Generation Z Artists

Chapter 351 I write whatever I want.

As the "Chronicles of the Primordial Era" contained more and more content, Fang Xinghe became increasingly excited.

He devoted more time to the editorial department, dealing with a mountain of business matters, which made Dong Youde so anxious that he developed blisters in his mouth.

"My ancestor, we're almost starving at home, when are you finally coming out of seclusion?"

"How could the company possibly be short of money?"

Fang Xinghe didn't understand, which made Dong Youde roll his eyes.

"We just managed to get some money back, and you immediately started ruining the Qingdao base. The company also has a special effects department now. How many days can those hundreds of millions last?"

"Then I have no choice." Fang Xinghe spread his hands, acting like a spoiled child. "The money's already spent, where am I supposed to print it for you now? Why don't you wait until Xingwang goes public, and we'll go ask Dongzi for a free ride?"

"The system for listed companies..."

"What a load of bull!" General Manager Fang waved his hand dismissively. "Once listed, isn't it just the parent company's ATM?"

"But that's NASDAQ in the US..."

"They're targeting Nasdaq!"

When the United States was mentioned, Mr. Fang's eyes lit up even more.

"You don't understand the American market; that's where things are most complicated!"

The head of the online trolls had a whole host of cunning schemes planned for the future, but he refrained from operating domestically, waiting to establish a complete alliance with Wall Street.

Who is the kind-hearted person who consistently uses their own money for charity?

The outside world is full of developed economies and capitalist big brothers. If I don't take advantage of them, wouldn't all those messy techniques I learned have been for nothing?
Dong Youde's head was buzzing; he felt like the boss had gone mad again...

Wang Chali seized the opportunity to urge, "New drama or new movie, hurry up and plan one! Doesn't pre-production take time? You can start filming right after you finish the book. We need to have something coming out by the end of this year or early next year, right?"

"You can help me screen them first, and I'll study them carefully after I finish publishing the books."

Fang Xinghe gave a perfunctory reply and continued his secluded writing.

Wang Chali and Dong Youde returned to their office, looked at each other for a long time, and sighed repeatedly.

"Why does the boss have to stick to fantasy novels? How much money can you make from that stuff..."

"Money aside, the style isn't high either... With a boss of this status, if he's willing to write, he should at least be aiming for the Nobel Prize, right?"

They've been preparing for "The Chronicles of the Primordial Era" for over a year, and they still don't understand what the point of it is.

Not only them, but no one in this era can understand Fang Xinghe's thoughts and ideas.

Even when March arrived and the trailers for "The Primordial Era: Part One" were plastered all over Xinhua bookstores, public opinion was in uproar and many media outlets and celebrities began to criticize him.

"What the hell? A tale of gods and monsters?"

"Isn't this on par with online erotic novels?"

"Wasting time, squandering life, and squandering talent!"

"From art films to martial arts TV dramas, and then to popular supernatural tales, Fang Xinghe hasn't just run out of ideas, he's gone mad!"

Before the wave of criticism from Li Ao had even subsided, Fang Xinghe personally provided them with material.

In an instant, noise filled the air, and boos filled the sky.

As a superstar whose influence has dwindled in the current era, Fang Xinghe is watched by too many people no matter what he does, and even the slightest move becomes big news.

This time it was particularly serious—even Starry Sky didn't understand what her brother was trying to do and complained about it.

Why aren't you filming a new drama?

"Even if you're going to publish a book, wouldn't it be better to continue writing about youth and campus life?"

"I can accept orthodox realistic literature, but what about tales of gods and monsters? Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio? I'm really not interested!"

"I don't understand. It's so tiring to be a fan of such a capricious idol."

"Let's leave it at that for this year. I'll wait for the next one."

"I can't wait any longer. We waited a year for The Return of the Condor Heroes, and after it finished filming, it's been almost a year since we started filming a new production. We've been waiting year after year, and this is what we get?"

……

There's no doubt about the high-end starry orange color, but the problem is that Fang Xinghe's powdery coating accounts for an overwhelming proportion.

They lack willpower, yet desire much.

We need Fang Xinghe to make more public appearances/film more movies/sing more songs/hold more fan meetings/film fewer movies with pretty female stars/film fewer kissing scenes/film more kissing scenes/not film kissing scenes but show skin... In short, there are a lot of things to do.

But in the last two years, Fang Xinghe has hardly made any public appearances, spending most of his time taking care of his overseas fans.

This has led to a great deal of resentment accumulating in the bottom layer of the starry sky.

Women, those who know, know.

With such a large base of casual fans, plus a portion of less committed mid-level fans, their voices are simply overwhelming.

