What is Craftivism? Division over the Definition Explodes an Etsy Team
Now, this may read as a little gossipy, since I, myself, am a member of this team (for now, the reasons for which you’ll soon see), but I think these recent struggles within one group of crafters are important to share, because they say a lot about where our contemporary culture is right now, politically, socially, even globally.
You see, the Craftivism Etsy Team recently had a really big fight, so big that a lot of us actually left the team. Feelings are still hurt, and a lot of those who are left for now are left wondering exactly what our team is, after all, and what it actually stands for.
What did we fight about, you ask?
We fought about the definition of craftivism.
- » See also: A Review of the Green Guide for Artists
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Etsy Teams are groups of etsy sellers who come together because they have something in common, anything from what they sell to where they live to what they believe. Some Etsy Teams are loosely structured, some are highly structured, but all, however casual or organized, have a profile, a mission statement of sorts. Here’s the Team Craftivism profile:
The Etsy Craftivism Team is a team of progressive Etsyans who believe that craft and art can change the world. Some of us use our work to carry messages of protest and political activism. Others believe that the act of making craft can be an act of resistance. Still others see that by buying and selling directly from the maker we are challenging the all pervasive corporate culture that promotes profit over people. Some of our members make t-shirts, jewelry, pottery, and art with creative,thought-provoking messages. Others spin yarn, sew, hammer, forge, glue, knit, knot, alter and sculpt with an eye towards creating new forms of commerce and the making of goods. We gather to learn about and promote each other’s work; to learn about how art and craft are being used as acts of resistance and change around the world, and to creatively join forces in order to spend less, sell more, and empower each other so that we can work towards a more hopeful, thoughtful future.
Sounds good, right? And it is good–this is a good mission statement, and a good team. I became a Craftivist because I believe in DIY as personal empowerment, that instead of relying on the mass-market commercial culture, we can be in charge of the literal creation of our own wants and needs. I was also interested in how others utilized the act of craft to struggle for change, or achieve power, or practice resistance. Please forgive me–I’m an academic.
The problem arose very recently when the team leadership, during a virtual meeting, just sort of mentioned, in the context of another discussion, that the Craftivism Team has a liberal political agenda.
Yep, a specific political agenda. And the leadership also seemed quite surprised to hear that a LOT of team members not only had no idea that the Craftivism Team was even supposed to be politically liberal, but that these members were themselves not politically liberal.
Indeed, we had some right-wing craftivists on our team. Some were so offended by the immediate conversation that they left the team then and there, but as others stuck around, and the discussion continued over email over the course of a few days, several team members suggested that the definition of craftivism not be so tied to a political agenda (yes, you caught me, I’m one of these members).
What is craftivism, if it is tied to a specific political agenda? Well, it’s not only limited to American politics, but to one brand of American politics. It’s uninterested in how other political activists, other citizens in other countries, themselves use the act of crafting as activism. It’s implying that much of the work of crafting–buying and selling directly from the maker, challenging corporate culture, tying a work to a thought-provoking message–is necessarily politically liberal within the American system of politics. And I don’t think that’s true.
Our leadership thinks it is, though. Whatever craftivism the word means, Craftivism the Etsy Team is remaining (for now) implicitly (though still not explicitly, I believe) tied to a liberal political agenda, and the team profile is meant to be read through such a lens. I’m not sure what procedure the leadership is now going to use to vet potential members to make sure there’s no more right-wing craftivism in our midst, so perhaps we’ll fill back up again before things come again to a head. I might stick around, because I really am interested in crafting for change, and I actually am politically liberal (although I don’t think craftivism itself has to be). It would be fun, perhaps, to branch out and form my own etsy team focused around an idea of craftivism that’s less limited politically or geographically…
But another etsy team already has that Craftivism name.
What do you think craftivism means?
I think as long as a member of Team Craftivism supports the mission statement, her politics is irrelevant. The desire to change the world through art isn’t liberal or conservative, and shouldn’t drive us apart. It’s human—the very best human quality, and should bind us together.
I think craftivism is using your skills to create things that make a positive change in the world. Positive change can mean different things to different people, though. This argument you guys had just underscores how I already felt about words like “liberal” and “right wing.” Those are some loaded phrases, and it feels like a step above name-calling to me. We’re all just people, and petty fights like this strike me as a waste of time and energy.
