. Thank you for the awesome message!
I like to look at it as forgetting that we have everything already - leads to craving. desire isnt bad in and of itself, it creates movement. but the craving…desperation? yeah Buddha is so right. Pure suffering. Im working on integrating a few “cravings” myself. It’s quite a challenging journey but we gon make it to realizing we already made it right G? hahaaha
I love how we’re finally talking about this. Social media is definitely a double-edged sword. I’ve had to be really mindful not to get wrapped up in the soul-sucking aspects of it. But I also see that I only know to take that step back because I’ve experienced art-making without Social Media present. A lot of young people today haven’t had that time. That moment to create with no restrictions, with no expectations, no looming pressure of post performance. So, thanks Josh for bringing this conversation to the forefront again for artists young and old to reflect on.
Thank you. I needed these reminders to keep creating, keep being.
I needed to hear this ❤❤ Hugs and kisses from a big fan from Brazil 🇧🇷
thought this video was going to be another piece on AI, which I wouldn't have complained about, but this was so much more carefully considered than that and I am incredibly grateful for it. You give voice to so many things that I have been feeling so deeply in the last several years, not even as a content creator or as an artist, but as a human in general. It's comforting knowing that there are other people out there who are going through similar struggles in terms of attempting to balance self-actualization and just trying to survive the pressures of the world we live in.
Idk if I should refer to myself as "up and coming", but regardless, as an artist, the message in this video confirms why I look to you for inspiration since I found your channel a year or 2 ago
I appreciate this message.. so very much. For years I have been struggling just to create anything.. let alone something for me.. because when I sit down I never know what to draw.. and after about 20 minutes of sitting there not able to think of anything I just.. put my sketchbook down and walk away. I really feel.. like this is something I needed to hear.
I need to stop trying to think about what to draw.. and just.. do it. Doesn't matter what it is. Doesn't matter if its good. I know its a lot harder to practice than the preach it, but thank you. Truly. Thank you.
I refuse to jump through social media’s hoops. So, my growth suffers. That’s okay. I’d rather do what I’m pulled to do creatively than fake my way through it for numbers. It is frustrating and discouraging at times, but I trust that I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing.
This was a really good discussion btw and this all needs to be said a lot more often. So many artists are suffering from the mess that social media has created, it’s good to hear some words of encouragement.
Got trapped into same issues, with algorithms, no more genuine comments, feedback, lack of community. But this year I just started to sketch again, not digitally, no colors, just me paper and pencil, just like in time when I have started to learn drawing because I was enjoying it. I am not posting it anywhere, just doing it for myself. And that brought me the joy and motivation again. I would like to share them online, but I am afraid that I will get caught into that social media rabbit hole again and will lose interest quickly. At least for now I just will keep enjoying what made me happy into the first place. Don't lose it and just keep it going!
You had me until you started referencing the bible, then you had me again when referencing evolution. Great video, and an important topic to discuss.
I love to draw as i was young but took a break for over 10 years. I wanted to start to draw again with 24 y/o but i feel so *pressured*
I don't even post things on social media but social media gave me the nerve eating feeling that I have to perform in a high level, always, even when I'm alone by myself.
Art used to be relaxing and an escape into my fantasie world. I didn't cared about if it was perfekt and I allowed me to make mistakes and how to handle, include or move around some cracky strokes on the wrong places.
Now I feel watched and not good enough. Like I have wasted my time with my break in art and now it is too late to start to become *enough*
I'm "gifted" and have adhd and I really would love to know if anyone has the same experience?
I can't tell if this is only because of my circumstances or is it duo to social media.
