The reason for this post is to tell you all about a campaign that we’re setting up. You see, it has come to our attention that not just as a UK problem but actually internationally too, people who are self-employed creatives may well have a customer base and often they make really amazing stuff which is good quality and time and effort has gone into these items to produce them. As such, we feel very uneasy knowing there are so many people, just like us in fact, who feel the need when explaining the pricing of their items to justify their prices with things like ‘Oh well, you know, I spent x amount on this, x amount on that etc!’ all the while desperately hoping that people will buy their stuff.
Now the fact is, capitalism is ruthless, we know that. Competition is such that you need to make what you’re selling seem far more attractive to potential buyers than the other people selling similar stuff to you. However, part of the reason so many self employed ventures don’t get started is that people don’t have enough confidence. Independent creatives, for example, know that their work won’t be valued in the same way that the ability of big business to produce carbon copies of basically the same thing from shop to shop will. Not that I’m slating supermarkets for example (though hey, independent bakeries are a prime example of how affordable it is to make great tasting stuff and sell it cheaply) because they are very convenient, but part of the reason I shop in charity shops is I like the variety. I freely admit, last time I went into a chain shop I looked at a lot of the clothes there and thought ‘hmm, nice but they’re doing the same thing elsewhere.’
As I was saying the problem, as we see it, is that people are happy to buy into the massively consumerist economy as it stands because everything is cheap and readily available. I admit I don’t have much of a head for the technicalities of business, my husband is far better at that. However, I know enough to know that it’s all about supply and demand and people always think that independent creatives can’t possibly keep up with that kind of demand and the truth is that in today’s consumerist economy, no we probably can’t. However, let’s just stop and consider why not.Â
The thing is, people want things RIGHT NOW. If you can’t get it right away from a shop and cheap, you’ll go online because online delivery is fast etc. Bearing in mind, we are all products of our society (no pun intended),Though having said no pun intended, let’s just run with the pun for a moment. (Ok no, that time, really no pun intended. ;D)
As you may be aware, there are various models of how society is put together, most of them sociological in nature. For example, to introduce you to what I mean, the Functionalist school of thought says that though society may well simply be a human construct (that first bit being my words not theirs) everything in it serves a function whose sole purpose is to perpetuate society and social norms, i.e. education, work etc are all to that end. (Grim I know, you may have already worked out that Sociology as a field of study pulls no punches and stripping society away to its component parts is not sunshine and rainbows. The sociological part does not necessarily improve from here on out for which you have my apologies, but the post in general has an optimistic note so if you’ve read this far please do carry on. ;) )
What I want to propose is what I would call the ‘Shopping Mall’ model. That is that society is fundamentally consumerist and all facets of society are trying to sell you something. Now, I don’t want to bring in Marxist ideas or what have you, (i.e. basically, the rich control everything) I just want to examine the idea I’m putting forward.Â
It seems to me it has a certain degree of merit. Almost everything in modern society is governed by commerce, advertising etc in some way or another. Don’t believe me? You have a new baby, how are you going to clothe them? Well, in the old days, people would ask for hand me downs maybe knit baby clothes etc. These days, it’s more likely you’ll head straight out to Next or Gap or wherever and pick stuff off the shelf. Said child starts school. Again, in the old days, school was just where you went for your education and that was about it. Now, well, if you stop and think about it league tables are the most blatant yet subtle form of advertising out there. Let’s say you yourself become elderly and infirm and your children decide it’s best for you to go into a care home. Well, guess what, all those homes have brochures and websites so let’s pick the ‘best’ one! I’m sure you see what I mean.
The point is, as in all such systems, the people who can afford to buy things of literally any kind are better off while those who don’t have money seemingly have no choices. As such, inevitably, what you have is a self perpetuating system where those who have money give it to people who have even more money (middle class people supporting big business) in a lot of cases, though to be fair not all.Â
So, to get back to the original point, within this ‘Shopping Mall’ model even we ourselves are products. University for example is all about ‘Oh well do we want you? Are your grades good enough?’ In work, ‘Do we want you? Are your qualifications good enough?’ That of course is all on the surface, not to mention the fact that social capital is a thing, i.e. in the ‘Shopping Mall’ model you are given more ‘credit’ to ‘spend’ if people like you. Everything we do is about branding and image in some way or another.
At some point then, big business has manipulated us so that their branding becomes our branding. Created the latest ‘smartphone’? Well, obviously the best way to market that is use the carrier product of ‘people’ to advertise! In short, businesses have created a need in us for things we don’t really need.Â
I don’t want to make anyone too depressed so I want to wrap this up on a positive note. In a society where business is the driving force, ‘How are you different from your competitors?’ is the age old question.
Well, creatives are different because everything we make, in some way or another is unique. Even where sewing machines are employed to make dresses say, what sets a creative apart is we know our selling point is making things that are individual. Furthermore, everything we make is created out of passion and enthusiasm. Now, the people who are paid a matter of pence in India work very hard no doubt, but they only have to work the way they do because that’s what society demands. I am sure they’re not passionate about  what they do and often work in utterly appalling conditions. By introducing you to the model outlined above, we am hoping to create a paradigm shift by making people aware of the current situation so it can be changed.
In society as it is, everything is fast and has to happen instantaneously. This has led to what a lot of people call ‘information overload’ i.e. everyone, not just those with different brain wiring, are stressed by things going by too quickly. This almost invariably leads to a rise in mental health issues.Â
The fact is, the ‘capitalist machine’ as it could well be called doesn’t care about this, it only cares that there are people around to fuel it with money.
In contrast, what creatives are trying to do is to shift the paradigm back towards what I would call the ‘Market Place’ model. I.e. everyone has their own space, no one is jostling others out the way and while there may be rivalries even jealousies because let’s face it, no one’s perfect, the atmosphere is much better for everyone.
Granted, not all aspects of capitalism are bad. As I said, supermarkets are convenient and I suppose there are good things about traditional schools. Although having done more research now I find myself warming to the idea of ‘free schools’ as maybe if said ‘traditional’ schools are the product of an otherwise dysfunctional society, we do need more free schools to teach children and young people how to be true to themselves while also learning social norms. I.e. As an example of an early ‘free school’ Summerhill in Suffolk is said to be very good.
In summary then. the campaign we are setting up is called #StateYourWorth. We want creatives to talk openly about what they do, why they do it and how much it costs them/time involved. In doing this, we hope to give agency back to creatives. After all, far better to go into something knowing you’ve gotten all of the explanation about what you do etc out the way so people can make a purchase on the basis that they like what you’re selling as opposed to the fact you presented a good enough pitch. The fact is, creatives shouldn’t be bullied into not following their passions just because ‘it won’t work’. Society is what is dysfunctional, what you all do is great and fortunately with enough social pressure society can and does change. :)Â
Also, this is not just limited to UK creatives, everyone should get involved. If you’re not doing this already, let’s all start and if you are, great work, keep it up!
Let’s be the change we want to see. :)
*For a slightly less longwinded discussion see my husband’s post on our Wordpress too: http://independentleavescreativedreams.blogspot.co.uk/
