A Tax on Wit

While in a meeting with fellow musicians, the topic of social media came up. I found myself saying, "artists are what make social media interesting." At the time, it was merely a way of blowing our collective trumpet. 

Then I thought of the power of boycotts. What if all of the artists pulled out of social media? It would be a vapid place. Zuckerburg's pocketbook would go down. The value of the enterprise rests on us, the artists and the people. 

Hasn't Zuckerburg, while watching the online empire grow, unintentionally put a small "wit" tax on us all? Facebook convinces us we are witty, sharing our opinions, pictures and quips. And who is making a proverbial penny off every post? 

With this realization my inner Proletariat reeled like the guy in the Caravaggio painting when he touches a snake, and proclaimed, I shall not be taxed. Zuckerburg isn't going to make a dime off of my wit and creativity. 

To that end, I am off Facebook. Correlation is not causation but I am happy to report I am being more productive than I have ever been on my goals in music and art, not concerning myself with my next scheduled post. 

Not without function, social media has at times helped me kill time, stay sane, share news, and stay up to date, get fans and customers, or maybe just a little ego boost.

Yet ponder for a moment the sheer amount of time you have spent on social media in the last day, week, month, year, or decade.

I am enjoying my experiment of making Zuckerburg 2 pennies less rich by withholding my participation in the centrifuge. I might even keep the penny for my thoughts. Care to join me?