Hello from 2 weeks later, I'm a former gifted kid + AuDHD and MAN is it hard trying to get back into art after also around 10 years. I remember some of the happiest moments in my life came from seeing my growth and improvement, but the toxic shame from comparing myself to other artists on social media (Tumblr especially) and also my general upbringing (lol) overtook any pleasure I got from creating. Plus I'm now really burnt out in general and just don't have that much energy for art. Definitely a combo of upbringing/undiagnosed neurodivergence/social media. TRYING to slooooowly, very slowly, ease my way back into it. It's still hard, but being involved in the local zine community has definitely helped! Being around people of all different skill levels who are willing to put themselves out there and lift each other up is really inspiring.
This means so much. Thank you for posting/making this, it's so affirming.
I actually really like commentaries like this, its kinda like watching a video essay, but from an artist im inspired by
We are who and what we are. Art moves us, and we move it. Forget about all the doubt and disbelief and understand why we do what we do…. We do it for the LOVE of what we do. Art is everything, and everything is art! ❤
This is literally everything I needed to hear. I feel so incredibly blessed and grateful right now that I came across this video. Great energy!
this is my outlook on my personal art journey, ive loved art my whole life and over the last few years have i ever considered taking it seriously for myself. after starting to get better i realized that you do have to make a choice when it comes to growth, focus on my art and personal expression or focus on playing the social media game. I chose me. I chose to chase art my own way without going with a goal to become the next greatest influencer artist but to do the t hing i love and to discover what it means to see the world and to put my personal expression and interpretion to form and life. self discovery, connection, introspection, expression and love are what makes us human. absolutely amazing video.
"Something as simple as a little Doodle that you made on the bus ride home from school has vaue in the eyes of the infintite Cosmos." You made my day Josh, thanks for that 🥰 Amazing video, keep it up my friend.
I just love you
The quote "Our Tools Shape Us," spoken in the days of TV and mass media shaping public perception is true now more than ever. As someone who was present through the proto-internet up until modern day media platforms, I am completely in agreement with you that the boundaries shifting has taken place as a conscious effort of monetizing people, and now attention. I am heartened when I've seen many videos, some from very young people, who have instinctively grasped that their goal cannot and should not be creating grist for someone else's mill.
I have been enjoying your recent videos a lot dude. Thank you for being so open and vulnerable! You are an inspiration.
Today, I really needed this. Thanks, Ergojosh.
Beardless ergojosh asking me if I have free will felt like I was staring at Morpheus while I decided between the red and blue pill. Fantastic video, as always.
Dude, this is SO RELATABLE nowadays. Actually this week I've been thinking a lot about this, and you described it absolutely in a perfect way.
Oh wow, this tore into me...
Ever since covid, ive been mute. Havent drawn or finished anything, havent been apt enough to hold down a job for more than a year. Cool video... gonna try to go out more and do more stuff. And draw.
i miss old deviant art so bad...
Thank you uncle Iroh! I needed to hear this call to action 🙏🏼✨
Thank you. This arrived exactly when I and others needed it.
You made me realise the intrinsic connection of Art and humanity ok both an individual and collective Level. How, to put it rather poetically, we are our own lifelong artwork
the fact that you are whispering the entire time adds to the vibe 😂👍🏻
I know exactly what you mean by when people can't say what we want to say, even if we mean no harm, I was kicked out of a community I was in since the age of 12, 17 as of now I found out the truth, told it, meant no harm, but that cost me my sanity, I wanted a civil conversation, but that was wishful thinking, kept this from my own parents, sinlings, everyone, only on the Internet ( certain chanels) where I actually I felt mentally safe, people listened, helped me understand, discussed both sides, etc. All I can do is try do my best to share my story, discuss with people and find middle ground, etc. Challenging ideas, being able to speak, you have helped me with this very video, i do hope in the future that I'll be able fight, understanding, discovering, etc. 100% facts!
Josh, ive been following you since year one. Its been beautiful to follow your growth (not just in your artistic skills) as a person and it makes me proud. Youre an incredibly reflective, deep and conscious person who doesnt settle for surface level meaning in life. It does make you a powerful artist in my eyes. For that at least im glad i am on UA-cam.
