Selling Out

[Arkham Noir]

Selling out is one of those things that is seriously looked down upon and people seem to be dead set on avoiding doing it . Whether it be music, acting, or even wrestling, selling out seems to be akin to betrayal. So my question is : why?

I've been up and down on this topic for years. Is selling out really worth it? On one hand, you can "stay true to yourself" , but there is a little fact people seem to forget. All of these professions are in the entertainment indusrty and are about MAKING MONEY.I've come to despise those people who say look down on someone and say "you sold out" like they have some moral superiority. Do they realize that this is how people make money, how they earn a living. Isn't the goal with most jobs to make as much money as possible? I remember watching an interview with a band called "The Gaslight Anthem" and they were talking about how all these bands brag about how they don't sell out to big labels and continue to play in their basments. His response to the whole idea was that why would you want to keep playing for minimal money and can barely eat just so you can say "I'm true to myself". It doesn't make any sense.

There are varying degrees of how bad selling out can be, but I think that trying to act like selling out is a sin is a rather pathetic act by fans or critics . It's business at the end of the day.

So I'll ask you this:

--Is selling out something that should be taken so personally by people?

--Why do you think selling out is frowned upon by people in general?

--Do you think selling out is wrong? and if so why?

Feel free to answer the first two questions together.

 

[Loveless]

You know, some people don't actually work because they want money. Artists in particular.

--Is selling out something that should be taken so personally by people?

Selling your integrity and principles in order to earn money is sad. I have very little respect for someone who prioritises money over... well, anything.

--Why do you think selling out is frowned upon by people in general?

Think I just answered that. So many people wish they could sing or create something so for them to see someone with actual talent waste it by appealing to the lowest common denominator is angering and it shows a lack of personal respect.

--Do you think selling out is wrong? and if so why?

Well clearly I do and I've explained why. Self-respect is far more important to me than money, which I really don't care for.

 

[Tequila Dave]

In the case of music, there are certain conformity resenting individuals (I believe they’re called ‘hipsters&#8217 who are drawn to unknown indie bands due to the fact they’re not mainstream. These people love these bands as they believe they’re not conforming to the norm by listening to them. They invest trust into these bands and develop a connection with them, believing they too resent all things ‘mainstream.’ Now, when these bands are signed to a big company and ‘sell out,’ their original fans that loved them due to their low status feel betrayed, these bands are not like them at all, they are mainstream now. Their old fans can’t comprehend this idea and lash out, rejecting the band from now on, depicting ‘sell outs’ negatively. This concept can also be applied to acting and wrestling. Now, I know that was a tad bit dramatic, but it’s the basic concept, and it’s why selling out is frowned upon.

Should selling out be considered personally? Not at all. Indie bands, actors, and wrestlers don’t promise their fanbases that they will remain unknown. These people flock to them, but it’s not their choice. Loyalty to these fans (that the ‘sell out’ had no control over) is not worth not capitalizing on their abilities and making money. At the end of the day, if the fans stop liking them due to the fact they’re mainstream, they’re shallow fans.

I personally have no problem with indie stars selling out, it’s the natural progression of things. I know I’d do it.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Sellouts only piss me off if they're hypocritical. The best example in recent times would be Good Charlotte. Their biggest hit from their second album, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," was really nothing more than a rant about how detestable the Hollywood lifestyle is. However, after this song propelled them to overnight success, the Madden brothers started dating the likes of Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Hilary Duff. Furthermore, they're now nothing more than pop-rock ***** who probably have their songs written for them by The Matrix (not that they were any good to begin...their music was quite shit, but I still find their transformation so remarkable because of how staunchly anti-conformist they seemed).

On the other hand, there are artists/musicians out there who make a name for themselves by being great and innovative. Green Day, for example, is sometimes vilified for being sell-outs, but why should they be? They're great musicians and, to the best of my knowledge, they've never once proclaimed how much they hate major record labels and how they would rather live on fans' living room floors for the rest of their lives than have an A&R suit look after them.

Listen, nothing in fandom feels better than loving and supporting an individual/group from the beginning, but that doesn't mean we should stop liking them once they become more appealing to others.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

So I'll ask you this:

--Is selling out something that should be taken so personally by people?

--Why do you think selling out is frowned upon by people in general?

--Do you think selling out is wrong? and if so why?

Feel free to answer the first two questions together.

Absolutely not. It can aggravate you in the situation that Tdigs put forth up above, understandable, but in general, you sign a record deal to make money, hello. Fuck all that for the art shit, if that were the case, why even sign with a record company? Sure, some people will continue to do things their own way, and remain counter culture, and thats cool. For the most part though, people are trying to "make it big" IE fame, fortune, all that. For instance, I was a HUGE fan of 50 Cent back when he was underground, and just putting out his first major record after signing to Aftermath. He developed into some sort of quasi R&B singer later, and while I detest his music now, im not mad about it. Uh, hello, the guy was a fucking drug dealer. His goal in life is to make as much money as possible, so that was the idea from the beginning. So whatever.

