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First post in a while but I realised something.
so there's still a bunch of Harry Potter introspection pieces talking about direct action. Such as buying the books, going to watch the new show, going to the theme park etc. So many videos explain how bad J K Terfling is for many reasons, focussing on various angles such as harmful stereotypes, racism, ableism, illogical story beats etc. All say the same thing: author bad, don't support.
But what haven't I seen? Videos talking about the angle I want to explore and very much was involved in, the one about indirect promotion.
You see, for context, I used to work for a UK cable TV company. I don;'t know if we call them that in the UK, I know we used to, but I worked for one that is pretty big here. One of two anyway.
I was a sales agent. My job was to sell things. This included TV bundles such as movies, sports and full packages. So as you can imagine, I had to talk about what was on these bundles. You can guess where this going: they had the rights to distribute the Harry Potter movies. Not all the time but they had them a bit of the time. I should also add that this was way before she became a full-time TERF and broadcast her opinions. The very worst we had was wizards not needing a bathroom because they could vanish their poop. Hardly anything to indicate she was going to become what we know now.
Nonetheless I write this as I had a thought: I was not good at selling anything. I'm still not good at it. My morality makes me feel so guilty if I try. But I still had to mention at least a couple of things and guaranteed, i mentioned Harry Potter as it was more likely to be well-known. Just watch this, your kids can dream they are wizards or witches and fight Voldemort. Go on.
Did I mention i'm transitioning? I was then too but I stealthed largely as I felt it made life easier. So maybe a class traitor to the trans cause but sue me, I didn't feel I had much choice. Again I point out that we had no idea that she was grade A TERF material.
So, why bring this up? Aside from the fact that I've never seen anyone else discuss this? I do feel in part a little responsible for disseminating the world of Harry Potter and therefore more money to her wallet. I had to promote these movies as part a package to people who may never have watched it or used the bundle at all. It was unwilling as was much of my work there, to the point of terrible mental health. But nonetheless I was involved to a small degree. A small but noticeable degree.
Do i bring this up because I feel some sort of delayed guilt, a sense of duty to my fellow trams folks who are, like me, suffering because of progressive transgressive laws? The answer may be surprising but not really. I don't know if anyone would say I had a huge part to play but my thoughts are essentially: I worked for them. They are a big company and they wanted money. Easy way to get money? Sell bundles that have things everyone wants. What's big right now? Buy those films and have them in our bundles then sell them. We need people to sell these, hire as many as you can, now sell.
This is basically Capitalism 101 and like anyone I really really needed the job. Living under a capitalism hellscape means i have to sell parts of my soul to live. It's that phrase 'nothing ethical under capitalism'. I feel I did sell my soul, or part of it to simply just live. That job did stifle me. But in relation to the Harry Potter angle I don't feel guilt about it. That is because I and so many others had no idea this whole thing would turn. There were trans fans of the franchise I knew who still watched the films up until Terfling decided to open her mouth. None of us had any idea it was going to happen.
So, if I don't feel guilt, why talk about this? Because I think that there's some Chidi-esque hand-wringing going on STILL where people are insisting them keeping their old Harry Potter merch is fine as they do not give any more to her, or who add a vague acknowledgement to their youtube vdeo then talk about the francise. Or who write Harry Potter fanfic and call it marauders instead.
Those keeping their merch I can kinda understand, after all giving it away will only result in it hanging around like a bad smell. But those who still make a buck from it? Eh. I'm far less forgiving. It was different in my job where I had no choice but to sell it and that was way way before any of this. . It's something else to make this franchise your whole job, such as youtube. And I especially mean Youtube. This is where the fanchise still lives. Marauders fanfic writers are a lesser thing but.... I won't deny, I still give them the side eye.
So I am going to stop there. Basics are that if you have to sell anything in this miserable franchise, do what pays the the bills. If you continue to enjoy it and still promote it, then I really don't have time for you.
so there's still a bunch of Harry Potter introspection pieces talking about direct action. Such as buying the books, going to watch the new show, going to the theme park etc. So many videos explain how bad J K Terfling is for many reasons, focussing on various angles such as harmful stereotypes, racism, ableism, illogical story beats etc. All say the same thing: author bad, don't support.
But what haven't I seen? Videos talking about the angle I want to explore and very much was involved in, the one about indirect promotion.
You see, for context, I used to work for a UK cable TV company. I don;'t know if we call them that in the UK, I know we used to, but I worked for one that is pretty big here. One of two anyway.
I was a sales agent. My job was to sell things. This included TV bundles such as movies, sports and full packages. So as you can imagine, I had to talk about what was on these bundles. You can guess where this going: they had the rights to distribute the Harry Potter movies. Not all the time but they had them a bit of the time. I should also add that this was way before she became a full-time TERF and broadcast her opinions. The very worst we had was wizards not needing a bathroom because they could vanish their poop. Hardly anything to indicate she was going to become what we know now.
Nonetheless I write this as I had a thought: I was not good at selling anything. I'm still not good at it. My morality makes me feel so guilty if I try. But I still had to mention at least a couple of things and guaranteed, i mentioned Harry Potter as it was more likely to be well-known. Just watch this, your kids can dream they are wizards or witches and fight Voldemort. Go on.
Did I mention i'm transitioning? I was then too but I stealthed largely as I felt it made life easier. So maybe a class traitor to the trans cause but sue me, I didn't feel I had much choice. Again I point out that we had no idea that she was grade A TERF material.
So, why bring this up? Aside from the fact that I've never seen anyone else discuss this? I do feel in part a little responsible for disseminating the world of Harry Potter and therefore more money to her wallet. I had to promote these movies as part a package to people who may never have watched it or used the bundle at all. It was unwilling as was much of my work there, to the point of terrible mental health. But nonetheless I was involved to a small degree. A small but noticeable degree.
Do i bring this up because I feel some sort of delayed guilt, a sense of duty to my fellow trams folks who are, like me, suffering because of progressive transgressive laws? The answer may be surprising but not really. I don't know if anyone would say I had a huge part to play but my thoughts are essentially: I worked for them. They are a big company and they wanted money. Easy way to get money? Sell bundles that have things everyone wants. What's big right now? Buy those films and have them in our bundles then sell them. We need people to sell these, hire as many as you can, now sell.
This is basically Capitalism 101 and like anyone I really really needed the job. Living under a capitalism hellscape means i have to sell parts of my soul to live. It's that phrase 'nothing ethical under capitalism'. I feel I did sell my soul, or part of it to simply just live. That job did stifle me. But in relation to the Harry Potter angle I don't feel guilt about it. That is because I and so many others had no idea this whole thing would turn. There were trans fans of the franchise I knew who still watched the films up until Terfling decided to open her mouth. None of us had any idea it was going to happen.
So, if I don't feel guilt, why talk about this? Because I think that there's some Chidi-esque hand-wringing going on STILL where people are insisting them keeping their old Harry Potter merch is fine as they do not give any more to her, or who add a vague acknowledgement to their youtube vdeo then talk about the francise. Or who write Harry Potter fanfic and call it marauders instead.
Those keeping their merch I can kinda understand, after all giving it away will only result in it hanging around like a bad smell. But those who still make a buck from it? Eh. I'm far less forgiving. It was different in my job where I had no choice but to sell it and that was way way before any of this. . It's something else to make this franchise your whole job, such as youtube. And I especially mean Youtube. This is where the fanchise still lives. Marauders fanfic writers are a lesser thing but.... I won't deny, I still give them the side eye.
So I am going to stop there. Basics are that if you have to sell anything in this miserable franchise, do what pays the the bills. If you continue to enjoy it and still promote it, then I really don't have time for you.
