There's a difference between Capitalism and Commerce.

Pete Prodoehl 🍕

"Commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services, and humans have been doing that for a long time, long before capitalism existed. Capitalism is an economic system that relies on exploitation to function."

So how do people feel about Commerce on the Fediverse?

Michael | Graphic Designer

@rasterweb I think we need to build commerce on this network.

The only way to fight back against all these terrible companies is to give people a different alternative.

Urzl

@rasterweb I think segregating your personal from your business with either separate accounts or hashtagging is likely sufficient for my purposes. I retain the ability to curate my feed without censoring people into oblivion.

It's not even that I hate the ads or advertisers per se, it's that oppressively inescapable ads become self defeating by driving me off the platform. I don't hang around here actively looking for new ways to spend money, that's not what I'm here for.

Alpenglow Industries

@rasterweb Every small business and independent creator, consultant, contractor, or side-hustler needs a social network in order to let people know they exist. Whether we like it or not, we have to talk about ourselves and let people know what we’re doing - it’s the gateway into someone visiting our website or signing up for a newsletter. Most days it’s a desperate scramble to make a sustainable income. 🧵

Alpenglow Industries

@rasterweb The great thing about the fediverse is that you really can choose who you see so much more than in other places. So if a biz or person is doing more selly things than you like, it’s easy to unfollow. I personally try to post a mix of useful things plus interesting things plus selly things because I think social media should be a two-way relationship.

But I literally cannot afford to NOT tell people that I also sell things, and how they can support me.

int%rmitt]nt sig^al. ...~!...)

@rasterweb I'm good with people hawking their personal wares and FOSS ware etc., but draw the line at corp. product promos and such.

Pete Prodoehl 🍕

@alpenglow 100%... I had set up a Fediverse account for my own business on a server that has since disappeared (oops!) but I wanted to keep it separate from my own account.

I don't want corporate brands here but for small indie people/businesses (artists, makers, etc.) I love seeing what they do and I think those folks (you included!) walk a fine line of being good netizens and not being annoying advertising.

But yes, the "choosing not to follow" is a huge pro on the Fediverse!

Pete Prodoehl 🍕

@alpenglow For myself I publish blog posts about the things I make in the hopes people find them and get in touch about a project... and this has happened!

I just did a project for a woman who is starting a business and of my weird projects was exactly what she needed...

This is rare though, and if I had to survive on that alone I would surely perish.

Alpenglow Industries

@rasterweb Yeah, the choice to separate or not is a tough one and different for different people. For me, it came down to the bare truth that I am my business. My business isn’t all of me, but when I spend 95% of my waking minutes working on it and thinking about it, that’s what I’m going to post under. My name is in the profile, it’s super easy to find out more about me, I’m not worried about being faceless. And I’ll just post an occasional cat photo here anyway.

Pete Prodoehl 🍕

@alpenglow In case you didn't know I do think you're awesome and what you do is awesome.

And yes, I think *you* are the business, to some degree, and you engage, boost good stuff, and have never crossed the line into crass commercialism.

Cheers! Keep up the good work.