Don’t have access here so don’t know who’s being quoted but this attitude is really unhelpful. If it is going to be ‘impossible to make a living’ then it’s not passion that will get you through - it’s access to private wealth. This must be resisted. https://twitter.com/domcavendish/status/1276829877484879873

Economic barriers do not erect themselves because you are insufficiently passionate. Economic barriers are erected by industry gatekeepers with a vested interest in propagating the myth that ‘passion’ legitimises exploitation & if you resist that then it’s your issue, not theirs.

I am so done with this attitude that if you do not manage to overcome the massive structural issues with representation & accessibility in this industry than that is a personal failing because you were not passionate enough. All the passion in the world doesn’t pay bills.

And weaponising people’s hopes and dreams against them in this way is disgusting. Ascribing collective problems to individual insufficieny is disgusting.

Pay people properly and then we’ll talk about ‘passion’ - because it’s a lot easier to be passionate about what you do when you’re not panicking about paying the bills and feeding your kids. And it’s a lot easier for arseholes to exploit you when you’re desperate.

And also hello we’re in a global pandemic?? Maybe now is not the time to talk about ‘passion’ when people are grieving, frightened, fighting to save the industry, surviving on scraps from the state in the form of UC or SEISS or working in supermarkets etc??

Maybe now is the time to support each other, look after each other, get involved in campaigns & lobbying efforts?? Maybe understand that people are desperate & frightened so ‘passion’ might be in pretty short supply, and our people cannot be blamed for that?? I mean REALLY.

GOD this has wound me up.

Important additional point - economic barriers are also a consequence of a sector hobbled by insufficient state investment. We need, deserve & must fight for more investment for our work.