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Culture has shifted irrevocably, and you need to recognize not only how great this is, but also how you need to embrace it. Thanks to the internet, art and expression will never again be stifled, and we should stand up and rejoice.

The internet first offered us a chance to entertain ourselves with mindless jaunts into the foray of chat rooms. Long hours spent arguing the validity of Star Trek warp drives dominated the new landscape of our virtual world. It was a fun waste of time, but not much more than that. As the internet swelled, we began to see the potential it held, and the business world took note. Corporate greed swept in and took advantage of the free market space now open to them. The NASDAQ rocketed and internet start-ups became multi-million dollar ventures within months/weeks/days of opening their doors.

Then it all fell apart. The dot-com CORPORATE craze gave way to realistic expectation. The suits backed off, and the independent artist stepped in. What few people saw coming was the artistic revolution we now find ourselves in. Today, this very minute, is the single greatest moment in art history – and tomorrow will be even better.

You see, the greatest thing the internet gave us was not the ability to sell pet products online, or to have business discussions over Skype, or finally decide how a warp engine works. The greatest thing the internet gave us was unbridled communication. All of the sudden, each and every one of us has the ability to reach out and communicate with wide swathes of people to whom we would have never met twenty years ago. This advancement of communication is unparalleled in history. It puts the printing press to shame.

With this new openness comes an outlet for artists that forever changes the way they can approach their craft. In the past, to survive on your art meant you had to submit to the control of a corporate interest. Sure, there have been avant-gardes that have bucked the system and made a living from it, but those are the exceptions and not the rule. To make it in the art world, whether a musician, writer, painter, or what have you, it required that you bow down to the people in the suits that would tell you what everyone wanted to enjoy.

Art for the past century has been stifled by the grip of corporate influence. Musicians have been forced to ‘write for the radio’ in an attempt to craft something that would sell. Painters have been told their work is too controversial and will never be commercial. Writers have been instructed to stick to what works and to follow in the footsteps of other, more successful scribes. Every part of entertainment was strictly guided down a path of ‘proven formula’ that created generic, predictable mush for the masses to consume. Those days are over, my friends. Thank Fucking God!

The internet has been taken over by the artists (and pornography, but that’s a different discussion). The outlet that the world wide web has opened can never be shut. The avenue between artist and consumer no longer winds through the boroughs of corporate control. We are now able to communicate directly. The free distribution of thought, art, and expression have never been so widely available. This, my friends, is the Age of the Artist, and it is high time we embrace that fact.

So what now? Eschew the norm. Move beyond the television, the radio station, the movie theater, the book store. These things mean nothing to you now. Everything they offer is available elsewhere. Embrace the independent artists and support them, not only with your money, but with your love. Instead of raving about the new Katy Perry album (*shudder*) find an independent artist that tickles your fancy and scream their name from the rooftops – wait, fuck the rooftops – get on your various social sites and post the info there. These are the new rooftops from which we shout. Race to Twitter, Facebook, or whatever site you choose and tell your friends and family about the artist you just discovered.

Jazmendo.com

For your music fix, run over to Jazmendo.com and peruse their MASSIVE library of free music. These are albums that the artists themselves have posted for you to enjoy. There is more music here than you will ever be able to listen to (53,831 at the time of this article). Find what you like, then tell your friends about it. Also, give up the cds (Nerves, I’m looking directly at you on this one, buddy). Limiting yourself to physically purchased albums is guaranteeing that you shut off a faucet of independent voices. Do not allow yourself to get tied into the former corporate distribution methods. These things are useless to us now.

For books, check out Smashwords.com (shameless self-plugging here! Wait, strike that, GLORIOUS self-plugging here!!) You can find thousands of independent authors there that have chosen to put their books onto the market without going through the standard publishing route. Also, forget your rigid stance on needing to actually HOLD A BOOK. This is just like the mentality of needing to own a CD and ignoring online downloads. It’s time to embrace the new wave of technology and open the floodgates on independent thought. Or, you could just continue to eat what the corporations tells you tastes good. Also, if you own a Kindle, Nook, iPad or some other reading device, jump onto their forums. Each of them offer a section that features free or extremely cheap downloads from independent authors.

Finally, with all of this said we come to the single most important part of this article: Don’t listen to a word I’ve said.

Taste is subjective, and if you love Katy Perry then don’t let some internet asshat (me) tell you not to like her music. If you love to watch Transformers movies over and over, then do it. If reading only New York Times bestsellers is your preferred way of snuggling down with a good book, then keep doing it. The important thing is that YOU decide what to be entertained by. Don’t let anyone else determine it for you. The goal, hope, or secret desire of all artists is that they reach a level of success that will support them, and it is foolish to demonize them for reaching that level. I applaud the artists that have made it to the top, but I want them to receive a very stern warning letter: The independents are on the rise. Step up your game.

It is time for you to embrace independence. I, for one, will never turn back. Viva la resistance!