The black hole of apathy

That line about going through this a couple of times a year really hit me. For what it's worth, I read every one of your posts in this community and I know I'm not the only quiet reader out there. Sometimes the people who benefit most from what you write just don't speak up.

I think honestly that humans are not meant to be living with as much input as we live with these days and everyone is exhausted by it.

As we know “attention is the new economy”. It’s our attention that is currently worth the most and so many companies, platforms, and people are constantly vying for it that we are simply bombarded at all times.

Personally I think it’s less likely to be apathy, and much more likely to be overwhelm.

This a ramble.

This post got me thinking in several different directions. What if it isn't apathy or indifference but something else? My first thought was the sales funnel problem. 126 followers but only 1 or 2 likes. Unfortunately you don't know how many people read a post but did not click the up arrow or comment. On instagram and other platforms you know how many views. Views > likes > profile > click on my site.

Then I was thinking about location. I seem to remember there were three or four art galleries at the Forum. Any why not. Lots of foot traffic and $$$. But of all those who pass by a gallery, how many actually enter and then of those who enter actually buy a painting.

Maybe for this group have 126 followers is good. Maybe for the content you provide, there might be fewer up clicks.

Full disclosure: I did some searching to see who Michal Rocharde is. No idea what Filemaker is but your site and youtube feed are fun. You just put it all out there. Love the title of "My Life as a Spy". I will carve out sometime to read/listen to it.

I think when you reach our age bracket (I have a few years on you), life seems different (well at least for me).

Keep the posts coming.

Friends are always sending me videos and other links. I often tell them I'm trying to be a better content creator, and it is difficult to also be a good content consumer, because....time. As a landscape photographer, the most fun use of my time is hiking and photographing. The most important use of my time is art marketing. This space is more like hanging out with friends. And we do need that, too.

I also get the feeling that most content goes unnoticed and unread—and I'm not just talking about this community. The world has changed; with so many resources available, it’s impossible to stay relevant everywhere. You just have to accept that if you want to share something with the world, even if it resonates with just one person who doesn't even leave a reaction, you’ve reached your goal. You're doing great!

Lots of people are dealing with much trauma, and distress. It is the times we live in for right now. We tend to shut down when overwhelmed and it could seem to be indifference/apathy but we are all affected by times that are hard to deal with. That could be a reason for lack of response, along with lack of time, or knowing what to say.

Michael, the fact that you go through this and still come back to writing says more about you than the engagement numbers ever will. I've watched enough artists and creators wrestle with this same exact thing to know it's real. The people who do read your posts, even silently, are getting something from them. Sometimes the smallest audiences are the most loyal.

I hear you, I'm a new member and I asked a question and got one response. It certainly makes me feel less inclined to continue, maybe that apathy is what everyone experiencing, hard to know.

Well I for one am really disappointed that Arty is not a real person. I will read all of your posts if I see them and I will respond. I have to let you know however that I just started painting a couple of months ago and not quite fluent in art.

I've got used to not selling much of my work. Perhaps it's the economy or where I live.. Most that are on this site just want to promote their work and that's fine but what I wanted was discussion about art not only my own. Conversations about technique, composition, colour choices and so on. Without any of this I fear that my inspiration and enthusiasm will wither away. Is there anyone out there who would like to talk art?

Hello hello hello hello hello hello hello!

@Trevor Whetstone I appreciate the comment, and now I know you're reading. Mission accomplished.

Michael - I feel your frustration. As content creators whether on social media or IRL, it can be so discouraging at times when there's little to know engagement. I admit that I don't spend as much time on ArtHelper as I did in the beginning. New toys are always fun to explore. But I think we're all faced with conflicting priorities and our own internal ROI criteria.

My eyes are often bigger than my stomach -- meaning I have lots of forums and groups that I am a member of, but lack the time to meaningfully participate. It doesn't help that we're encouraged to join as many groups as "feasible" to get the word out about our content. "Reach" is always the push, Engagement is the next push. And whether we deliver content through social media or email or another format, I believe it's all about burnout.

Apathy means a lack of emotion and/or motivation. And that's often where we fall when we've not set strong boundaries (how we let others treat us) AND strong standards (how we treat others). When we're not congruent is where we get into trouble, get overwhelmed, and fall into apathy as a way of numbing ourselves to protect ourselves. Indifference to me indicates a lack of interest to begin with.

I find your posts thoughtful and useful. I read every one. I don't often have anything to add to what you've said because you are very articulate and nothing I said would add any value. I appreciate that you take the time to speak your mind and your content adds value to my world. For that I thank you profusely.

What could any of us do better to keep you writing? Bearing in mind that we're all overloaded. What could we do to boost your spirit?

hallo, I am new in this community an today I started to read posts. I agree that most people don"t give a sign that they have read posts. I am expecting to read lots of interesting posts in the group

I feel your frustration. I can only speak for myself though. My problem is that it seems so difficult to navigate mysefl around arthelper. I started several years ago, mainly because of the mockup and description features. The site has gained such popularity now, added so many more members, have updated the possabilites accordingly, but, in my opinion, not very user friendly as far as navigating and actually using the new tools and programs. Sigh. I just now realized how to access communities, so you see how much further I have to go!!

