patreon: cringe or based?

If someone is behaving in a way that makes you feel like they are "passively demanding" attention or money, and not doing anything to further themselves or give anything back to their supporters, they probably don't deserve support in the first place. If someone is in a bad situation there is nothing wrong with helping them, but if they are acting as a beggar wanting spare change and returning no favors, I'd pass.

If someone is begging for interaction, that's usually a sign that something is wrong. Giving money to somebody who is actually trying their best to accomplish something is better than giving it to somebody who has given up.

If I was a fan of a musician and their house was hit by a hurricane and their equipment was damaged or something, I'd feel good helping them get back on their feet. But I wouldn't give them anything if their career went to shit because they stopped trying.

When it comes to the subject of being a good samaritan and giving away your hard earned money, you should follow your gut instinct. If your brain is telling you that something is off, then you'll probably be wasting your money. For every person who needs help because something happened that was out of their control, there are fifty greedy motherfuckers who will come up with an excuse to feel entitled to your money.

I've been stuck living in a hotel room for the past seven years, broke as shit because I pay $2300 a month for two beds and a toilet, taking care of my grandparents, and the thought of going online and asking people for money has never crossed my mind. Even if I was an independent musician or in a band, I still wouldn't do it. If my band got popular and there was actually a good chance that I could give something back to my fans, that's another story. But even then, I wouldn't use Patreon because I'd feel like a beggar. Granted, that's just me, I'm not saying everyone on Patreon is there to beg on their knees for cash for illegitimate reasons . I would want people to fund my band through my own website, not direct them to a site that makes me feel like I'm a hobo catching the spare change people throw at me.