| rdfs:comment | - Creative jobs -- acting, writing, making music or films, etc -- are often seen by their fans as some kind of Utopian ideal; you're creating art, using your imagination, and are apparently freed from the nine-to-five wage slave grind. Writers, actors, voice actors and artists seem to have an edge over the rest of us; they're doing something they enjoy, something really creative, something that makes people happy. How could you not enjoy a job like that? Artist Disillusionment is against fans. Creator Backlash is against works. Examples of Artist Disillusionment include:
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| abstract | - Creative jobs -- acting, writing, making music or films, etc -- are often seen by their fans as some kind of Utopian ideal; you're creating art, using your imagination, and are apparently freed from the nine-to-five wage slave grind. Writers, actors, voice actors and artists seem to have an edge over the rest of us; they're doing something they enjoy, something really creative, something that makes people happy. How could you not enjoy a job like that? Oh, it's possible. Fact is, creative jobs remain just that: jobs. And while they can be fun and interesting, like any job -- people wouldn't be paid to do them otherwise -- they can also be draining; factor in deadlines, editing, Executive Meddling, rejection letters, failed auditions, tedious PR drives and, of course, the dreaded Fan Dumb, and it's apparent that there are things that can make what may have been a dream job seem more like a nightmare. Whilst many artists cope admirably with all of this, others can suffer and become quite disillusioned. Sometimes this can result in an Artist Disillusionment Farewell, where the character publicly ends his career - often with a heavy dose of Take That, Audience!. Sometimes, however, it's only temporary -- the artist might simply be having a bad day. Sometimes they might just be a bit shaken by their circumstances and surroundings; whilst some thrive in the limelight, others -- particularly more behind-the-scenes figures such as writers and directors -- may find being faced with crowds of fans and interviewers unsettling and nerve-wracking, which can make their mood sharper than it otherwise would be. In either case, meet them when they're in a better mood or in more comfortable circumstances, they're fine. True Artist Disillusionment is when the artist just isn't having any fun at all any more and is making no secret of that fact. They've given up being a Slave to PR, and as such are rude and dismissive in public appearances and interviews, snap the head off fans who manage to fray their one remaining nerve, and generally come across as a grouchy, impatient jackass. Their work may even begin to suffer. They just don't care anymore. And this lack of caring tends to express itself through insults towards their audience and fans. Over-familiarity can play a part; some artists have been doing their job for decades, which is easily long enough for boredom to kick in. They might be sick of all the Executive Meddling they have to face, or have achieved Protection From Editors to such a degree that anyone daring to raise a word of criticism is going to rub them up the wrong way. And sometimes the artist is just naturally a bit grouchy, intolerant and impatient, or is a Small Name, Big Ego type. All of which is going to make an unpleasant experience for the poor sap who happens to get on the wrong side of their temper. It's not all one-way, however; unfortunately, the artist's fans can play a not-insignificant role in their idol's disillusionment. There's a reason some of them are called 'Fan Dumb', after all -- too many obnoxious or arrogant fans can turn the artist off their fan-base entirely, fairly or not. Where the artist sees their creativity as just a job, the fan may see it as a holy way of life, which can create tension if the artist isn't treating the property as seriously as the fan would like. The fan may believe that their devotion to the product means that they have part or even full ownership over it, and if they have no hesitation upon bluntly expressing their views about it to the artist, this is going to grate even if the artist doesn't have Protection From Editors; the artist is the one who has to make the thing, after all. A Broken or Unpleasable Fanbase can also have this effect, since no matter what the artist does they're still going to have to listen to someone whine about it. In either case, Artist Disillusionment and Fan Disillusionment may have a circular relationship; the fan might suffer disillusionment after their idol was cruel or dismissive towards them, but the artist might have only been that way because they'd been disillusioned from having to deal with fifty obnoxious examples of Fan Dumb before them and had run out of patience. As a coping strategy, some artists adopt Alter Ego Acting to counter possible Artist Disillusionment. Others simply don't bother with public appearances and disappear from public scrutiny. May lead to Creator Breakdown or Creator Backlash. Artist Disillusionment is against fans. Creator Backlash is against works. Examples of Artist Disillusionment include:
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