Reasons I Don't Like Patreon, Part One

[rynling]

(1) I hate feeling as if fandom is filled with advertisements, like when people affix messaging such as "If you pay me you can get BONUS CONTENT!!1!" to every post they make.

(2) I hate feeling guilty for not "supporting artists" because I'm constantly bombarded with messages that I should be spending more money, as if being able to access the media that the fandom is based on isn't expensive enough.

(3) It's not a big deal to give one person a few dollars every month, but even small expenditures can add up quickly, and I hate having to choose between equally deserving people.

(4) I don't like the feeling that fandom should cost money and that people without money are barred from accessing certain parts of fandom as a result.

(5) Your friendship with someone shouldn't be dependent on how much you pay them each month.

(6) Putting up a paywall around access to community spaces feels really gross to me.

Comments

[lassarina]

I agree with all of this. I support some professional authors that I quite like on Patreon, and I wish I had enough to go around to support all my friends--not because I want their content locked, but because, you know, support.

I feel like I'm more okay with someone doing commissions to raise money for an event, rather than gating content behind a paywall? and yet, my own monetary situation is quite stable, so is that a function of my privilege? I dunno.