#trala

I'm sorry, but it needs to be said.

Now first off, let me make something clear: I have nothing against non-creator fan accounts. They're great, I follow them, I love them... But sometimes some of them drive me a little crazy.

Also, of course they have every right to post (and tag) as much as they want. I'm not saying they don't... I'm just asking them to stop and think of the creators in their fandom for a minute before they do.

We're not talking low-key fan accounts which mostly exist to anonymously follow the actors, artists, and bands in their fandoms. They might post a few times a week tops, may or may not tag when they do, and use stories a decent amount, mostly to repost fandom things.

We're talking the more... Obsessive ones. The upwards (sometimes significantly) of three feed posts a day accounts. The repost every picture the artist/actor/band posts, right after they post it, the people who post a daily, "Hey how ya doin," to their followers and find the need to tag the artist... Every. Single. Time.

And by non-creator, I mean the most they do is photo edits that I know for a fact (because I've made them) took somewhere between five and thirty minutes to make.

And hear me when I say it's not the content I have an issue with... It's the tagging.

Because those accounts flood artists' tags with pictures they just posted and, "Hey, how ya doin," and a million other non-creator things, while the dance that it literally took me MONTHS to choreograph and perfect is lost in the fray.

And if the artist views the story or likes the post? Well then the account makes another story/post thanking them for doing that and tags them AGAIN. If they see or like that too, yeah you guessed it, we're onto post three... Until they don't view or like it anymore.

Yeah, I get a little salty.

Because the thing is... Not only do I desperately want this fellow artist to see my art, but also as someone whose main art is also my aspiring career (dance), when I catch an artist's attention and they do soemthing such as share the video to their story, that could legitimately be a huge career booster for me just because of the exposure.

TRALA sharing my dance to Reverie was huge to me, not only because it meant the world to me that they loved it, but also because it brought in views I never would have gotten before.

But all too often, the things me and other serious creators do are buried beneath, "Thank you so much for viewing my story!!!"

I'm not saying don't tag any non-creator things. I tag non-creator things on occasion. I just wish people would quit flooding them with pointless tags.

Mainly, I tag when I'm promoting art which may legitimately get a little attention it wouldn't have when I do. If they're small enough to care, I want them to know I'm supporting them.

But again, that's on occasion. Like when they drop a new song or album. Not seven times daily.

I guess I just wish people would ask themselves simple questions when deciding whether or not to tag.

Things like, do I actually have soemthing to say to them? This song means a lot to me because... I just want you to know that... Happy Birthday... Praying for you seeing as [insert unfortunate event] happened.

Things like, how much effort did I put into this post? Again, just remember that there are creators out there pouring their heart and soul into content for days, weeks, and months.

Do you really want your tagged, "Happy Friday!" post to be the reason the artist doesn't see something someone worked that hard on?

“CREATURE MACHINE” Lyrics Written by: Jeff Roach, Gordie Sampson, Carrie Karpinen, Moriah Peters, Jesi Jones & Julie Melucci

Verse There’s no conscience, no consequences Overstimulate, dull the senses

You want emotionless, so this is what you get Don’t look me in the eye, don’t make this intimate Now I can tell you off just for the thrill of it But I don’t have the right, ‘cause I’m a hypocrite

Pre-Chorus Do we know we are merciless? Did we know this was murderous?

Chorus I’m a creature, not a machine So why can’t you see me? I’m a creature, not a machine So why can’t you see me?

Verse There’s a criminal we’re defending Making progress, still we’re digressing

Just like a prisoner, we’re locked inside a cell I thought we wanted out, now I can’t really tell So we should turn it off, but we can’t resist It’s a hunger now, ‘cause we’ve tasted it

Pre-Chorus Do we know we are merciless? Did we know this was murderous?

Chorus I’m a creature, not a machine So why can’t you see me? I’m a creature, not a machine So why can’t you see me?

Bridge [Wendell Berry quote, spoken by Jim: “It’s easy for me to imagine that the next great division of the world will be between people who wish to live as creatures and people who wish to live as machines.”]

Do you have a problem releasing control? Do you have a body for a soul?

Do you ever wrestle? Do you ever win? What are you, stone or porcelain?

Keep breathing out, keep breathing out and in Do you get the feeling of falling? Keep breathing out, keep breathing out and in Do you get the feeling?

Trapped in this circle Got you spinning, spinning Don’t be afraid when you start slipping Into a holy collision

Looking for love, finding the truth It’s okay to abandon the condition of your youth

Now it’s getting real, a little too close Fighting your spirit, your ghost Now it’s getting real, a little too close Fighting your spirit