Capitalism has created a few new beasts to contend with. One of them is hustle culture: a culture where career comes first, and every aspect of your life is geared towards increasing profit and status. As an artist, I find that many of my peers are swept up in this mindset. They feel obligated to treat their personal art, their social media, their webpages, and their behavior all as possible avenues for profit. And in capitalism, profit equals survival.
As a result, folks are forced to prioritize art and products that are most palatable to their audiences. Some people also tailor the images they post, the way they speak, and the way they present themselves to be palatable to an audience. Their very identities become products that they present to audiences (especially online). This has the unfortunate result of someone changing themselves and their behavior to please others. And all this is in service of increasing engagement, creating profit, and surviving.
I've spoken to artists before who were afraid of drawing art that diverged from the art style they happened to use most often, because that style had become their brand. I've spoken to artists who didn't want to watch specific TV shows, because it wasn't part of their brand. I've even met someone who feared buying a jacket they liked, because they felt like it didn't exist in the internet's current perception of their brand.
Some of these behaviors hustle culture creates are excessive, and some work for survival. For example, adhering to a consistent posting schedule does increase engagement. And if someone makes their living off commissions, then there's a strong chance this is a necessary behavior for survival.
In these situations, these behaviors arise from the pressure of capitalism. We all have to survive in it, and we're all trying to do our best. We were indoctrinated into these mindsets at a young age, and are now primarily equipped with tools for work, branding, profit. When we try to rest, try to heal, and try to deprogram, we're often lost.
If we're not products, then who are we? That's a question everyone must try and answer for themselves.