I have to create an IG account & I’m scared because the internet is just a mean shitty place w/ faceless people enjoying being shitty. And I’m talking to a lot of YOU too.

True Story: my FIRST nervous posting of my Art on Reddit was a few months back - on a sub for beginner artists - and the very 1st (and maybe only?) comment was. “This is Hideous”

On a sub for beginner artists. 😳

My first brave attempt to show off my nascent budding creativity as a beginner and some rando commented “This is Hideous”. But I kinda love my new artwork so I found a couple more niche better accepting subs that I most times fit in the specific parameters. And it was amazing. So much what my baby creative needed. I felt more creative and talented and happy than I had ever before in my life. And no selling, just making & loving them. Even as I was also dealing with/ life shit. Sadly, one of my favorites started removing my posts. Which, tbc, they were TOTALLY RIGHT/CORRECT in doing so to a couple , I could see how one post could be less Traditional Art & more Modern Art for instance-and maybe my enthusiasm needed to be calmed down. But then they removed about 10 and at least 6 of those posts were 💯 % Traditional Style & had been well received - and that kinda hurt because that sub had been one of 3/4 that were crucial to me feeling talented enough to keep trying to make stuff. And no one tore me down but often gave ideas & shocking encouragement. Still occasionally post there with specificity& ❤️but I am very tentative. 2 other subs are just as inspiring thankfully. Still now :) :) but am getting a lil annoying again apparently. And analytics suck showing my art post upvote ration. Sometimes it’s 88% and I’m a lil taken aback. In my head, a downvote means I painted something or named it something really offensive to me and most of us as modern society. Which I’ve haven’t really seen, so I don’t downvote 99.9% of posts.

(AI SLOP - I 100 percent do downvote. EDIT: I’ll stop. That’s hypocrisy. Now, who else can admit when they’re wrong?

Why is the internet like this? I agree w/ being removed if enough members report u as inappropriate. But why just downvote?

why take time to discourage someone or something? What do I not understand? And I’m someone who thrives on constructive criticism especially as my work is impressionistic.

I’ve havent been active on social media much. Yes FB at 1st, waaaaay back in 2000s then twitter & Reddit (10yrs ago but I lost password) but I wasn’t super active because DUDE. The internet is kinda a shitty place most the time. And loud. And I have ADHD & as Genx I grew up w/ tech but not until my 20s. I just have zero interest in the eager cruelty online. One word wrong, one misunderstood situation, one joke taken seriously & many online -not just trolls, a large percentage of users -likely some reading this) would gleefully attack & engineer your downfall & humiliation. And it was ALOT of you. Even me but that was in 2005 FB but I also learned differently on me too. I’ve heard it’s worse

It all kinda sucked. Still does.

All this to say is now I’m trying to see if I could make a living as an artist (still unemployed) and so @ very least I need an IG. And I am fucking terrified.

Edit: I have read a celeb who has a hobby to get into twitter fights and others that try to make up the most heinous or recycled story to see if people will believe it. People. Other humans, who I like, just do shit like that now? Why?

2nd Edit: if you think I’m talking about you in this post, I probably am.