My favorite part about being a crafter is the community. In-fighting like this doesn’t get us anywhere. We all have this powerful, creative force in common and so much potential to make a difference! Let’s pull together and work towards the things we care about it. Politics schmolitics!
Great discussion, but unfortunate outcome. I am sorry to hear that difference in political views is causing such a rift in this group. I agree that Craftivism should welcome any and all viewpoints that start intelligent discussion in any way, not limit those viewpoints! Best of luck to the stranded group members and the Craftivist group.
As someone who started writing about craftivism 7 years ago when it was a concept in my head and a completely made-up word, I’m a bit gobsmacked by all of this.
To say something is political doesn’t necessarily mean that it follows certain political agendas. For example, I make a lot work surrounding the politics of war. I make anti-war cross-stitch based on graffiti around the world expressing that war is globally disliked by the people but propelled by the government. Like Sarah Palin? Make something that expresses your feelings about her policies.
The most concise definition I’ve written was on Twitter of all places: Craftivism to me is way of looking at life where voicing opinions through creativity makes your voice stronger, your compassion deeper & your quest for justice more infinite.
Your hands are powerful. Your voice is powerful. Your passions are powerful.
After writing the definition for an the Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice, and writing more on the definition here and here, here’s what it’s come to mean to me, and the tenets behind what it is, and started, about. There’s also more here, which speaks of the heart of craftivism, too:
“When we make crafts that speak to our frustrations, hurts, anger, we are continuing the conversation that our world is not a just one, but one full of hope nonetheless. Your hands give you the freedom to speak even when you don’t think your voice will carry. Just remember that they are important, necessary and truthful as we may live in a sometimes unfair world, but a world where our actions help others speak up and gather the courage to fight as well. Your voice will carry, whether it comes from your mouth or your hands, as it all comes from the heart.”
Why fight and explode over something unnecessarily when it’s about creating energy and positivity, not destroying it?
So, get making, get passionate, get crafty.
x
betsy
This may sound strange but I think it is an exciting sign for the growing power of DIY that this kind of issue is being reckoned with now. I know it’s not pleasant, but I don’t see it as petty at all, nor a waste of crafters’ time and energy.
OK that said, I’m rooting for Craftivism to emerge stronger, and I wish for you that the sheer joy of creating prevails.
FWIW, my personal stance seems to be a lot like yours. I always prefer a global perspective rather than USA-centric. Also that even within a USA-focused DIY action, both left-leaning and right-leaning can make a difference together that is meaningful to both. That has already been the case.
I thought it would be nice to report “the other side of the story.” So here it is from the infamous leader of the craftivism group.
I may cut and paste from some of my posts over at our google group (so if it sounds a bit disjointed, please bear with me).
While you guys are debating the meanings of liberal and progressive
and craftivism, and reporting what they mean to you, you’re not
considering what they meant to the people who first got this team off
the ground.
As I stated yesterday, the INTENT of the group came first; the NAME
second. I contacted people who seemed of like-minds (generally) based
on things I read or saw in their shops, and asked if they’d like to be
part of a group of progressive, socially activist etsyans. After it
was clear that a group would be started, the name came. I’ll repeat it
here: Someone suggested the name craftivist, which I thought was a
great idea. So it stuck.
Hence, you can’t just say, “It doesn’t matter if you are liberal or
conservative, it just matters if you’re a craftivist,” without knowing
a couple of things. First, where did the name come from? (For this
group). Second, where did the group come from, and thirdly what
craftivism means to those who decided to name this team.
Anyone is free to start another team with their own take on
craftivism. There are more than one Christian teams on etsy, more than
one “green” teams, etc. I’d love to know the history of why the
separate teams. Did people have disagreements and then leave a team,
or did people just want to start a team with a slightly different
bent. Which is why there are descriptions on our team page explaining
what the team stands for.
Some people are saying, “You can’t assume a conservative is for less
governmental restriction and a liberal is for more. You can’t make
assumptions.”
I beg to differ. Of course we can’t assume that the moon isn’t made of
cheese, but WE CAN MAKE SOME GOOD GUESSES or good assumptions, based
on knowledge, evidence, science, facts, etc. We live in the same world
and we use language to represent things and ideas. We assume that when
we refer to “cheese” we are in the general ballpark about what the
other person means. (You needn’t write telling me that there are many
different types of cheese. That goes along with the assumption that we
know what the other is talking about. Cheese is a category that most
reasonable people—and perhaps more telling, most food experts or
food producers can define and agree on a definition. If you insist on
disagreeing, that doesn’t mean that you are RIGHT. It just means that
you’ve decided to use the word cheese differently than what most agree
it means).