I for one, don't always comment on what I read or what I've looked at, art, etc. For me, the reason is time. If I commented on everything I read on websites like this and others, it would consume a great deal of time for me. When I comment or reply, I am careful with what I write. Grammar and sentence structure is important to me, not to mention the content. Maybe I overthink these things. Also, I am a a very poor typist using only a couple of fingers so this adds more time.
I get frustrated as well when there is little interaction with my posted content, especially when I believe it is relative and important. I have to remind myself that I am doing this, painting, commenting, writing opinions, etc. because I believe it is worthwhile, even I am the only one who believes so. So keep on producing because it is important to you!

Thank you for letting us silent readers know. I am guilty of reading & learning from you. I feel the same when people say to me I love seeing your art. Would I respond to them please like or comment?

I will be the first to admit, I am not one who does a lot of commenting or even reading a whole post. I am a shy introvert, so commenting puts me "out there," where I don't want/like to be. I always told my students (and co-workers): "I don't English. I Art." Words do not come to me easily, so I avoid interacting with others, physically and online. As a 55-year-old, one would think that I overcame that; I have not!

In addition, interactions with others wear me out. Trying to keep up with all of it can be tiring, though I try my best. I have been on ArtHelper for over a year, and I have not participated much with it. I am trying to amend that. I have to put it on my to-do list, or I forget about it! lol

I think it is mostly due to the whisper in a storm effect of sites like this. There is SO much to look at, to read, to post. It's a FTJ in some cases to get thru and even when you think you are done, the algorithms are likely still not showing you everything.

Overwhelm has been used a few times and that’s how I feel. There’s so much out there I think you really have to pick your spots. Not just this site. I find myself more apt to respond to comments which are more verbal than visual. Or maybe it’s just me. I hear you and will endeavour to “ click” when some really strikes me. Thank you to all who respond.

your compunction to share is noted, personally my art speaks for me, typing or painting, I'll take the

brush over the keyboard any day. Love what you do and do what you love...

I'm new here so take anything I say regarding this community with a grain of salt. If I'm reading the room correctly, most of the people here are creators in one form or another. We are sharing work with those that are allegedly attempting to achieve the same things we are (recognition, sales, etc.).

In short, in this particular environment, the audience are also the creators. In practical terms, I'm not sure how much attention (particularly transactional attention) that situation generates.

Mutual support? Sure. Accolades from your peers? Of course. Lead generation or sales? Not as likely in my opinion.

Where I think the most impact as far as likes, comments, etc. would come from here are threads just like this one, centered around discussion. We all face struggles, and many of them are in common regardless of medium. Sharing those and our solutions could easily help the next person with the issue. I would also say this is a place where a group of creators is free to "vent" their frustrations as it were.

That makes this community different in significant ways from instagram, facebook, x, etc. It has more in common with something like Flickr, although on a much higher more professional level.

On the other hand, I have seen mentioned that many curators and/or collectors frequent this site. I haven't seen specific evidence of that, but if true it goes a long way to negating everything I said above.

Interesting topic.

I'm sometimes bewildered with what to say : there are soo many people with better skills and education that I feel my comments would be meaningless

Hello.

I love this site because we communicate visually.

Sometimes, expressing oneself is difficult.

Well I can understand but to be cliché' keep going for you and those around you that keep encouraging. Art is a gift of many reasons. Vision, joy, overcoming by its activity. Im not a grand artist but I love what it has given me in my grieving. Colors, tears, thankfulness. I don't know but just enjoy. The right doors open at the right time. Just do not let that be your motivation. But what do I know 😇

Michael, I read a lot of things around here every day, but I really comment very little. First, because honestly I feel that my opinion is irrelevant, other times because I have nothing to say. When I agree or like the subject I leave a like. Like me, many of us don't have time every day for the amount of information that reaches us. However, this information is always very welcome. Thanks for venting; I'll try to comment more.

I’m always looking to discover talented artists and photographers whose work speaks to me. I’d love to connect, support your creative journey, and explore the possibility of acquiring a piece for my personal collection. Keep creating—your work deserves to be seen. 🎨📸

Pouring something meaningful into a space and hearing nothing back. That particular silence is one of the loneliest feelings in creative work. It is not vanity to wonder whether anyone is on the other side. It is the very human need to know that the thing you made with care actually landed somewhere.

What you described, writing post after post for a community you genuinely want to help, and watching the quiet settle in around each one, that weight is real. The effort does not shrink just because the response did. And the question "why am I taking the time?" is not a sign of weakness. It is an honest reckoning with how much of yourself you have been putting into the room.

The absence of visible response is not the same as the absence of impact. But you are allowed to feel the sting of that silence, and you are allowed to ask whether the cost is worth it. Both things can be true: the work mattered, and the quiet still hurt.

