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On +Fav (after stigmata)
15 years ago
General
a while ago stigmata posted this journal, asking about people's views on favourites, and what giving and receiving them means in art communities. I think it's an interesting and worthwhile conversation to have about how we assign value to effort and creativity. I regretted not taking part in the conversation, but I had other things on my plate at the time. I return to thinking about the issue every time I submit a new drawing and it receives a few +favourites. In a separate conversation later, though, I ended up discussing favourites again, and I think what I wrote (talking to radioyeti about the problems of deviantart) sums up my general view:
That's why I personally loathe giving a +fav without commenting--however since I have very little energy to spare on comments** that ends up as me only +faving pictures that are gifts to me or that I've directly commissioned. I'm not trying to say that everyone should feel or act like I do, though of course I would love it if everyone who +fav'd commented too. I'm aware that commenting is more time & energy intensive than using the favourite button, which is why I often attempt to engage & respond with people who comment on my drawings. When it comes to favourites I don't feel the same emotional or intellectual obligation.
*I may be factually incorrect about this actually, I can't clearly remember if there was or wasn't some kind of +fav mechanism there
**I'm aware that this sounds like a terrible cop-out so in the interests of clarity I suffer from CFS, an immune disorder that leaves me with very little energy full stop, so I daily face choices like: write a comment OR do a drawing; go out on a walk today OR be able to climb stairs tomorrow
"well so before dA you have like, side7 and elfwood, I guess, those kind of things, and all of them share the same basic structure. If you want to communicate with someone about their work the main process is a manual one*. You have to spend time etc, and people only perceive that interaction when they're also on that page. We're interacting with each others' opinions, a drawing or whatever is starting a conversation, be it banal or enlightening.
Whereas the +favourite is a automated transfer of kudos, but one that's completely arbitrary in value. Some people might +fav every picture of a gnoll (a sort of D&D hyena man) they come across, for example, because they like gnolls. That +fav is clearly completely different in character from the +fav of someone who loves your linework, but both appear, because of the easy, crude mechanical device available, to be exactly the same. Whereas 'yay gnolls : )' and 'great linework!' are obviously distinguished.
More significantly, people's favourites show up on their page--so if I +fav I'm repping the artist--but even if I choose to randomise the display of my favourites, how many page views I get a day and how many things I +fav today affects the 'stock value' of each +fav I give. +fav is a kind of social currency that gives value to the (totally undefined) opinions of the popular, rather than the thoughtful or the kind, those willing to spend even a little time talking about the thoughts and emotions stirred in them by a creative effort, even if they just fucking love gnolls."That's why I personally loathe giving a +fav without commenting--however since I have very little energy to spare on comments** that ends up as me only +faving pictures that are gifts to me or that I've directly commissioned. I'm not trying to say that everyone should feel or act like I do, though of course I would love it if everyone who +fav'd commented too. I'm aware that commenting is more time & energy intensive than using the favourite button, which is why I often attempt to engage & respond with people who comment on my drawings. When it comes to favourites I don't feel the same emotional or intellectual obligation.
*I may be factually incorrect about this actually, I can't clearly remember if there was or wasn't some kind of +fav mechanism there
**I'm aware that this sounds like a terrible cop-out so in the interests of clarity I suffer from CFS, an immune disorder that leaves me with very little energy full stop, so I daily face choices like: write a comment OR do a drawing; go out on a walk today OR be able to climb stairs tomorrow
Then there's also the artists who never comment back on their work, ever, or indeed open up any form of dialog with their watchers/community (through posting of journals and such), and never leave comments themselves. I don't tend to comment on these artists because I tend to believe that it's their preference that I do not. The best example of this is on deviantart: artists have the option of actually disabling comments entirely for their work, and I know a few who have. There's an bit of a weirdness to posting work to what essentially amounts to a social site without making use of any of its social functions at all, but there you go.
Personally, a +fav is an easy way to say "I liked this, good job" (and it's honestly the best way of appreciating porn I have; I feel weird leaving things like 'mmm, sexy' or 'MURRPURRHURR ^.~'). But a comment is even better: it means I moved someone enough to make them break out of the inertia of being a passive viewer to have an opinion! That's how I operate on when I +fav comment myself. It's discouraging to see nothing but +favs in your inbox-- I really do appreciate comments more-- but only in the sense that I feel I haven't made an impression on my audience.
I guess it's interesting that when it comes to porn the intended effect is direct and obvious enough that there's really only two reasons to comment a) this picture was in some way successful; I am now aroused b) you're creepy/you can't draw a penis and you should feel bad ((RIGHT I KEEP FORGETTING YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO SEE THE PORN NOW. TIME PLAYS TRICKS))
"it means I moved someone enough to make them break out of the inertia of being a passive viewer to have an opinion!"right, this! exactly this, well put+observed. I guess I'm somewhat concerned that we might become more prone to passivity when an easier option is presented.
Actually, come to think of it, what makes me >:T more? To get a watch, and then never hear from that person again, like, ever. I was added for some reason, which is flattering, but then... what? You've got a point about social anxiety on the internet-- but then, that makes me think, perhaps that's also an issue on the end of people who +fav? That they don't feel comfortable actually entering dialog.
I WILL ALWAYS BE 12 TO YOUUU ;;_;;
Hmm well sadly that is unavoidable! Like many things, the +fav is really there for the convenience of the consumer/viewer than the artist, in a sense. :/
I like favouriting in the way that it helps publicize yours and others work, because people are often interested in what their friends or art heros like to look at. But at the same time, favouriting gets totally abused in people just clicking it for silly reasons. It's always an ego-booster though, I guess.
also, I fucking love gnolls.
FUCK YEAH GNOLLS
The same goes for watches too. When someone watches me I get pretty excited, only to find that the person is also watching 5000+ other users and has already watched 15 or so more users right after me. It's like a contest of 'who is watching the most people' rather than 'I like your artwork, I'm going to follow you and watch you develop!'
But I agree with what you're saying a lot. I like favourites, but I sort of feel under-appreciated when people just pass over and click a button rather than giving me a response.
I selfishly desire more entries from you!