Ghazi Interpreter: Representation vs Corporate Media and the DIY ethic

We're doing something different this week. Rather than focus on a single work or franchise, this thread will step back and look holistically at the media world itself (and possibly, this could be its own weekly thread series).

Most of the discussion around representation focuses on big names. It's about getting Marvel to cast more minorities. It's about getting Nintendo to have positive gay characters. It's about getting corporations to do the right thing. And that is a huge leap of faith, because corporations only care about money.

Sure, the big names have the widest reach in society. Star Wars having a female protagonist is seen as a revolution, even though it's following a trend The Hunger Games already started. But still, you're putting your trust in organizations who, at the end of the day, don't have your best interests in mind. Focusing so much on stuff made by white men in suits neglects female and minority creators who have to work harder to enter the public consciousness. And wouldn't it be easier to prop up someone who has first-hand experience and can tell their own story rather than argue with some stubborn white guy who, at best, only experienced their stories second-hand?

Ideally, I'd advocate decentralizing the creative process away from large corporations and more towards independent media. I want the creation to be seen as more accessible, so that if you want to see change, you can make it happen rather than wait for someone else to do it. I'd like to reach a stage at which "I'm not good at creating" is not an excuse, for an ambitious failure still deserves respect for the former. But I know not everyone sees things that way, so that's why this discussion thread exists.

Also, I'm not saying that we shouldn't advocate for more representation in big name media, but because corporations do not care about people, it's never going to be a complete solution.