Wang Chali was terrified; he had never seen anything like it—the Starry Night had actually rebelled? Holy crap!

But Fang Ge still didn't take it seriously.

Torture and abuse fans is like training a hawk; it's more extreme and cruel than the tug-of-war between men and women. Why bother with them?

It wasn't until March 15th, when Fang Xinghe had filmed an advertisement with Yang Xiaomi and talked to her, that he decided to give a response.

It wasn't that I was influenced by her; I just felt that the time was right.

After filming the advertisement, he went home and wrote a short essay, which he completed in one go. The next day, it made the front page of Beijing Youth Daily, Xinmin Evening News, and Jilin Daily.

……

I'll write whatever I want, and you can read whatever you want.

"Recently, due to my dissolute behavior, I have given many idle people a chance to get out of their way, and they are getting into a lot of trouble."

The root of the problem lies in the mythological novel "The Primordial Era," which I had high hopes for.

The one who initially started the trend was Master Li Ao. The reason why he is a master and is widely recognized is probably because his ideas often represent mainstream thought, and his words resonate deeply with people.

The same applies to this round.

He said: Wuxia novels are lowbrow, and tales of gods and monsters are even lowerbrow.

Is that statement correct?
There is some truth to this, but it only makes sense from the perspective of the elite class's self-centeredness.

Looking at all cultural and entertainment products, based on content, they can be roughly divided into six categories: film and television, music, books, animation, games, and artistic performances.

Are these categories ranked in terms of quality?

In terms of demand, there is none; in terms of production, there is.

From the perspective of the demand side, the average reader, no one can say that liking to read story magazines makes you low-class, or that liking to read philosophy makes you sophisticated.

I think it's vulgar for me to watch Errenzhuan (a type of folk opera), while you think it's highbrow for you to listen to symphonies.

It's all just self-entertainment, who's more noble than whom? But from a production perspective, as a well-known director, writer, composer, and expert in self-destruction, I have to realistically admit that different art forms do indeed have different production difficulties.

The performance difficulty of Errenzhuan (a type of folk opera) is less than that of Peking Opera and Yue Opera; the performance difficulty of popular folk songs is less than that of symphonies; and the filming difficulty of TV dramas is less than that of movies...

Therefore, no matter how much insightful people emphasize it, the hierarchy of contempt still exists deeply in the minds of practitioners.

I have the ability to make art films, while you can only make TV series. Am I not entitled to be proud?

of course can.

The difficulty of creating something determines our niche in the industry, which in turn determines our social reputation and influence. I often feel proud of myself for this.

However, I really can't understand why this hierarchy of contempt exists in the minds of the audience.

You are just an audience member. You don't need to worry about the difficulty of the creative process. You just need to feel what brings you the most joy and like it. Don't meddle with anything else.

High or low, fancy or tacky, what does it have to do with you?
What brand of engine oil did you use to wash your brain and generate this inexplicable sense of superiority?

Most Chinese intellectuals and cultural workers possess an arrogance that has remained unchanged throughout history.

Regarding this arrogance, our beloved Premier Zhou Enlai delivered an important speech at the 1961 symposium on literature and art—

What the people enjoy, you don't? Who do you think you are? Shanghainese love Pingtan, Huai Opera, and Yue Opera; why do you Beijingers need to approve them? Leaders can have their preferences; some like plays, some like operas—what's the big deal? Just because we say a play is good doesn't mean it's good. Our opinions are unreliable; everyone has their own tastes. How can they be used as standards? Art needs the people's approval.

Okay, that's the point: art needs the approval of the people.

Our good premier has, in a groundbreaking move and for the first time in history, delegated the power to approve art to the people.

But he simply couldn't imagine that you, with your atrophied brains, would turn around and judge people who have different tastes from yours!
Just how absurd is China's current art environment?
A while ago, Shanda was sued again.

A well-known lawyer-parent publicly declared: liking video games is a waste of time and energy, and all the unscrupulous merchants who make games should die.

The problem is that playing games is human nature, and it is reasonable and legal for adults to play games. However, it is the responsibility of parents and teachers to guide minors to treat games correctly!
If you can't manage your child, he'd rather pee and get muddy than study.

How can you blame the game entirely?
How dare you attribute all your educational, management, and exemplary failures to external factors?

In Japan and South Korea, video games have been recognized by the government as an important part of the cultural industry, and they are making every effort to promote their development, reaping the economic benefits we have painstakingly accumulated with shirts and shoes.

What can we use to defend ourselves?
The music industry, too, just finished arguing, and the uproar hasn't subsided yet.

