We are constantly bombarded by media. There is always new music, new movies, new shows, new advertising campaigns, etc. It can feel overwhelming to filter through all of the content, and even more overwhelming to discern what is worth your time. It took me a long time to realize how important it is to monitor the media you consume every day.

Recently there have been discussions about conscious media consumption sparked on social media. I was startled by the number of people who are comfortable supporting the work of an artist despite their possible illegal and immoral actions, and it made me curious. Curious as to how hard it would be to manage the media I consumed. Believe it or not, it was easier than I could have imagined. So I started on Spotify and Pandora, I deleted any and all stations that involved musicians I believe to be harmful. I unfollowed every influencer that I think is toxic. I removed any movie made by a dangerous director from my Netflix list. If I heard a song with an artist I did not support, even if it was only a feature on a track, I would skip it, give it a thumbs down, and delete it. If I saw a brand collaborate with any known abusers I would cancel my account with them. I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to only utilize content made with good intentions.

Don't get me wrong, I believe all people are capable of change. I do not believe that our pasts define us indefinitely, but I do believe that we should be held accountable for our misdoings. Do I wish that the career of all artists who have ever made a mistake plummet to a point of no return? No. Do I wish that artists, producers, directors, and creators would take accountability for harmful content? Yes. So I refuse to support people who don't own up to their shortcomings and try harder. I don't think people are perfect, but I do think that all media is made with intent. I realized that when I listened to a song made by an abuser, I am supporting that abuser. If I shop at stores who profit from collaborations with harmful artists, I am supporting a harmful artist. There is no way to talk around it. I don't care if the business that a harmful person loses from my lack of support doesn't make the slightest dent in their income. I don't care if it doesn't make a difference to them in even the tiniest of ways. It makes a difference to me. It makes a difference to me knowing that anyone I know who has been at the receiving end of harm can be confident that I will not support that behavior, even for my favorite artists.

There is compassion in consuming good content. There is compassion in being able to identify work that has a harmful underlying message. There is compassion in supporting people who are trying to do good. The artist is not separate from their art. Creators are aware. Support creators who are compassionate enough to generate content with positive intent. It makes a difference, I promise.