I am 25 and I have been around since social media existed. I don’t know anything but that. Social media absolutely ruins my self image for my art and my creativity. It’s cool to discover artists but I have to limit myself so much because I get so sucked into comparisons. I recently have decided I do not want to make art for anything else but myself. I am going to take my sweet time and hope I get to where I want to be by 40. It takes years to get to master status and I admire artists who actually put in the time and effort learning. I want to make art that is meaningful to me and has emotion and takes time. I want art to be what it used to be and kind of the old fashioned way. I absolutely refuse to make art for a living and for anyone else because it makes me miserable. I love art for it being art especially people who do it because they love it and just want to learn and discover and be artists. It’s meant to take time. It’s meant to mean something to you. You’re not meant to create every single day imo. People can not be that productive. I just feel like the internet, social media, and capitalism has drained every bit of joy of art from us. We can take it back.
I have such a small following on social media and the thought of starting any business including art seems like a tall task especially because I don’t enjoy posting on social media. I find myself listening to people like Rick Ruben and David Choe who talk about the process of the art being what really matters, this brings me back to the question of why I create and it’s ultimately for me, because I like expression and the feeling of growth when I see progress and THAT reminds me that social media, anyone’s opinion, or even money doesn’t matter… just the ART
his voice is incredible, an art in of itself
I’m starting again after giving up completely for several years, it’s not that I have time, I work a crap job over 40 hours a week. Because the job doesn’t pay enough, I have to add another job on top now. Despite all these obstacles, I’m going to restart my art again. I’m going to create a website first and later move to social media. The goal of course of all artists is to do this for a living. It’s going to take time. I’m unwilling to revolve my art around the latest fad. Because my life is a struggle and I’m unhappy, art will probably be that one thing that would keep me going so I don’t end up somewhere too dark. If something goes viral and helps me financially, that would only be a blessing to me. However, I’m not chasing the next fad or thing and I’m not loosing myself because life is short and I don’t want to be anyone else but myself. I have found this world to be cruel and unkind to creatives in general, I feel there’s no place for us yet everything’s aesthetically based! I would probably be better off in Europe or a country that doesn’t place such hard values on looks, power, agelessness, and money. I’m already a wage slave right now but my art work will not be governed by anyone but myself. I want to create to keep myself alive and to have some hope left in life!
Thank you, for this. This is what I need to be hearing right now; and I think you know that. I have long been in the esoteric sphere of the art world for a while, and hearing others begin to talk on ideas of nonduality and intrinsic value of creation is sooooo refreshing. Thank you.
talk about perfect timing, i have been thinking about this exact issue for the past month. thank you for speaking up about this, we will rebel.
This chat is not for the fearful! Keep it coming Josh. WELL DONE! Looking forward to hearing more soon!
Hey Josh, I don't follow your videos as much as before, but i feel like this video is a movement in the direction, for you and generally for us artists (I'm an animation student at the end of his degree), I saw more and more artists taking ownership back again over what THEY want to create and not what the algorithm or a company that makes money of us wants. Art is an extension of us, so first of all, it should be made for us, and say the things we want to say.
This video is important, and I hope even if it won't do well maybe you'll think of this comment and remember that some people know how important what people like you are doing!
Keep on the good work.
I’ve been doing the art that I’ve felt could be financially viable. I’ve been thinking non-stop about how I want to get back into music, but only through the lens of the academic to career pipeline I could take. Despite knowing exactly what I want to do but this parasite funnels my thoughts.
I needed this video
I cannot tell you what this video meant to me. I am a much older woman who lost my art and who I am trying to gain the acceptance of others. Wish I could have heard this so many decades ago. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH. 💖
All hail Josh's new look! He is providing us wisdom!
Awareness, Love, Truth, Life... All are EQUAL, ALL are the SAME, and that is at the heart of all. Which is why it is so easily overlooked in awareness.
what a beautiful video. I hadn't watched your stuff in a while since I'd taken an art hiatus. I feel like I'm listening to a completely different person. well done.