I recently watched a video essay by the talented Gabi Belle detailing the hate that female musicians have been getting (specifically Sabrina Carpenter) for their appearance over their art. It was an incredibly thoughtful and thorough essay and I recommend watching it on her YouTube channel.

Her video led me to two questions I will expand on here:

1. With the death of the monoculture, why are people on the internet taking the time to shit on things they dislike instead of finding their community?

2. Why can’t those freaks determine that if they don’t understand something, then it wasn’t made for them?

Let’s get started.

There are plenty of articles on this subject, so I’ll be brief. Prior to the internet, the population generally consumed the same media. There were limited radio stations, limited newspapers, limited channels on the television for much
of its life thus far. In the early days of the internet, there was limited access among the population. Therefore, many people were watching, reading, listening to the same things.

If you happened to be a person that didn’t consume the same media for whatever reason, it could feel isolating. There were still subcultures and fringe communities, but you had to search for them.

With the advent of streaming services, (practically) everything that ever was is at your fingertips. You are no longer limited by what’s on the radio, TV (if you even have cable), or the newspaper (if your town even has one). Therefore, culture has become fractured into an ever-expanding number of subcultures. Algorithms feed you what you like and have eradicated organic discovery. Celebrity is now a loose term with everyday people becoming “famous” in their respective communities and still maintaining anonymity in daily life. There literally is a community for everyone now somewhere on the internet.

Which begs the question: why are trolls wasting their valuable time shitting on someone or something that they don’t like, ruining a wonderful display of love and joy for art, instead of finding a community where they can talk about the things they do enjoy?

There is an argument for the value of discourse, but these are not music journalists, these are everyday people with out-of-touch opinions criticizing someone for how they look. The only thing criticizing someone’s style over substance does is prevent us from moving forward. Every moment someone has to stop and explain to you what’s going on is a moment where that person doesn’t get to enjoy the thing that someone else lovingly and painstakingly birthed from nothing.

Which leads me to my next point:

The title of Lola Young’s second studio album says it all: This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway. Lola Young is one of those artists that only comes around once in a lifetime. The first time I heard one of her songs on the Current, I thought, “Who the fuck is this? How dare they make music this good?” Clever songwriting, TIGHT musicianship, earworms for days.

For every Lola Young for me, there is a Wet Leg. I don’t get Wet Leg. Part of growing up for me is understanding that if I don’t like something, I can just shrug my shoulders and say, “I guess this wasn’t meant for me” and move on.

My department head in design school told me, “Artists make children, graphic designers make employees.” As a graphic designer, my job (usually) is to reach as many people as possible. More eyes equals more opportunities for businesses to grow.

As an artist and a musician, however, I’m making what I like. I don’t care if anyone else likes it because I didn’t make it for anyone else. I made it for me.

The issue is that there are too many mouth-breathers on the internet voicing their opinions when no one asked for them. Being an artist is hard enough already. The pay sucks, the hours are terrible, and we’re all fighting each other to get jobs or be seen. Every human knows that the hate has more staying power than the love. It legitimizes our irrational fears that we suck. So, why kick us when we’re already down?

I’ve self-released two albums and an EP. My monthly listener count tells me that no one is listening to me, but people are listening to Sabrina Carpenter and she is receiving accolades! I will say that she is not for me, but it is clear that she made something substantial with a group of talented people. And you would never guess that if you only read the comments surrounding the cover art of her new project.

The album art is just that: it’s art. It is part of the whole and is important to the feel of the album. There is a message there that means something to her and likely means something to someone else. However, the harshest criticism is coming from people who weren’t supposed to get it in the first place.

Because the monoculture is gone, so is the requirement to be palatable to as many people as possible to be successful. Everyone can find meaningful relationships and success somewhere on the internet. I’m not saying people should isolate themselves, I fervently mean the opposite. Google any one of your hobbies and you will find message boards full of like-minded people. And I do want people to reach out beyond what they know. All I am asking is that if you’re going to visit another culture, learn what it’s about before blindly tearing down what they have built.

Meaningful critiques are always welcome among artists. Without them, we can’t grow. Hate is harmful and reduces the number of people who try. I think the world is better when people try.

I Didn’t Make This For You