#174: A Livelihood

There is something tragic about the Flappy Bird saga. The events and realities of it aren’t necessarily anything new but they showcase some of the darker sides of our industry.

The Hate

Things like Twitter and the short attention span culture that grows up around it have developed a mentality where it seems perfectly acceptable to tear apart other people or their work. Over the weekend I was disheartened to see so many people I know and admire passing judgement on someone they didn’t know based on 140 character messages. Guessing the motives of anyone other than your closest friends is a fools errand, and even for them it is usually a terrible idea (just ask my friends). People are complicated, fragile and valuable. Projecting into someone else’s situation and then passing degrees on how they respond isn’t nearly as productive as projecting yourself into their situation and trying to learn for yourself.

Words have meaning and I see no clearer example of