So. Liberal is an ideology that means something. Conservative is, too.
Do they vary from culture to culture? Yes. Do they vary from era to
era? Yes. Do sociologists and economists and political scientists
GENERALLY agree about what they mean? Yes, Virginia, they do. Do
political parties have underlying philosophies and ideologies? Yes.
Yes. Yes.
You can be a conservative flower child, if you like, but for most
historians and others, being a flower child has meaning, and the
meaning is not conservative.
Language alloys us to stop arguing and to use a shorthand way of
communicating. I can use the word brown and assume that you know what
I’m talking about. (Yes, yes, I know: there are many shades of brown.
But enough!).
People start teams because of commonalities, whatever they may be. I’m
wondering if people join a vegan group and argue that their definition
of veganism is one who eats milk and eggs. Do people join an eco team
and argue that global warming doesn’t exist?
Would the other eco team members feel, perhaps, a bit intolerant of a
fellow eco team member who says, “But I just don’t believe that global
warming is real.” I think so. Acceptance of global warming probably
goes along with calling yourself “green.”
Yes. You all may be more tolerant than I am. Good. So be it.
You can embrace everyone if you like. Fine. Wonderful. My political
philosophy is one that embraces ideas that promote tolerance. I will
argue mightily with people who say that being gay is a sin. You can
say to me, “You should accept all people. Even people who think that
homosexuality is a sin.” I will say to you that I want to defeat that
idea because it promotes intolerance.
BTW, terms like “social justice,” “activism,” “resistance,” “protest”
and “challenging the all pervasive corporate culture,” have generally
agreed upon meanings as well. And you can say that you disagree with
me about what they mean until you turn blue, they will still mean the
same thing. If you read them and came to a different conclusion than
most reasonable, knowledgeable, aware, educated people come to when
they read them, I am truly sorry that you misunderstood the intention
of the group. I know for a fact that one honest etsyan never read that
description of the group. If you didn’t read it, and now want to
challenge it, that seems a bit unfair, I think.
Forgive me, I am an academic, too: People make assumptions based on thier own experiences. This is exactly what has happened in your group.
When reading your mission statement, it is completely neutral from an anthropological point of view. Therefore, it can and will be interpreted by each individual according to his or her own experiences and beliefs. This is because what both far right and far left activists share is a belief that the dominant system is failing and that the other side is responsible for that failing. For a liberal, conservatives have controll of the system and the system reflects their agenda. For a right-winger, the system has been corrupted by liberals and it supports their viewpoint. The reality is that the system ALWAYS represents the middle. The further one is on one side of the political spectrum, the more the system looks controlled by a viewpoint opposite of their viewpoint.
Since your mission statement does not specifically include to what ends your activism is aimed (progressive change or restoration of tradional norms), then I don’t see how your group can have a specific political aganeda. IF you want to be a left-wing goup, your mission statement should include the word “progressive” or “liberal”. But the language you used was neutral, the leadership just made unconscious assumptions that the language belonged to left-wing thought. Conversely, the right-wing members assumed that the language used was owned by their ideology. In fact, the language used is owned by radicalism which can be either right or left.
Good luck with sorting this out. Anthropologically, humans prefer to associate with like AND define themselves by first defining the “other”. Therefore the odds are that your group will become an explicitly left group. However, I hope that all of you will have learned that your understanding of everything is colored by your lense of experience and be more cautious about making assumptions that everyone else’s lenses lets them to see what you see.
If the leadership wanted their group to have a specific political agenda, they should have said so in the mission statement. Punto. El Fin. The End. Just rewrite the mission statement to say what you really want it to say and move on. Those who are in dis/agreement will do what they have to do.
No doubt someone will form an expressly neutral group and like-minded Craftivists can join that one.
I second the opinions above, that this kind of debate is good in the long run, if painful in the moment, and that it speaks well to the vibrance of the community.
i mean “explicitly neutral”, not “expressly.” : )
You guys can twist this around as much as you want—-and cite your academic creds as proof that your are right, but this groups was started by a group of political active, anti-war etsy sellers who were in general agreement about what we believed in and why we wanted to form a team.
BTW out of 100 members, 7 have left over this. Everyone else has stayed.
I think the people have spoken.