The phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" does not mean "therefore, death of the author always exists for all art the second it is made."

For starters, you will not die if you dont experience all art made. Its not food. Its not shelter. You will be okay if you dont watch some movies, dont read some books, and dont play some games. I promise.

But, more specifically, death of the author means to separate an author and their life from the work they create. If your purchase directly funds the author? You didnt separate the author from the work.

Death of the author is when you accept and understand that reading a story written by a shitheel from the 18th century is not supporting their shitheel opinions. That you can study the work and its influence on culture without that study or consumption being explicit or implicit support of the creators thoughts and opinions.

But when you pay an author for their work, you have supported the author. Period, thats what the word means.

Now you can fibble or quibble about morality of putting money into someones pocket all you like, but if the author is literally benefiting from your purchase, they are not dead. There has been no death of author.

[–] yamanii@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You also don't need an iphone or mac since there are plenty of other smartphones and PCs available, but nobody stopped buying them because foxxcon used slave labor.

Everyone draws the line where they want, this controversy only exists because people were trying to guilty trip streamers and anyone online from playing it, do not try to rewrite what happened.

[–] wildginger@lemmy.myserv.one 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

You mean you didnt stop buying apple products? Lots of people, myself included, avoid slave labor brands.

(And also most jobs and housing do require a phone, and its better to buy a used phone second hand than a brand new phone every time. Utility devices are far more nuanced and intricate about "ethical" choices than a video game.)

E: also, this thread specifically is about death of the author, which I dont think anyone would apply to iphones at any point regradless