Update on the future of my use of Patreon (Patreon)

Many of you will have seen my recent text post in which I shared with you my concerns about Patreon's apparent policy of censorship.  I included an e-mail that I wrote to Patreon, which I had hoped would prompt from it a statement that would reassure me.  I had no reply to that, so I wrote others, some of them short, but I got a bit carried away with one longer one (see below).

I have recently lost fifty patrons in a short period.  At least thirty-seven of those stated that the reason for leaving was this issue of censorship.  I do not feel that it is anything bad that I have done that has led to this.  I respect the decisions of all those patrons.  Some wrote to me personally to apologise.  

Interestingly, I also got a message from someone who has decided to become my patron here because I have said that I might leave Patreon!  The world is wonderfully complex.

I have now had a reply from Patreon, and have set up a Skype meeting with one or two of the staff there for early in January.  Until then, I shall take no action.   It seems right to give Patreon a chance to tell its side of the story, and to describe what it intends to do in the future, before I make a decision.  I am aware that the internet creates little self-reinforcing 'bubbles' that can lead to one user's getting a very one-sided impression of an issue.  

I do not know whether I shall leave, but I am sure that if Patreon fails to assure me that it will defend my free speech in the future, then my leaving is very likely.  There is some middle ground, which would involved my keeping this account running and opening another on another patronage platform.  At present, however, the alternatives available are not great.  Subbable was bought by Patreon, StarSubscribe has been crippled by a PayPal boycott, and others are vulnerable fledgeling websites.  I know that at least three groups of people are working on alternatives, however, so there is hope.

For now, I think our top priority should be merriment over the festive season.  I thank you all for your support.  I know that I am lucky to have you.

Lloyd

-----------------------------------------

Dearest X (my contact at Patreon),

I do hope that all is as bright and sunny as circumstances allow where
you are.

I imagine that Patreon has had a bit of busy time of it lately, and
that it would be unreasonable of me to expect so soon a personal reply
to my e-mail of the 12th December.  However, it seems only fair of me
to keep you up to date with how things have progressed so far.  There
has indeed been a sudden increase in my patrons' cancelling their
patronage.  I only know for certain that at least fifteen of them have
cancelled in protest of Patreon's failure to defend free speech.  The
number is probably at least twenty-one, however, and might be a fair
bit higher.  The trickle is now a stream, and there may yet be a
flood.

I certainly hope that this matter can be brought to a sensible
resolution.  Patreon may perhaps send out a general statement that it
has reviewed its policies and has decided in favour of the defence of
free speech, and will put an end to the sudden and unheralded
cancelling of accounts.

I wonder if you have seen 'It's a Wonderful Life'?  If you haven't -
do yourself a favour.  It's a great Christmas film.  In it, George
Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, runs a building society called
'Bailey Brothers' Building and Loan'.  This is a institution in the
town of Bedford Falls that makes it possible for the ordinary people
there to get decent homes for themselves. George is given the gift of
seeing the world as it would be had he never been born.  Without him,
he sees that his company would have ceased trading, and most people
would still be living in slums.  Patreon is a bit like that Building
and Loan company.   Lots of people come together, pool resources, and
then many people are able to live better than they otherwise would.
The customers of Building and Loan are not all nice.  Indeed, we are
shown that many of them are far from nice.  That doesn't matter,
though, because the money of the nice people and the money of the
nasty alike go into the same pot that helps everyone.  After seeing
the world without his company, and after being returned by Clarence
(the angel - it is a magical film) to the world as he knew it, he
realises that he loves his company and the good it does.  Suddenly, he
doesn't mind all the surly awkward ungrateful customers and the long
hours he's spent behind the desk at the office when he wanted to be
out seeing the world.  I am sure that I would not get on well with
many of the people using Patreon, but that shouldn't matter.  I am
sure that I disagree, perhaps very strongly, with many of the people
who use Patreon, but that should not matter.  If people use the site
honestly, then everyone benefits.  But if George Bailey started saying
to customers, "Go away.  I don't want your money because I don't like
your face" (he wouldn't, of course, because he's Jimmy Stewart and far
too nice), then pretty soon the only way for most people to get a
decent home would be either to leave Bedford Falls, or be nice to
George Bailey.  In the world without George, we see that people have
to be nice to Henry Potter instead, the richest man in town, and he is
a man corrupted by greed and power.

I have written to my patrons, explaining that I may have to leave
Patreon.  I really don't want to.  In order to stay, I would need to
see some very convincing statement from Patreon making it clear that
it will in future defend free speech, apply its own rules correctly,
never terminate any account without warning or appeal, and pay no heed
to what people do in their own lives when it does not concern
Patreon.

I want to work with George Bailey.  He isn't judgemental.   I do not
want to have to grovel to Henry Potter.

There is no break-neck rush to reply to me, although I cannot wait
forever before making a decision.  At the current rate of patron loss,
I won't have many in a few weeks, so something reasonably speedy would
be appreciated.  Please put my mind at rest.  Let me know
that the boat is being steered by a good helmsman.  Such is the storm,
however, that a few soothing words alone will not see us through.
Patreon has sailed off-course, and if it has not realised this, then
there is no hope that it will be able to navigate us to a safe port.

I run a very low-controversy channel.  The most controversy I have so
far stirred up is an opinion on how effective the bren gun was in
World War Two.  Let us say that I am controversy level 4.  People will
always talk about the most controversial people of course, and these
will attract the most hatred and fuss.  Humans are like that.  If
Patreon kicks off all the level 10s, then the most controversial
people will be the level 9s, and everyone will be talking about them,
and they will be a constant source of annoyance for Patreon, and
attract all the complaints.  If the level 9s are kicked off, then
people will complain about the level 8s.  There is no end to this.
Whoever is the most controversial will be the one talked about,
because humans talk about humans and get annoyed most by whoever is
currently the most annoying.  When you get down to the level 5s, I
will be very worried.  Throughout history, some current behaviours
have always been unacceptable to the majority of people, while things
we wouldn't accept today were commonplace.  We should not be so
arrogant or naive as to imagine that we can be different.

Oh dear - I had intended to write a short letter.  I have failed.

I have no reason whatsoever to believe that you are in any way
responsible for any of this unpleasantness.  Far from it.  You have
proven consistent in your delightfulness. You are though, my one point
of contact with the company - my sole hope for getting my voice heard.
Please let your colleagues know of what I have written, and speak me
fair in this.  I want nothing but the best for Patreon, and to do what
I can to help it be as good as I know it can be.   The weak and the
fearful lash out at those they do not understand.  A good strong
company can embrace all sorts of customer.  It does not invent excuses
for its actions, but looks at them honestly, and when it has fault
pointed out to it, it makes amends and moves on.

Have a word with George.  He'll understand.

May you always have a biro to hand that works properly,

Lloyd