sketchucation logo sketchucation
    • Login
    โ„น๏ธ Licensed Extensions | FredoBatch, ElevationProfile, FredoSketch, LayOps, MatSim and Pic2Shape will require license from Sept 1st More Info

    Freelancers & ethics...

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Corner Bar
    22 Posts 10 Posters 1.8k Views 10 Watching
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • K Offline
      kaas
      last edited by

      @andyc said:

      ... I'm not talking about anything illegal, but just certain industries you feel ethically uncomfortable about.

      I had the same problem twice. Both times I chose to do 'the right thing' and didn't accept. The idea of having to work (for a long period of time) on something that made me feel ethically uncomfortable was no option to me. Both times I could just afford financially not to accept and looking back I'm still very happy I didn't compromise my values.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • A Offline
        andyc
        last edited by

        Yep, that makes a lot of sense. In my case it's a potential client with a large number of on-going small projects. Each project by itself isn't worth a great deal to me, but the combined value across the months and years is pretty high. The obvious downside is that if I did decide to 'take the money', I'd have to deal with this client, and hence live with my decision for the long term. Which isn't so great.

        On balance, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna turn this down and just work harder to find client's I can deal with more comfortably... tricky one though.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • KrisidiousK Offline
          Krisidious
          last edited by

          They want you to design a strip club huh?

          By: Kristoff Rand
          Home DesignerUnique House Plans

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • A Offline
            andyc
            last edited by

            If only ๐Ÿ˜„

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • soloS Offline
              solo
              last edited by

              After 9 years as a freelancer I have had many job offers that challenged my principles, however I have yet to turn one down. I cannot justify compromising my families well being for a moral victory.

              As an atheist I have done so many churches that I am becoming a go to guy, as a socialist liberal I have done work for very conservative groups and companies here in the south, I may not agree with their religion or politics but I do agree that I need the work and the paycheck. There is a line however and fortunately I am yet to be confronted with a Klu Klux Klan project which I most certainly will decline.

              I do have a funny story, a few months ago I was doing images/renders for a church in Arkansas and I needed to populate the Sunday school building with lots of kids, I used almost every kid 3D model I have and some were Asian and black which did not go well with this church committee, they asked me to make changes that I questioned them for a good reason why I should change it, they never responded and paid me for the work and never used that particular render on their website.

              http://www.solos-art.com

              If you see a toilet in your dreams do not use it.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • KrisidiousK Offline
                Krisidious
                last edited by

                The main ethics I stick to no matter what is I don't steal other people's work. I don't work on other people's drawing without their knowledge. I don't do plans where people send me someone else's drawings and asks that I use it with a few small changes. Unless the original designer knows.

                By: Kristoff Rand
                Home DesignerUnique House Plans

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • srxS Offline
                  srx
                  last edited by

                  IT is not for sale...

                  www.saurus.rs

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • A Offline
                    andyc
                    last edited by

                    It's a tricky subject isn't it. In the past I've adopted Solo's attitude to the problem, but I guess we all have lines we won't cross, and I may have found my line with this latest client.

                    Solo, as a fellow left-leaning aetheist, I had to smile at you having become the go-to-guy for churches. In the past I've been asked to remove women from visuals for engineering projects because the (male) client thought that women had no place in the engineering world. I "accidentally" forgot to respond to that email...

                    A.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • KrisidiousK Offline
                      Krisidious
                      last edited by

                      So I shouldn't have designed those cages bedrooms in the basement for the kids?

                      By: Kristoff Rand
                      Home DesignerUnique House Plans

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • A Offline
                        andyc
                        last edited by

                        Probably shouldn't have admitted it ๐Ÿ˜‰

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • U Offline
                          unearthed
                          last edited by

                          From a landscape perspective and in design seen by the public I feel that with some projects if you take them on you can find yourself treading a very fine line between greenwash or propaganda and genuine progressive design (e.g. real sustainability).

                          One of my only no-go areas would be tobacco companies. Other than that it would be a matter of not wanting to align my company/self with certain individuals, as (aside from the grubby feeling) you risk being tarred with the same brush

                          Growplan - People โˆฉ Plants โˆฉ Place

                          windows 7 64b, 4GB RAM, SU 8.0.16846
                          Gimp, QGIS, Vectorworks 12, Bricscad 11

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • A Offline
                            andyc
                            last edited by

                            Well, as I spent this evening making my decision, I may as well say what the work is that I have now decided NOT to take on. Without naming names of course.

                            The project was to produce some 'artist impression' style visuals for a big circus production. Great work on the face of it, a lot of creative freedom, and a change from the norm. I was on the understanding that this was for a "Cirque du Soleil" style circus - ie. a big theatrical event with high production values.

                            5 minutes on google revealed that this non-US/ non-European circus company, in addition to it's human performers makes extensive use of animals, including bears and great-apes, in some frankly appallingly demeaning ways. Ways that I'm pretty sure would be illegal here in the UK.

                            Nope, sorry. Not something I'm going to be complicit in. Decision made, off to bed to sleep well. Tomorrow I'll find a better client!

                            A.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • KrisidiousK Offline
                              Krisidious
                              last edited by

                              Circuses are evil... Clowns prove it.

