Hmm. I witnessed an interesting reaction from Shia.
I followed Daneel’s links through to the original tweets. Upon seeing the #stopcreating hashtag, I reflexively started singing Fleetwood Mac’s Don’t Stop. Now, given that I am equal parts natural asshole and student of Weird Al, I immediately start bending the words to fit the situation. Don’t Stop, thinking of what to borrow just leaps to mind. I do a superficial google to see whether that joke had been made, and not seeing any that fit in this context I proceed.
So I spend a couple of minutes tinkering out a tweet-sized version of the lyrics and get ready to post it as a reply along with all the other amateur comedians*. And, right before I do, he posts a picture of skywriting #stopcreating. I was in prima position to claim first reply, and I did (FIRST POST!).
Before he deleted his tweet and then re-submitted it.
I don’t have screenshot proof, because I thought all of his twitter antics so far were to be provocations (however lame and ill considered they may be considered in some respects). I did not expect him to play the memory hole game. Though, by way of proof, he also deleted the original #stopcreating tweet, orphaning a whole other stream of responses, including this gem by @kellyoxford https://twitter.com/kellyoxford/status/421754064720756736 Which, by the way is a lot similar to Shia’s picture I got first reply to, of which the new one is now https://twitter.com/thecampaignbook/status/421780784551591936
Which itself looks like a Glenn Brownian modification of this image, sent to Shia hours earlier: https://twitter.com/drugsnotcaring/status/421746036193763328
You can also see the #stopcreating tag appear a good 3+ hours before any mention of the tag appears in his timeline https://twitter.com/HuffPostEnt/status/421728283857002496
What’s my point?
My point is, he’s behaving as if he’s only interested in a subset of responses to his provocations. And, given that he’s been trying to claim the high road that “all art is theft” saying stuff like
we used to sit in a circle around a campfire
and tell stories and share them
and change them and own them together
because they were ours - https://twitter.com/thecampaignbook/status/420621688175616002
I used to entertain 3 hypothesis 1) he’s trying to make a coherent artistic statement about copyright and remix culture, 2) he’s unwell, either chemically or mentally, or 3) he’s an asshole.
To me, this sadly eliminates the first option, which I had been hoping for. Those that paint seeking only the selected responses from their audiences are not artists, but have crossed to the dark side of propagandists.
*on twitter no one knows you are a dog, but everyone is a fucking comedian.
