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On the Subject of Raffles
12 years ago
This has been done before in recent days, but I'd like to offer my own lengthy opinion on the latest raffles, but I feel obliged to credit Resine and Ramzkun for the views that they've given also.
There's been a lot of interesting raffles going on recently and I'm sure you've all noticed them considering the amount of journals you've no doubt been inundated with. And when I say interesting, I don't exactly mean it in a positive way. It's much in the same way that the word "awesome" can also mean "terrible."
Now, to understand raffles as a phenomenon, we must first look into the basic concepts surrounding them. Roll with me here for a moment, as there'll be a much larger point to all of this. The idea of a raffle, at least as far as the FurAffinity variety goes, is a contest where you meet out a certain requirement list in order to get added to an ever-widening pool from which a winner, or sometimes winners, will be chosen in a (hopefully) random fashion.
I mention these requirements because they play a heavy role in the nature of the raffles they are a part of and their overall purpose. These requirements can range from watching, to pimping a journal, to writing up a post that answers questions, or simply making a comment in the thread of the raffle (and it's not limited to these either), and often a multiplicity of these aforementioned requirements will be put in place, such as doing all of the above.
Most of these raffles will require watching the raffle creator. It makes sense, in a way. If you've got vested interest in the raffle, you should have a vested interest in the raffle creator. Unfortunately, that 'should' only applies in name of art raffles. If an artist is doing an art raffle and they require you to watch them, I wouldn't fault them for that. If you want their free art, you should have an interest in said art you are attempting at getting for free.
That should go without saying. They're creating free art content on an art site with the goal of getting more interest in the content that they create. Art raffles, then, which produce more content in the name of the artist and then broadly in the name of the site, an important tool for which an artist can garner more interest in themselves and the content that they produce. They're just one of many tools that an artist can use to grab more attention, such as a kiriban. They key portion of this is that they produce content, thus they should get a pass.
But then you see other sorts of raffles. Money raffles. Console raffles. The list can go on. Anything can be made a raffle of, after all. However, in these cases, they do not directly produce more content in the name of an artist or an art site. They are a void space in which something offhand takes place that's not even relatively related from which the site's purpose originates from.
That is fine, however. Different strokes for all kinds of folks. Whatever. But what is not fine in these cases? Requiring a watch in order to enter these money (or whatever else have you) raffles. These watches are not gained because of the promise of content, more content, and content that the raffle entree will like because of past content you have created and future content you will create, one of those being the raffle.
No, you are requiring a watch for what amounts to nothing of progress. They are not because they like your art, they want to get some of your art, and they probably want to see more of your art. They are because you are offering them shiny that contributes nothing of value whatsoever to the site and its purpose, that being a community of content creators and those who enjoy more content. You are adding nothing of value and you are giving nothing of value, yet you are requiring them to watch you in spite of this, a nebulous idea at best that has one simple explanation.
No matter what you say or do, you are buying popularity that may not be deserved.
Thank you for reading this long rant.
There's been a lot of interesting raffles going on recently and I'm sure you've all noticed them considering the amount of journals you've no doubt been inundated with. And when I say interesting, I don't exactly mean it in a positive way. It's much in the same way that the word "awesome" can also mean "terrible."
Now, to understand raffles as a phenomenon, we must first look into the basic concepts surrounding them. Roll with me here for a moment, as there'll be a much larger point to all of this. The idea of a raffle, at least as far as the FurAffinity variety goes, is a contest where you meet out a certain requirement list in order to get added to an ever-widening pool from which a winner, or sometimes winners, will be chosen in a (hopefully) random fashion.
I mention these requirements because they play a heavy role in the nature of the raffles they are a part of and their overall purpose. These requirements can range from watching, to pimping a journal, to writing up a post that answers questions, or simply making a comment in the thread of the raffle (and it's not limited to these either), and often a multiplicity of these aforementioned requirements will be put in place, such as doing all of the above.
Most of these raffles will require watching the raffle creator. It makes sense, in a way. If you've got vested interest in the raffle, you should have a vested interest in the raffle creator. Unfortunately, that 'should' only applies in name of art raffles. If an artist is doing an art raffle and they require you to watch them, I wouldn't fault them for that. If you want their free art, you should have an interest in said art you are attempting at getting for free.
