Tim Kreider on Worthless Vocations
on Monday, January 13, 2014Tim Kreider Money Quotation saying in a New York Times Editorial that failure to pay for online work, artists are being insulted and devalued. Tim Kreider said:
“It isn’t right for people to tell us, over and over, that our vocation is worthless” — Tim Kreider
- The author argues that many websites and publications ask writers and artists to create content for free, without compensation
- He calls this practice of unpaid labor “contemptuous” and says it devalues creative work
- The author recounts his own experiences being asked to write for free over many years, despite the time and effort required
- He acknowledges the difficult economy but says unpaid work shouldn’t be considered normal or socially acceptable
- The author urges younger artists not to give away their work for free, as a matter of principle and to maintain the value of creative professions
- He provides a template response for declining unpaid work invitations politely but firmly
This quote is criticizing the practice of publications and websites repeatedly asking artists and writers to create work for no pay. By only offering “exposure” instead of compensation, it sends the message that creative work has no monetary value or worth.
The author argues this is unfair and discourages treating artistic vocations as something that can and should be done unpaid, as a hobby rather than a job.
The quote expresses that artists should not have to constantly hear from potential employers that their chosen career path is essentially worthless as a means of earning a living.