Hello, thanks for stopping by and reading. This is my first journal on RB, so first I guess I should introduce how I got here.
I was put onto Redbubble a few years ago by a Couchsurfer friend Katja Foenss who has some wonderful pictures on here. I tried out a few different sites including Spreadshirt and Cafepress, and while I still have those accounts, the various problems with them all (e.g. pay for full access, different sites for Europe/America) led me to settle at Redbubble. Looking back, it feels like the right choice and I’m enjoying being here.
I’ve been quite quiet on the community front so far. It took me a long time to just get into submitting designs, mainly due to being busy with music & writing and only just discovering the magic of vectors last year (late I know!). Releasing my single I Believe In Dinosaurs led me to make a lot of the I Love Dinosaurs Tshirts which have been quite popular, and through that I set up the Dinosaurs group simply because there wasn’t one already. It’s not a huge group and I haven’t been too active myself – it’s main purpose so far has been a calling point for anyone uploading or looking for dinosaur designs, and I’m fine with that. However I recently selected some works as the group’s first features, and I hope to get more involved – both with the Dinosaurs group and simply commenting on the many many awesome works out there on Redbubble.
Lately I’ve been getting more adventurous and creative with my designs, even though they’re mostly very simply vector pieces. I’m still making lots of dinosaurs-related works (my friends think I am a bit obsessed), but they’re getting more imaginative and more fun – some of my recent favourites are the Streetfighter and Brachiosaurus/Giraffe designs.
I’ve also been encouraged to spend more time designing by the rapid sales of the Honey Badger Don’t Give A Shit Tshirt which has been very popular – huge thanks to everyone who has bought one of those (including the team of 13 people somewhere in Canada!).
Being a quiet member so far on RB meant I only found out about the Hipster Hitler kerfuffle recently. It’s not the kind of thing I want to get involved in – I’m certainly not going to go round works and groups getting angry about things – but having a keen interest in politics of all kinds, I felt I should comment on it.
The fact is, I’ve seen the works in question, and I’m staggered it’s caused the reaction it has. Yes, the cartoon and the works are distasteful, either a bit or a lot depending on who you are. But the claim that they “promote” the evils of the Nazi regime, and that Redbubble does too by complicity, is simply not true. What they do is make light (not fun, and there is a difference) of WW2 and the Holocaust. Obviously I’d expect anyone with a personal, emotional connection to either of these things to find the works unpleasant, but that’s all. There’s lots of things on Redbubble I find unpleasant which still have a right to be there.
A related issue was RB removing comments, journals and works that had been made in protest over RB’s stance on the HH works. As a general rule, that’s not cool at all – however, I’ve seen one of these designs, and I can see why Redbubble would feel the need to do this. Drawing a red bubble dressed as Hitler with a swastika in the background is quite simply missing the point (not to mention unimaginative).
As the bigger picture emerges, the outrage appears to be from a tiny and disproportionately vocal minority, and Redbubble appears to be taking a mature and measured approach to the situation. I won’t be going all out and declaring my love for the Hipster Hitler works, but I am glad Redbubble are keeping their heads and not acting in a reactionary way.
Also, a final note, you’ll note I’m not adding this journal entry to any groups! There was a lot of that a while ago and it’s nice to see the posting of unrelated and boastful journal entries has died down.
Anyway, back to the designing. And real life too, I should really get some lunch. Thanks for reading, especially if you got all the way down here.
Cheers
Jez
TatumWulff
http://firmspy.com/law-disorder/5613/exclusive-...
A law firm disagrees with you about making light of the holocaust is something to be accepted.
“Obviously I’d expect anyone with a personal, emotional connection to either of these things to find the works unpleasant, but that’s all. There’s lots of things on Redbubble I find unpleasant which still have a right to be there.”
Unpleasant ?? yes, the memories of the holocaust that some live with might be a tad unpleasant.
jezkemp:
Sigh. This whole thing has got way out of proportion, mostly by people who don’t understand and share hysterical mistruths.
There are lots of other things living people and their relatives would find unpleasant, it does not give them a monopoly on the events and figures of history. I’m sure “Chairman Meow” Tshirts would be very unpleasant to some, but that doesn’t mean they and everything like them should be banned. Mankind’s creativity would be reduced to a dot on a blank page, and a pressure group campaigning against the dot.
TextureoftheSin
I’m glad to see you are keeping it all in perspective, too.
jezkemp:
Indeed, and likewise :) Thanks for the favourite.
~ Ademac
@Jez………………my thoughts exactly
@TW……………….complete “red herring”. Fact is I and many others love this site and will defend their right to administer in what ever way they consider appropriate.
jezkemp:
Thanks very much Ademac :)
Matt Mawson
Agree with your stance on the HH kerfuffle.
jezkemp:
Thanks Matt, and thank you for saying so.
