Why Are Modern Creatives So Phoney?

On authenticity, commodification, and exploitation in the modern creative scene.

Earlier this year on social media, a flurry of netizens took to social media to voice their discontent with the UK creative scene, complaining that it’s full of pretentious, cocky, over-hyped cliques. And this isn’t just a UK problem, the same issue can be seen across the globe. US influencers and podcasters are always talking cryptically about the so-called ‘gatekeepers’ who control access to opportunities in Hollywood and what some people have to do to get in. Often times, resulting in sexual coercion or pressure to engage in substance abuse to ‘fit in.’

But when did creativity become synonymous with sex, drugs, and fame? Sure, you can easily date it back to the psychedelic art-nouveau inspired 60’s, crack-powered 80’s, or the James-Brown-sensual early 20th century jazz and blues. The ‘creative’ scene has clearly been a mess for decades. So, the real question isn’t when, but why is the creative scene so phoney? And the answer can be found in “Letters to a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke.

What made me even pick up the book in the first place was a strange review I stumbled upon. A reader had commented, “this book convinced me not to join art as a field… and I love it for that.” It confused and intrigued me at the same time. What was in a 100-ish page novel that would make someone give up their love for art and still appreciate the book instead of hate it? I had to read it for myself, and what I found helps draw some striking conclusions as to why the creative scene is what it is today — commodified and inauthentic.

The book itself turned out not to be a book but a series of letters from an established poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, to Franz Xaver Kappus an aspiring poet who was asking for advice. If you were to translate it into modern terms, this is what the creative industry is supposed to function as, a space to network both upwards and downwards and connect with likeminded individuals. And in this case, Franz was basically trying to gain some advice from someone established in the industry he was trying to get into — poetry.

Now Franz, was not confident about his work or abilities as a poet and in his first letter to Rainer sent a copy of one of his poems and asked for his opinion on it. In the corresponding letter Rainer says, “You ask whether your verses are good…now let me ask you to give up all that.” What he’s saying is that, he doesn’t even need to read Franz’s poem to know he went about it the wrong way. Franz clearly had other peoples opinions in mind as he was writing it. Imagine, trying to work, while a teacher is peering over your shoulder the whole time. You’re going to be too nervous to make mistakes, experiment or try new things, you're going to do what you think they want you to do. You’re not going to be yourself.

This is what is currently happening in the modern creative scene. Creatives are doing things that they know others will like, or what’s popular at the moment. They are following, and naturally fall into a position where they look for a leader. Unfortunately, these so-called ‘leaders/pioneers’ at the forefront of the creative industry aren’t always good people. They’ll abuse the power you give them the second they get the chance. They make the creative scene what it is, because we allow them to set the rules. Younger creatives seeking that co-sign, support, mentorship just for the sake of the benefits that come with being associated with someone more popular or more established than them. It’s not for the art, and it’s not about the art — it’s for the acclaim that comes with it. The sex, the fame, and money that comes with it. And so, the creative scene that is meant to be a place for honest networking now becomes a breeding ground for exploitation and commodification. And the byproduct, is that we get phoney and lousy art that’s just trying to make the quickest buck, or generate the most buzz.

Rainer’s advice in the letter, goes on to elaborate on how true art is beyond the depths of critique, opinion, validation, or of categorising them as good or bad. True art, as far as Rainer is concerned, is a solitary experience where one pours out their soul, their personal thoughts and reflections. Your creative expression does not need validation by analytics, popularity, and opinion. It’s amazing how these letters written in the 20th century still apply in this day and age, where a lot of creatives now are having to shape their art to fit popular trends. Prioritising marketing, monetisation and sales above their art. But as Rainer suggests, when we start doing that, limiting our work to be defined by opinions, trends and popular culture, then art starts becoming something else other than art, and something more like a commodity.

Rainer offers some practical advice to Franz. “Go into yourself. Examine the reason that bids you to write; check whether it reaches its roots into the deepest region of your heart, admit to yourself whether you would die if it should be denied you write.” Whatever type of creative you are, whether it be writer, photographer, designer, etc; ask yourself, without the money, without the acclaim, just purely out of your love for it, would you still want to be a creative? Because of this, I could understand the reason why the strange reviewer gave up on pursuing art. Maybe they realised they didn’t have a passion for it and were just driven to pursue it for disingenuous reasons.

This particular sentiment, reminds me of Angie Martinez’ interview with Tems where she spoke about her earnest passion for music saying, “I’m not doing what I do to be number one…because that’s not what makes me happy, I would rather not be number one…than to having to keep up appearances…like if I get to number one sure, but that’s not why I’m doing music, like in my last interview I said I would die for this that’s what I mean…I don’t mind loosing number one as long as I get to keep my passion and my outlet…so If I can’t be true to myself then it’s not worth it to me.”

You can tell from a mile away when someone is pandering to certain trends or marketing just for profits, Blake Lively and ‘It Ends with Us’ is perfect example of this. Genuine intention and passion is so important and is what is lacking in the creative industry currently. Most of what we have now is kitsch, and so a lot of us are looking to the past for inspiration, hence the resurgence of y2k, indie-alt, sportswear fashion, but I digress.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the idea of trends is bad, every period in history has had their own popular zeitgeist of sorts, and hopping on a trend may lead to an opportunity to monetise your work and, in truth, keep the lights on. But being able to recognise how it could taint art, from an honest and personal way of expression, to nothing but an exploitative marketing tool is also important. Take the ‘minimalistic trend’ for example, for some it could be their genuine preferred lifestyle or aesthetic, but to others it’s just a popular trend that spikes their post analytics and when the next trend comes along they’ll abandon it. So, when the industry encourages creatives to exploit other creatives and to taint their work with fleeting popular opinions, and analytics, everything starts to look the same, there is no individuality — everything and everyone is phoney.