That should go without saying. They're creating free art content on an art site with the goal of getting more interest in the content that they create. Art raffles, then, which produce more content in the name of the artist and then broadly in the name of the site, an important tool for which an artist can garner more interest in themselves and the content that they produce. They're just one of many tools that an artist can use to grab more attention, such as a kiriban. They key portion of this is that they produce content, thus they should get a pass.
But then you see other sorts of raffles. Money raffles. Console raffles. The list can go on. Anything can be made a raffle of, after all. However, in these cases, they do not directly produce more content in the name of an artist or an art site. They are a void space in which something offhand takes place that's not even relatively related from which the site's purpose originates from.
That is fine, however. Different strokes for all kinds of folks. Whatever. But what is not fine in these cases? Requiring a watch in order to enter these money (or whatever else have you) raffles. These watches are not gained because of the promise of content, more content, and content that the raffle entree will like because of past content you have created and future content you will create, one of those being the raffle.
No, you are requiring a watch for what amounts to nothing of progress. They are not because they like your art, they want to get some of your art, and they probably want to see more of your art. They are because you are offering them shiny that contributes nothing of value whatsoever to the site and its purpose, that being a community of content creators and those who enjoy more content. You are adding nothing of value and you are giving nothing of value, yet you are requiring them to watch you in spite of this, a nebulous idea at best that has one simple explanation.
No matter what you say or do, you are buying popularity that may not be deserved.
Thank you for reading this long rant.
In a way, commissioners are content creators as well, just not directly. Through their monetary compensation, goods are produced by someone who's skill has been deemed worth the price. But in this case, they're not staying because of the commissions that have been bought and the more that will potentially be bought, but rather because the watchers have been purchased directly. It is indeed, "look at me and I'll give you stuff" but in the worst of ways possible.
I just don't understand how this sort of thing can be allowed. It shouldn't reasonably be allowed. For anyone that does think it should be allowed, I'll say to them that a system such as this might as well be created:
"Spend 25 dollars, and get 40 watchers!" "Spend 100 dollars and get 150 watchers!"
"But Nikki," I hear them say, "those watchers will most likely be chosen randomly through a computerized algorithmic program and the people won't consciously be choosing to watch them!"
To which I say, are they even consciously choosing to watch them now, or are they being coerced with exorbitant amount of money to do something they wouldn't normally do?
Eegad, I've gone on another rant.
My main problem with it is that you're buying attention. you may as well just go onto the street with a wad of cash and ask everyone you see passing by to stare at you for a minute for a chance to win it. And you know the sad thing? People would. It wouldn't matter who it was or why, they would do anything with a stranger just for some nice cash.
But I didn't enter. Because he's just buying people, figuratively. And people shouldn't ever be bought. And when I sat there, thinking about it long and hard after hearing the news of this raffle, I came to one conclusion: what does it say about me if I let myself get bought like that? What does it say about me if a price point can be put upon my head? Especially given that it's not even a price point that's guaranteed. You're not even being bought, then. You're groping at the mere, infinitesimal idea of being bought.
Though, by that same logic, there are hundred of people who sold themselves for such a small amount of money. I mean, sure, a thousand dollars but seriously, any decent job and you'd make that in a week or so. It's like saying your pride and dignity are only worth a week's salary and personally, I feel that you (and I) are worth far more. I suppose there's nothing we can really do though, other than try and laugh at the absurdity of it all or feel pity for those so taken in and yes, even for someone who's self-esteem is so pathetic that he has to buy people to make himself feel important.
I must say, talking to you is rather fascinating and enjoyable. :3
Then leave in the bit about watching them :P
It's my birthday in January and rather than just commission myself something I was thinking of holding a raffle, give a wee something back instead.
Was gonna ask a couple of artists if I can pay them for a slot basically and give it away.
But if I do the one and only requirement will be "Say you want to enter".
Nothing more.
Heck, I'd rather it be something people who already watch me can win than people jumping on board cos they heard it from someone else.
As for your idea, it's not a bad one at all. I was actually thinking of doing the same thing myself some time, with the key point being that the only requirement is that you say you want to join in. No forced watching me. No journal pimping. In this way, really, the only people who will see it are people who are watching you already or are just finding out about you, and, as we're both commissioners, that's who we should be rewarding.
I think it ought to be banned on FA. Just a huge mess waiting to happen.
But ya hit the nail on the head on this one. To be honest, I'd never even heard of the "watch me to get into the raffle" thing, y'know? I hadn't even heard of that.
Watchers are like commodities these days it seems
I need a filter for my FA journals now. I'd filter out "stream" and "raffle".. lol