I really hope this is my last Etsy rant, but since I have had people being super happy for me that I get to re-open my store, I want to address it one more time.
I am actually still not going to re-open on Etsy. Yes, they changed their policy, yes, they made an announcement (a very sanctimonious one at that) about it, and yes, the cards have now changed or been removed. For that I am glad. However, those actions only came after the issue made it on to CNN and call me cynical, but I’m not fooled. They tried to get the fire to die down by a generic email response, shutting down threads fast and furiously, and blocking people of their facebook page all in the name of freedom of expression and “no censorship”. When that obviously didn’t work, they came up with yet another vague terms of use statement to cover what had already been covered by their previous terms of use statement. Never once in their statements or anywhere, do they ever address why they would not “censor” that particular shop or people supporting it, but were very ready to do so with any contrary voices. I am still blocked from their fan page, still have never received a response of any kind let alone the one promised from “a real person” in almost a month, and, until the greater media came in the picture, threads were continually being closed on Etsy under the guise of “calling out”. Maybe I am an idealist, but that is not how I wish to do business, not what I want my name under. When I partner with some one and make an agreement, I expect them to live up to it. I know this is not just Etsy’s problem but they claim to be “different”. They aren’t. Honestly, I know that there is a lot of hurting going on in the world, a lot of which I can and should be doing something about (that is an endless post in itself and is better in personal conversation). I know that this thing with Etsy is just a small pinprick and one that most people I know see differently. But, really I just don’t have the time. I am not the kind of person who is going to be linked to something like this and just let it go, I can’t. And when I am linked to it, it saps so much of my head space and energy that I let other really important things go. So I am still stepping back and letting go of my shop. Right now, I don’t like even seeing anything to do with Etsy so there isn’t much temptation to shop on there but that could change in the future kind of like the other places I choose to shop or not at. I actually feel a little embarrassed that this has been such a big deal to me but this was my creative outlet, something that I had dreams of building upon, and I loved the “community” of it so please don’t mind me if I mourn it just a little. I love the connection that the web has given me to so many people (including through my etsy store), but sometimes I wish that I could take the good, fun, easy stuff without the responsibility of awareness and the broadening of who my neighbor is. Yet, in my heart, I know that I don’t wish to give up the responsibility either.
Again, thanks for listening and thanks for caring. Not just about my etsy store, but about my life and learning.
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