The idea that your support of an artist “doesn’t matter” is demonstrably false if there is any…

The idea that your support of an artist “doesn’t matter” is demonstrably false if there is any money/compensation involved. Feeling affection in your heart for Woody Allen’s work, for example, doesn’t have an impact on others’ external reality; buying tickets to his films and buying DVDs of them lines his pocket, albeit in a small way, which does give him more power. I think that does matter, and we do have a moral responsibility to at least acknowledge that. Of course, in our economic system, we are all guilty of supporting immoral acts financially. Often we don’t have much of a choice. That doesn’t mean we should give up trying to forestall the harm we do. Every individual person must determine how much ability they have to forestall harm — for me, streaming a movie on a site that does not pay the (abusive) creator, or getting a book from a problematic creator out at the library instead of buying it, is a good work around. I think many people are capable of that and should do it. But, I cannot look at your life and determine that you have a responsibility to do so. But I would encourage you, and most people, to examine your consumption habits and see if there are ways for you to enjoy work without financially compensating a living, abusive creator. Not always possible, but often it is.