Reasons I Don't Like Patreon, Part Two
Mar. 31st, 2019 10:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynlingI like when people use Patreon as a tip jar.
Some of the most talented and prolific webcomic artists and indie game developers I know do this. They’re like, “All of our content will always be free and open to everyone, but leave a dollar if the spirit moves you.” They then use the platform as something resembling a development blog, with all posts unlocked.
(If I were ever going to set up a Patreon – which I’m not – it would be like this, I think.)
What I don’t like is when people use “reward tiers” to incentivize people to give them more money each month. That’s gross capitalist bullshit, and it makes scrolling through your feed on Patreon distinctly unpleasant, like, YOU AREN’T RICH ENOUGH TO SEE THIS POST LOLOLOLOLOL.
I like when people use Patreon as a subscription service.
I support a few people who come out with a new set of postcards or LINE stickers every month, and they use Patreon as a way to distribute them. I also support a few people who do this with their zines and use Patreon’s option of charging supporters by “work” instead of by month.
(I’ve fantasized about doing this, because I love designing paper goods and sending things to people in the mail, but it also kind of seems like a full-time job.)
What I don’t like is when people use Patreon as a subscription service according to reward tiers. This can go wrong in two ways. First, if someone shows something cool to people in lower tiers but then says YOU’RE TOO POOR TO AFFORD THIS, IT’S ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH MONEY HAHAHA, that’s kind of shitty. Second, I’ve known people who say that they’ll send you their zines if you give them, like, $20 a month, but then they only come out with maybe one or two zines a year. I love zines, but there is no zine in the world that’s worth paying someone more than $100 on Patreon.
Basically, I hate capitalism. It’s not that I think independent creators don’t deserve support; rather, I think it’s disgusting how Patreon normalizes using exploitative methods to extract as much money as possible from people who want to support independent creators.
Some of the most talented and prolific webcomic artists and indie game developers I know do this. They’re like, “All of our content will always be free and open to everyone, but leave a dollar if the spirit moves you.” They then use the platform as something resembling a development blog, with all posts unlocked.
(If I were ever going to set up a Patreon – which I’m not – it would be like this, I think.)
What I don’t like is when people use “reward tiers” to incentivize people to give them more money each month. That’s gross capitalist bullshit, and it makes scrolling through your feed on Patreon distinctly unpleasant, like, YOU AREN’T RICH ENOUGH TO SEE THIS POST LOLOLOLOLOL.
I like when people use Patreon as a subscription service.
I support a few people who come out with a new set of postcards or LINE stickers every month, and they use Patreon as a way to distribute them. I also support a few people who do this with their zines and use Patreon’s option of charging supporters by “work” instead of by month.
(I’ve fantasized about doing this, because I love designing paper goods and sending things to people in the mail, but it also kind of seems like a full-time job.)
What I don’t like is when people use Patreon as a subscription service according to reward tiers. This can go wrong in two ways. First, if someone shows something cool to people in lower tiers but then says YOU’RE TOO POOR TO AFFORD THIS, IT’S ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH MONEY HAHAHA, that’s kind of shitty. Second, I’ve known people who say that they’ll send you their zines if you give them, like, $20 a month, but then they only come out with maybe one or two zines a year. I love zines, but there is no zine in the world that’s worth paying someone more than $100 on Patreon.
Basically, I hate capitalism. It’s not that I think independent creators don’t deserve support; rather, I think it’s disgusting how Patreon normalizes using exploitative methods to extract as much money as possible from people who want to support independent creators.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-02 02:19 am (UTC)...$240?! that's so much more than even mass market bludgeoning-weapon magazines!