You Want Content? Pay for It!

Frank Swain writes and speaks about science. He also just wrote a scathing critique of TEDx, confronting them about their expectation that guest TEDx speakers perform for free.

This is a pet peeve of ours, especially given the recent controversies concerning unpaid internships in general, but particularly in the so-called art world. Check it out. Swain is right on.

But in the end it boils down to this: TEDx is just another organisation asking me to work for free.

Do I sound grouchy and cynical? Well, I suppose I am. I’m tired of being asked to work for free. I’m tired of the bullshit idea that exposure is somehow its own reward. I’m tired of the people who can afford to do it justifying this malignant trend.