                              By: Kristoff Rand
                              Home DesignerUnique House Plans

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • soloS Offline
                                solo
                                last edited by

                                @andyc said:

                                Well, as I spent this evening making my decision, I may as well say what the work is that I have now decided NOT to take on. Without naming names of course.

                                The project was to produce some 'artist impression' style visuals for a big circus production. Great work on the face of it, a lot of creative freedom, and a change from the norm. I was on the understanding that this was for a "Cirque du Soleil" style circus - ie. a big theatrical event with high production values.

                                5 minutes on google revealed that this non-US/ non-European circus company, in addition to it's human performers makes extensive use of animals, including bears and great-apes, in some frankly appallingly demeaning ways. Ways that I'm pretty sure would be illegal here in the UK.

                                Nope, sorry. Not something I'm going to be complicit in. Decision made, off to bed to sleep well. Tomorrow I'll find a better client!

                                A.

                                If I had 1% of your skill set I'd ask you to pass the work onto me and I'll give you any work the Klan offer me. ๐Ÿ˜„

                                http://www.solos-art.com

                                If you see a toilet in your dreams do not use it.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • KrisidiousK Offline
                                  Krisidious
                                  last edited by

                                  Just tell the Klan you're African Solo and that should take up their next year scratching their heads...

                                  By: Kristoff Rand
                                  Home DesignerUnique House Plans

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • StinkieS Offline
                                    Stinkie
                                    last edited by

                                    @krisidious said:

                                    Just tell the Klan you're African Solo and that should take up their next year scratching their heads...

                                    ๐Ÿ˜† ๐Ÿ‘

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • RichardR Offline
                                      Richard
                                      last edited by

                                      @krisidious said:

                                      The main ethics I stick to no matter what is I don't steal other people's work. I don't work on other people's drawing without their knowledge. I don't do plans where people send me someone else's drawings and asks that I use it with a few small changes. Unless the original designer knows.

                                      I've seen exactly that end up with people in court, one has to remember the original works are under copyright ownership of the original creator. If indeed one doesn't seek consent to reproduce or modify and original design you can in fact be found guilty of copyright infringement.

                                      So the way you are dealing with it mate is the safest approach!

                                      [BUILTBRAND.COM.AU](http://builtbrand.com.au/)

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • Mike LuceyM Offline
                                        Mike Lucey
                                        last edited by

                                        A bit late rowing in on this one as Andy has made his decision.

                                        This particular dilemma a tough situation to be in. I'm not a fan generally of circuses when it comes to treatment / animal conditions and think you were probably right not to do work for them BUT I imagine they will have no problem getting someone that will.

                                        I would be inclined to ask myself the question, "Is there any way I could influence them in the way they treat animals". If I was convinced that I could, by consultation / agreement, make captivity better for these animals I think this may put a different shade on the matter.

                                        In the case of zoos! I have visited some pretty bad examples in the past but I have also seen some more humane examples. The trend these days would seem to be to design conditions that are more humane to animals. If all good designers, point blank, refused to undertake design work for zoos I image they would not be evolving into what we see these days.

                                        Taking the moral high-ground IMO may not always be the best option. Sometimes getting involved and possibly changing attitudes, even by small degrees, might be a better way to go.

                                        Still, if something is stomach sickening its just hard to get involved.

                                        Mike

                                        Support us so we can support you! Upgrade to Premium Membership!

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • A Offline
                                          andyc
                                          last edited by

                                          Hey Mike - never too late ๐Ÿ˜„

                                          I agree with your pragmatic approach to this, and it is a view that I have adopted towards previous projects - better to be on the inside trying to do a little good, than on the outside doing nothing.

                                          But, in this particular case, as I'd have been working purely as a visualiser, rather than a designer, there wouldn't have been much opportunity to influence things for the better. Besides, in this instance the problem isn't so much a question of how the animals are cared for (though I doubt it is good), but also that the act involves animals (bears) being dressed as people and made to perform in ways that in no sense reflect their natural behaviours. The whole set-up just felt very wrong to me, to the point where even if I had taken the work, I'd never have felt able to give it any level of genuine commitment. This would go against my professional ethics, never mind my morals.

                                          In your example of zoos, which I agree can be morally ambiguous, I completely agree with you that being involved and exerting a little influence, however small, is a positive way to wrestle with the ethical dilema.

                                          I was in the fortunate position that I didn't NEED this contract to pay the bills or put food on the table (not that I can afford to turn much down!) And, this morning, I was asked to pitch for a project which looks really exciting and has no moral issues whatsoever... Karma? Who knows! ๐Ÿ˜„

                                          A

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • N Offline
                                            numerobis
                                            last edited by

                                            @andyc said:

                                            ...this non-US/ non-European circus company, in addition to it's human performers makes extensive use of animals, including bears and great-apes, in some frankly appallingly demeaning ways. Ways that I'm pretty sure would be illegal here in the UK.

                                            Nope, sorry.

                                            Good decision! ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ˜„

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 1 / 2
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Buy SketchPlus
                                            Buy SUbD
                                            Buy WrapR
                                            Buy eBook
                                            Buy Modelur
                                            Buy Vertex Tools
                                            Buy SketchCuisine
                                            Buy FormFonts

                                            Advertisement