John De Bord ...
The thing is, it doesn’t really matter anymore what an Australian Law firm wants, as RB is now American owned and is an American company. As such, they fall under laws in the United States where freedom of speech reigns supreme. In other words, the content in question is protected. Also if you notice, this website is hosted by an American company; Amazon.
jezkemp:
Thanks for the info John, useful and interesting.
Matt Mawson
Following up on John’s post, RedBubble utilises an Amazon service on a “pay-as-you-go” basis (the same way I use the US-based Go Daddy to host my little website ). I couldn’t find anything about who owns RedBubble, but the domain is still registered to a Melbourne address.
Mitch Labuda
Suite 1, Level 3
180 Flinders Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Australia
“RedBubble Pty. Ltd.”
Pty. Ltd. ":A proprietary company is a form of corporation in Australia and South Africa that is either limited or unlimited. However, unlike a public company there are, depending on jurisdiction, restrictions on what they can and cannot do.
Matt Mawson
I can understand the objection to the use of the holocaust to make a dubious point, but I can’t understand why some of the most strident opponents of RedBubble and Hipster Hitler are using images of holocaust victims to make their own somewhat dubious point.
jezkemp:
I think the difference is Hipster Hitler isn’t on a mission.
Matt Mawson
Enjoyed your video, and I have something for your dinosaur group.
jezkemp:
Thanks, glad you liked it. Also big thanks for submitting to the Dinosaurs group – I’ve seen that design on here before, love it! The perils of time travel :)
billyboy
I think your views pretty much mirror mine… I`m not someone who hops on a soap box and yells about stuff. I`m kinda like feeling as adults we`re capable of picking and choosing what to take in and what to disregard in a society that is big enough to contain many different and varied points of view and visual and written content.
There are things going on around us all in virtually every community on earth that will cause some of its members stress… we live in countries that may very well be selling weapons to to people we feel are our enemies… we`re often in conflict with our neighbors towards the way in which our governments deal with asylum seekers and immigrants… we see things on TV which we feel should be banned from public view… and are totally shocked when we find one of our esteemed leaders in our society is involved in scandal that makes us wonder if there are indeed certain people who are above the law. Whew! Lots to think about and lots to stress over if we let it. Easy to let it all overwhelm us and go frikken NUTZ!
There are many things that I disagree with in the world that surrounds me, whether to do with the way my country is run, or the way the website that hosts my artwork conducts itself regarding certain issues.
But I`m no more likely to renounce my citizenship than leave the website cause in spite of the flaws, I feel what both have given me over the years is enough to make me happy to settle for the benefit of the doubt at least.
And ya know what? I`ll even go so far as to say I respect anyone who does allow the flaws to drive them nutz and feel compelled to leave. This IS a free community and nobody is being held against their will. Just as nobody in such a society has the right to inflict their views on others who choose not to let these issues destroy the fabric that attracted them in the first place and that continues to offer them freedom of expression.
I will not fight with anyone about this because I believe emphatically that to do so is counter productive and can never lead to a resolution which will satisfy both sides.
I am only worried that those who truly want to bring down this site may succeed and bring sadness and a feeling of loss to hundreds of thousands who are happy to live and let live.
Is this not exactly what they say is such a bad thing?
jezkemp:
Thank you billyboy, I must say I agree with you – your individual points and your overall sentiment. It’s also reassuring every time I see someone make a reasonable comment on this issue, as it reminds the vocal angry minority are not representative of the majority of people on RB.
Mel Brackstone...
I must admit I’ve written one or two journals about this issue, however I’ve decided I’ve nothing more to add, when it comes to writing more. I had to come in and see what Bill and the others had to say though. I’m so pleased to read your take on it! All the best!
jezkemp:
Thanks Mel. This was written a week ago which is a long time in Redbubble Hysteria Land.; in addition to HH, there is now another moral crusade being waged over a default setting on children’s clothes and designs which are “sick”, “perverted” etc. etc.
I’ve tried keeping my comments to a minimum, and I am holding back for now. Thankfully I think the forces of reason will win out and all the sound and fury will die down. But it immensely pisses me off that people can be so short-sighted as to launch a campaign of hate (oh the irony!) inside and outside against RB.
Thanks for saying hi, catch you soon :)
flame7
Yes well I disagree. and in response to anemac. I and many others also love (d) rb! And we also defend our right ro free speech, which is what rb advocates afterall. Whilst I don’t agree with the “so-called” hateful bmails (I never saw proof of them), I also don’t agree with people going into forum discussions and journals and being vile and attacking those that do have objections to this. Poor form in my opinion.