#it really really does

hi hello im getting on my soapboc rq because I've noticed this problem has been happening a lot more lately. Not just on my blog, in fact it's been when i've gone to look at the posts of others (not just even mutuals, random people across my feed)

the likes to reblogs ratios I've been seeing on posts lately, across all the fandoms im in has genuinely been a bit baffling, posts with 500+ likes...

and 36 reblogs.

36. reblogs.

as a reminder, tumblr does not fucntion like other social media sites, there is no algorithm to tumblr. Yes, posts from your mutuals will pop up in your 'Following' tab, this is because you are mutuals, they pop up in order of how much engagement those posts recieve as well as when they were posted.

the 'For You' tab is a bit trickier, depending on your most recently viewed posts tags while determine what shows up there, (ex: if you search up tenna deltarune and scroll through for a bit, thats what all your feed is going to be) posts here a generally randomized and may be incredibly popular, might be from your mutuals, might be brand new from someone who's just in your circle, there is no rhyme or reason to it

THE KEY THING TO THIS HOWEVER, is that likes do absolutely nothing to keep a post in circulation, if you like a post, it does absolutely nothing for that post to be seen by others, all youre doing is telling the author of the post that you like (which, that's great! but that doesn't do much in the grand scheme)

it is only if you REBLOG the post that will keep it out and about for others, thus allowing more and more people to see the post, engage, connect, share their thoughts etc etc.

some of you might be thinking 'well why should i care about that? if i like it that should be enough, right?'

but it's not, because fanartists, fanfic writers, oc content creators, photgraphers, general artists and writers etc etc, they are showing you their creations for completely free.

Free! You don't have to pay to see content on here (save for specific cases of linking to other things like kofi and such but that doesnt count and we both know it) you get access to so much beautiful, amazing, spectacular works of raw art and cretaivty and passionate expression of one's work, for. fucking. free.

the very least you can do, the bare minimum you can do, is show a little care and compassion for that artist, for that writer, for whoever, and allow them the chance to share that with as many people as possible. that's why they post here, to share with people, to engage with others who like the same things as them, to meet people, to connect, to share in the human experience of creativity

do you ever wonder why artists leave fandoms? do you ever wonder why fanfic authors just stop updating? yes life complications, lack of interest, and so on get in the way,

but the fact of the matter is: why bother posting, if no one is going to care?

why post when no one is going to see it? or say why they like it, or reach out and talk to me about it or—

i cannot emphasize enough how incredibly demotivating it is to put time, and care, and passion into something, only to share it and realize you're shouting out into a void

fandom is community, fandom is connection, fandom is engagement of media with other individuals with your shared interest

so if you want to be in fandom, you have to do your part, you have to reblog, you have to engage

High and mighty at the top of your list

Adoring every move, now my rank is sinking

But we're both guilty of black or white thinking

And through my red eyes, you look pale

All of your scars now looking more like scales

Two ugly creatures, two sinister preachers

Blind to the past, like a couple of monsters.