It sounds like you're speaking out of frustration more than laying out the order of things. It seems to me that they've hired you as a writer - paying you what you call "ridiculous sums of money" - not to mess with you but because those who hired you aren't writers. They don't know better; this is where you come in. And you did come in: if your words are anything to go by, you did write some "AMAZING SHIT". From then on, there are two things that you might do. One is to consult the people who's changed the things you wrote on why you wrote what you did and why it's better than what it ended up as. This is a path of frustration, because now you have to explain 20+ years of experience to someone who's by far less skilled and expereinced in about five minutes or so, and it will not be a pleasant endeavour. If you care so much about your work, you might want to take it and, whatever the result, leave with the idea that at least you've tried. Or, you might come to realize that you've done your job - and beyond that, nothing is your responsibility. They can make it shitty; they can leave it as it is; hell, maybe it will just happen that they improve upon it. If there is something to learn from, you might want to do so, but after that, there's not much you can do about it - nor should you. You've been payed not to babysit someone but to write stuff; you did. That's it. You're done, and perhaps you've even done well with that, but that's as much as you have to do. Doing what one loves will probably entail a lot of stress - but not because other people are assholes or some other such shit. It will because those who do follow their dreams care about what they do and believe - with a degree of righteousness - that what they do is much better than what others might do. Just because someone pours Coca Cola over the amazing whisky that I've made doesn't make my work any less or the drink any worse - it just makes for a person who can't or doesn't want to have a refined taste for alcoholic beverages. And fuck tearing myself a new one over that poor schmuck: that isn't worth it. I'd rather enjoy the fact that I did good, no matter the result, because it's not the result that you're going to live with - it's your part in it.
Ya know what? You are absolutely correct. I was sold a bill of goods. "Follow your passion! Live your dream! Do what you love!" So I did. And then I saw the inept and uneducated destroy my work. That was a shock. They'd hired me to write beautiful things for them. So I did. And then they changed it! What?!? Why did you pay me to write it, then!?? Why did I pour my heart into this work?!? THAT's the real pisser here. I didn't get the second part of the "follow your bliss; then let that shit go." It sounds like you're speaking out of frustration...
That is the key element I am trying to get at with my post. When people pursue their passion, they also need to be able to let their work go. Do it, do it well, and then wash your hands of it. Don't think about it again. Because your beautiful work will be modified before it gets released.... and that's the part people don't talk about. And it still boggles my mind that this is worth $80k/year to people. Not that I'm complaining, or anything! It is nice to make good money for my work. While I agree completely with your sentiments here, I think there is a danger here, too. Elitism. Hipsterism. Clubbiness. There are people who appreciate refined things. Things of unique quality. Things of particular beauty. And these are not the people you will work with on a general basis. Because most people don't have that specific palate to taste the details in your whisky. They are the 90% of the population that they make Jack Daniels for. (The people who make Jack Daniels are not craftsmen, they are manufacturers following a formula and a process.) So... yeah. When we promote the "follow your bliss" story, we need to be intellectually honest with the people we are talking to, and let them know that there is an internal personal journey they need to go on at the same time. They need to learn to let go, to release their work into the wild, to learn that the work they create is going to be the base upon which others build. Not that they are a special snowflake, unique unto the universe. Or, you might come to realize that you've done your job - and beyond that, nothing is your responsibility.
You've been payed not to babysit someone but to write stuff; you did.
Just because someone pours Coca Cola over the amazing whisky that I've made doesn't make my work any less or the drink any worse - it just makes for a person who can't or doesn't want to have a refined taste for alcoholic beverages. And fuck tearing myself a new one over that poor schmuck: that isn't worth it. I'd rather enjoy the fact that I did good, no matter the result, because it's not the result that you're going to live with - it's your part in it.
I agree, and I also think that people should talk about it. It feels like things are being whitewashed for us in the world of comfort: we want the dream and the comfort that comes with it, but not the path and the work to get to it. We better talk about it. From your post, however, I've been getting a rather harsh vibe that doesn't belong to discussing "following your passion". Or, to phrase it better, I think that "following your passion" is a great idea - it's just that it has to be included into a bigger picture of work and what one does with their time and effort. Passion's nice, but there are going to be challenges and there are going to be unpleasant situations - sometimes so unpleasant that you would consider leaving the field of work. We better discuss this, but in a manner that includes both the good and the bad, and how those relate to each other and to other factors. Elitism. Hipsterism. Clubbiness. There is no danger unless you misapply your intent. To complain about people not appreciating the beauty of your work is hipsterish. To understand that not everyone might appreciate what you do to the extent you do is reasonable. Just because I make good stuff doesn't mean everyone will understand how good it is, and if they do, it's a blessing rather than deservance of any sort. Grasp that, and things will go smoother for you. Overall, I think "Follow your passion" is a good message, but it lacks the bit that will make it closer to reality: "Follow your passion despite the stumbles". On your way to where you want to be you will inevitably meet adversity of some sort, be it internal or external, and it's important to understand that the result will always be worth the work as long as what you do fulfills you. It's not to say "Drop everything and pursue this fuzzy irrational idea", of course; it is to say "Do good and feel good about it".When people pursue their passion, they also need to be able to let their work go. Do it, do it well, and then wash your hands of it. Don't think about it again. Because your beautiful work will be modified before it gets released.... and that's the part people don't talk about.
While I agree completely with your sentiments here, I think there is a danger here, too.
Yes. This is the core of the conversation that needs to be had. The deeper conversation behind the meme-like "follow your bliss", or whatever current platitude the meme makers are using today to mask the truth. :-) From your post, however, I've been getting a rather harsh vibe that doesn't belong to discussing "following your passion". Or, to phrase it better, I think that "following your passion" is a great idea - it's just that it has to be included into a bigger picture of work and what one does with their time and effort.