People take it personally becuase they hate it when people like what they like. They like to feel smarter than everyone else. Many people have very, very low self esteem, so, it makes sense. For a small few, it could legit be just becuase they enjoyed the work befoe it changed, but if that were the case, they likely wouldnt take it "personally" per se.

No, not at all, as long as you arent sacrificing your personal beleifs of convictions.

 

[Ultra Awesome]

--Is selling out something that should be taken so personally by people?

Depends who you're asking. I can see why some people would view it to be something that is unnacceptable or completely ridiculous. However, the fact of the matter is, that in the end, it all lies on what the said person that is beign considered a "sell-out" wants to do.

The world revolves around money. So what if you're an artist and people call you a sell-out? As long as you stick to what you believe and do what it takes to get what you want, then it should not matter what others think. What you see as right, becomes the reality that you live in. And if the reality that you live in calls for you to get the money, then that is what you should do.

--Why do you think selling out is frowned upon by people in general?

From a psychological stand point: A meme. People are so used to seeing sell-outs being frowned upon that such reality becomes a meme and spreads rapidly throughout the people. Thus, once more and more people start to frown against those that "sell-out", the term: monkey see, monkey do applies. If one person views selling-out to be wrong, then so too will another, thus spreading the virus that consumes these people--each time, the virus spreads until most will begin to see selling out as wrong.

--Do you think selling out is wrong? and if so why?

Nah. People are free to do what they will. I'm not going to stop them and neither should anyone else. Just because people dislike the fact that these people are "selling out" should make no difference to the "sell-out." In the end, the supposad "sell-out" is only doing what he needs to get the money. And if he wants to sell-out, then fuck it.

 

[Richard]

I agree with tdigle.

In music, there is this massive trend of people being drawn towards indie, unknown bands, which annoys me but that's not the point. I hate it when bands sign onto a major label and then all their fans turn on them and start hating on them saying they sold out, but when you look at it, did they truley sell out? If you like how a band used to sound, then listen to the old stuff only, don't complain.

Does anyone who plays music truely dream about playing infront of possibly 100 people at bars? No, they dream about massive stadium rock shows, singing and holding the microphone out to a massive crowd etc

Just like Awesome Kong in signing with WWE, some people could say she sold out by going to WWE, but I say, no she just got her dream job.

In terms of normal, mundane jobs, if I was offered enough money by a company who didn't represent my morals and views on things, I still think I would take it because at the end of the day, you have to make money and I do want a family so you have to provide for your wife and kids to have a comfortable life because as sad as it is, the world revolves around money. You need money to live.

 

[El Rev sXe]

"It's about making money". Who are you? Gene Simmons? If you do any kind of art (music, acting, painting, writing et...) and you are so shallow that you do it only because it is an "easy way" of making money. Then I don't respect you, but at least you're not being hypocrite.

However, not everything is about money. There are people out there with integrity, outside of music outside of wrestling. Look ate some revolutions, look at some of the totalitarian states, there are people who ain't going to sell out. No matter what could happen to them, no matter how many blackmails, no matter how much bribery they can offer/warned, they won't just sell out. They don't have fear, fear of waht could happen nor fear of failure. Corroption on the human being it's so easy especially when it's about money. Ther are exceptions in everything, and there are people out there who are the exception and know that money isn't everything in life and that integrity means everything for a invidual.

 

[Calderownz]

So I'll ask you this:

--Is selling out something that should be taken so personally by people?

--Why do you think selling out is frowned upon by people in general?

--Do you think selling out is wrong? and if so why?

Feel free to answer the first two questions together.

1. This is a trick question, really. Because, no matter what a music group does, for example, it's considered selling out by certain people if this hypothetical move involves more fame/notoriety.

Some fans want to keep their groups small, almost a secret. They love that this music is for them and no one else, they feel. Then, once the generic public catches on, they feel as if the group has somehow sold out. Simply trying to MAKE MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY.

I remember listening to a song that I had loved for such a long time. It was recently in a movie and many people had learned of it due to the movie. This was on Youtube. Fans, in the comments section, actually said things like, "I hate that people found out about the song because of the movie."

Why would you care? They're getting money to live with that happening and more fans so they can keep making music. What a horrible, idiotic thing to say.

Those types of "fans" are usually the snobby type that think music needs to stay "pure." Please, shut your douche bag mouths. It's incredibly annoying. Loving music is loving music. Nothing more pure than that.

2. Read above.

3. If you're literally selling out, changing your music JUST for acceptance, then it's not wrong. But, I probably won't like it. I can't call it wrong, because I'm not the one that has to support that artists family.

However, if you're simply trying to take the next steps to advance your career, gain a bigger audience and round out your artistic palette, nothing wrong with that.