Its all good. Just keeping the brain cells occupied.
Unfortunately, the discussion between TNT and I keep deviating from the original context.

Part of the thread went like this:
First he dismisses the proof I sent as immaterial;
"This videos are all about the fine art market and say nothing about art itself".
Putting that in perspective, Saying that the fine art market has nothing to do with art is saying A fish market has nothing to do with fish.
So I answered "That is illogical. Fine art and its market is the pinnacle of art in our present times".
Meaning at present, it is those sectors that are actually what's making the big moves in the art scene.

He ended with;
"If I were to apply the same criteria to music then some k-pop boy band would be considered the pinnacle of musical achievement."
To which I actually agree with him adding "that it why we have polarization of ideas".

His rebuttal was now a different angle as he now accuses me of thinking that "the market is the pinnacle".
and continued with "Selling art has nothing to do with the creation of art. Creation is the pinnacle."

So here we now are on a totally different railroad.
Its now the fish market has nothing to do with fishing, and etc.

I guess its my fault, just like the tiger, lion & donkey story, I continued to discuss something we would not really agree upon and kept following him in new rabbit holes.


Those aside,
Yes I am a commercial artist. I'm actually earning my bread producing monstrosities .
I'm also an old kid. I still notice and get awed by simple things so I get to live both sides of the coin. Art is my life. That is why it hurts me much to see the knowledge, skill, the art itself degenerating, instead of being encouraged to reach loftier goals.
I've seen its many faces and yes, not all of it is smiling and beautiful.

.

Misinterpretation is just one potential source of problems, and it doesn't have to result in hostility. The trouble is, as soon as insults start creeping in it can affect the whole mood of a thread, and when that happens, things that weren't meant to be offensive can be perceived as being offensive. And of course insults can provoke hostility and hostility can provoke more hostility. Some of the members here should remind themselves that it's possible to criticise without being insulting or provocative. This is a photography forum, not the delinquency section of a reform school.

On a more positive note, congratulations on starting another interesting thread and congratulations on doing a good job of stewarding it . There are those who think it should have run its course by page 3 - the funny thing is some of them are still here and actively involved in this thread (14 pages and counting). We can't claim that the whole 14 pages have had good content, but then again we shouldn't let the occasional bad example spoil an otherwise constructive exchange.

Misinterpretation is just one potential source of problems, and it doesn't have to result in hostility. The trouble is, as soon as insults start creeping in it can affect the whole mood of a thread, and when that happens, things that weren't meant to be offensive can be perceived as being offensive. And of course insults can provoke hostility and hostility can provoke more hostility. Some of the members here should remind themselves that it's possible to criticise without being insulting or provocative. This is a photography forum, not the delinquency section of a reform school.

On a more positive note, congratulations on starting another interesting thread and congratulations on doing a good job of stewarding it . There are those who think it should have run its course by page 3 - the funny thing is some of them are still here and actively involved in this thread (14 pages and counting). We can't claim that the whole 14 pages have had good content, but then again we shouldn't let the occasional bad example spoil an otherwise constructive exchange.