I read in the newspaper that people who like listening to Dao Lang are considered lowbrow. What kind of music is that? Does it even deserve to be called music?
Who said that?
Do you dare to stand up, come to me, and say it again?
Then let me ask you: As a Chinese person, if you can't write Chinese-style music, what right do you have to spout nonsense?
I bet no one dares to take this seriously with me. In my presence, most Chinese musicians are only fit to sit at the same table as dogs.

The literary atmosphere is also deteriorating.

Those who write martial arts novels are lowbrow; what business is it of yours in the literary world? Don't get involved!

The trend started by Li Ao, as Wang Shuo also mentioned, has probably been going on for over twenty years, and there's still no definitive conclusion. It wasn't until the emergence of online novels that popular martial arts fiction found a new target for disdain.

I'd be demoted to writing popular mythology, which would be even better—a perfect object of my contempt!
Isn't it much more satisfying to curse them than those nameless, faceless little charlatans?
Then a great uproar ensued.

But honestly, you guys are ridiculous.

It's ridiculous that you're all swarming around me and nagging, but you have no idea why I'm being scolded.

Come, let me tell you why.

Because I was originally a man standing at the very top of the social hierarchy.

He writes realistic works and makes art films; he has the star power and the sophistication.

I was once your best example of being in a high position.

Those who criticize me, those who are angry, those who are anxious—they have no special talents to boast about.

So he used Fang Xinghe as a shield, hiding himself in the shadow of someone surnamed Fang.

They praised Fang Xinghe's talent, skill, and ambition to an extreme degree.

—If our beloved Fang Xinghe has such glory, then we naturally have glory too!

If attacked, there is no need to fight back.

Because there are so many people like this who lurk in the shadows, making a racket and wagging their tongues, it is easy to win by simply using the strengths of a mob and creating a commotion.

We won, and as one of the group, I naturally share in the victory.

Even if we lose, there are many people in the group, so it's not necessarily me who will suffer the loss.

Look how wonderful the world is!
How wonderful it is to have someone who shelters us from the wind and rain and makes us shine brightly!

But there is only one thing: the flag must not fall.

As someone we love, Fang Xinghe carries everyone's expectations, so you can't mess things up!

But I stubbornly chose to "fall into depravity," first by filming martial arts dramas, then by publishing fantasy novels, constantly dragging myself into the mire...

How can people not be angry about glory that hides in the shadows?

Just thinking about their twisted faces makes me smirk.

The voices that bitterly criticize Fang Xinghe for his self-degradation and waste of talent will always be a source of amusement for me.

Of course I don't accept this kind of constraint. I will use my talent wherever I want.

You always love to make a big deal out of things, bringing up rights and obligations.

As a natural person, the greatest right is to pursue happiness without breaking the law or harming others.

As a creator, the greatest obligation is to always remain true to 'authentic self-expression'.

When a creator starts to fake things for money, it becomes very difficult for them to be happy.

Now, I am exercising my right to pursue happiness and fulfilling my obligation to be true to myself. If you're unhappy, who do you think you are?

Get out of my shadow soon and see the sun outside. Stop blindly following this bunch of rabble.

China has been liberated long ago, and you have been free for a long time.

Those great people gave you the right to 'like whatever you want' by sacrificing everything; don't let those who 'teach you what you should like' take it back.

Whether it's stupid or not is secondary; the main problem is that it's a terrible waste of the sacrifices made by our ancestors.

If Master Li were standing in front of me today, I would point my finger at him and yell: "I just love watching martial arts novels, take your high-level bullshit and get the hell away from me!"
But you are not allowed to scold your parents and teachers. You can talk to them and say: I really like playing games. If I work hard to improve my grades by ten places in the final exam, can I play for an hour every day?
That concludes the admonitions to minors.

If you're an adult and, influenced by the media, are nagging me, then I only have one last thing to say in response—

Standing on the clouds, what you are looking up to is the most powerful kung fu superstar of all time, the strongest amateur basketball player on Earth, a great director who ranks among the top in the history of world cinema, a legendary actor who has forged a new path in cinematic style, a business genius who treats money like toilet paper, and a prodigy with extraordinary talent in all aspects of playing musical instruments and singing...

Where do you get the audacity to tell someone like that what they should and shouldn't do?
Comical like a clown, absurd and laughable.

To put it politely: I allow you to dislike any of my work, but I do not condone your judgment of anyone's legitimate preferences.

To put it bluntly: We're all experiencing life for the first time, so who do you think is superior? Do you have two extra testicles, or are you wearing a mink coat?
In short, I'll write whatever I want, and you can read whatever you want.

"If you're not going to watch it, then get the hell out of here."

Fang Da, the troll, just wrote something casually without putting much effort into polishing it, but unsurprisingly, it still went viral once again...

(End of this chapter)