Selling Out? Nonsense!
The term "selling out" has always given me pause..... or more descriptively, has turned my crank the wrong way. If a rock and roll artist wants to capitalize on the hip hop craze, we say he's selling out. He's trying to reach the masses that are no longer quite as enamored of rock. If a 'high brow' artist, who's never sold a painting, is employed by a comic book publishing house, we say she's selling out. She could have been the next Picasso, they say. So what does 'selling out' mean? From my perspective, the term suggests that rather than stay true to one's calling, whatever that may be interpreted as, one decides no longer to be a starving artist, but actually do something to earn a living. To put food on the table. Go figure. The implication I suppose, is that passion and true calling are noble, and making money is somehow beneath them. Well, I say there is nothing noble about renting a tiny basement room in a stranger's house while waiting for your novel to become ingrained in the public consciousness. And another thing I noticed.... it seems only to apply to those in the performing or fine arts--the writers, composers, musicians, painters, actors, singers, caricaturists.... it's never the doctors, lawyers, or software engineers. You never heard someone say "I am so ashamed of my son. He became a Wall Street broker and now he makes a million dollars a year. What a sell out! He could have been anything, and he settled for money!" Look, people, nothing is wrong with money honestly earned. Do what you want insofar as you are able, pursue your passions, but remember Maslow's heirarchy..... you can't really aspire to self-actualization when your stomach is rumbling.