Tim Kreider on Working For Free
on Friday, January 10, 2014Tim Kreider Money Quotation from New York Times editorial saying working for ‘exposure’ is still working for nothing and writers should stop working free. Tim Kreider said:
“Money is … how our culture defines value, and being told that what you do is of no value … is … demoralizing” — Tim Kreider
In this quote, the author is arguing that monetary compensation is an important way that our society and culture determines the value and worth of people’s work and vocations. He says that when artists are constantly told their work is worth creating for “free” or no pay, this sends the message that their creative labor has no economic or social value.
The author describes such a situation as “demoralizing”, because it undermines artists’ sense of dignity and self-worth in their profession when their work is treated as having no monetary worth or importance.
The quote emphasizes that payment is not just a practical necessity, but also a symbolic way for creators to feel that what they do has true value in the eyes of those benefitting from their work.