***Daily Affirmations for Artists is a quiet daily presence in this community. Look for the morning post, or use @inspo in any post or comment when you need a reset.***

Michael, the frustration is real, and the gap between 126 followers and 2 likes is one of the most discouraging shapes in the creator life. You're not crazy for hitting this wall a couple times a year.

Here's the reframe that actually changes the math: likes are not the metric. They never have been. The metric is whether your work is reaching the right people, AND whether you're capturing them somewhere you can reach them again.

Here's what tends to work across Art Storefronts artists who have aggregately sold $100M+ of art online:

1. Stop measuring at the like. Start measuring at the email signup. 100 emails from people who want your work outperforms 10,000 silent followers. If 2 people read this post, 1 emails you, and 1 buys, that's a higher ROI than 200 silent likes.

2. The 99:1 rule. On almost every platform, roughly 99% of people lurk and 1% engage. Your post with 2 likes was likely read by 50 to 200 people. The silence is not "nobody read it," it's the lurkers reading.

3. Tighten the niche, drop the volume. Post less, but make every post specifically for one type of buyer ("collectors of New England coastal art" not "art lovers"). Specificity converts; broad nets don't.

4. Move the most engaged 5 percent off the platform onto your list. Every post should subtly pull people toward your email list. That's where the ROI actually lives.

The fact that you keep writing despite the apathy says you know it matters. Don't stop. Just rebuild the funnel so engagement stops being the success signal.

*Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.*

Just saw this post 3 days later............ did not realize I was not following you! Thought you had been quiet. Recently I have noticed a slow growing to my social media, its quiet. I just keep going but I have decided to get busier about my art and being at events in person. When I post regularly its because I am busy about the doing and share it along the way. Some hit some are deadly quiet. I just know after 3 years I am finally getting growth that appears to be real interest. But I am now more focused on what I am doing daily not HEY see my art.

Hello Michael,

Honestly, I am reading your posts once and awhile, when I have an opportunity do so. I do find the information you are relaying here insightful and helpful. But just as maybe as an alternative perspective, maybe take a step back and understand that you are also creating a body of work on this platform, as I see it. My plan has been to go back and read some more of your posts as I get closer to setting up a website and get more time and space in order to start to market my artwork. But thanks and I think I can say for a lot of people we really appreciate the effort.

You have me thinking now, and what I'm thinking of is saying something about a different piece of my photography each day, in my voice, whether I start with only coffee, or with Art Helper, or Chat GPT, to get the juices flowing, then modify it to sound like it started with me.

Posted artwork thus far is given the same treatment as posted content. ArtHelper is slow churning out of the gate and here is to hoping that all input is given more attention and time for pondering.

My goodness taking the words out of my mouth. So hard to gain any traction. I work hard on content and can't even seem to catch attention. Tend to try too many things before reallly vetting whether what seemed like cool idea, gets the big yawn. What am I missing? Seeking?

I'm a reader, not a speaker. I find what is written interesting, but I rarely respond because I have nothing to add to the conversation. I'm not just an artist. I have other responsibilities. Right now, my artwork is on a back burner because of other obligations.

I enjoy reading the opinions of other artists when I can. I enjoy seeing their work. Some pieces I find most interesting, some are absolutely gorgeous, others I just don't understand.

I stopped trying to paint to please others a long time ago. I paint to please myself. I often told my students, "It doesn't matter what others think of your work. If you like it, it's perfect."

I enjoy reading what other artists have to say. I participate in this program because I might be able to sell something somewhere besides locally. If I don't, I'm not disappointed. I just enjoy the journey. Thank you reading - keep on creating.

What do you mean by content? I read what you write. I like it and would feel empty without your input.

I often have felt this way. I seek out solitude and draw -

I was mistaken for my partners, mother on mothers day. Not his real mom she's been dead for 20 years, but that I was his mother. lol How about being unread, unseen and all those depressing demeaning situations.

It affects me, but I seek out solitude, draw, then talk to people that do read me. Its just a phase i pass through. I don't own any real 'estate' there.

Audiences are important. However, many fine creatives, never had them. Their work, did after they died.

Its important to take time to breathe and empty the head of stuff. Like cleaning your cache or defragging. down load the episode into a floppy and put it into a land fill, lol

I would miss your content, if you mean all the good info you give us from your vast experience.

Keep on truckin' kind sir.

Please don't stop writing! I'm learning a lot from you and enjoy reading your posts. They make a difference.

I really agree. I am one of those silent readers. I appreciate every ounce of the knowledge anyone will share.

That line about going through this a couple of times a year really hit me. For what it's worth, I read every one of your posts in this community and I know I'm not the only quiet reader out there. Sometimes the people who benefit most from what you write just don't speak up.

Consistency over time...

Several years ago I gave a keynote on the theme of there being too many pictures in the world: we were getting up to a trillion photographs made each year. What I said is no more popular now than then. I said pictures/art/music are like fish sperm. They have to produce millions to ensure that one will end in the right situation to produce some new sprat. Well, the ocean is getting bigger and there are more fish than ever.

Your choice: curl under the coral, or go produce.

Perhaps your posts do not arouse interest, or at least a desire to speak out - comment?

huh? what…. yea sure. whatever.