Jenna Brager is the author of the zine Sassyfrass Circus as well as the Shareable Post-College Flow Chart of Misery and Pain.
This cartoon appears in the new Shareable ebook collection Share or Die, which is now available in downloadable and free online forms. For the next piece in Share or Die, Milicent Johnson's "Detroit, Community Resilience, And The American Dream" click here.
Comments
Ronak wrote on 04.04.11, 3:52pm:
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVEEEEEE
<3
Felix Pleșoianu wrote on 04.04.11, 11:32pm:
Could be worse, you know. Around here, the universities are full of kids who don't really want to be there, but they are because their parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles all insisted that "you should make a future for yourself, dear". I'm glad I didn't end up being one of them (I was close), though it was hard, as 12 years ago many employers still cared more about your diploma than your demonstrable abilities. Well, some of them still do, but I learned those aren't worth working for.
Long story short, persistence and self-learning brought me from zero to respected professional in only ten years :P and without any degree beyond high school. Loving what I do and striving to do it well also helped.
Anyway, neat comic.
Neal Gorenflo wrote on 04.05.11, 7:32am:
Thanks for sharing your story Felix. Although I went to college, I've learned the most by far working on self-selected projects with smart friends who really cared about me and what we were doing.
I went to school at a time when it was affordable and I worked my way through so I didn't build up a big debt. I also worked for a company that had tuition reimbursement.
Now college is obscenely expensive in the US and tuition reimbursement does not exists anymore as a employee benefit for the average worker. Not to mention that there will likely be no job waiting for you once you graduate.
I'm a dad now, and I don't have an ambition for my son to go to college. Rather, I hope he finds something he's really passionate about and a community that cares about him where he can learn and make a contribution to society that's meaningful to him.
normalioifyp wrote on 04.12.11, 11:17am:
People still read zines?
People still make zines?
I once considered writing a zine, but came to the conclusion that if I wanted to reach everyday people, I'd have to publish online, where they get their news from. I see even the author puts copies of her zines online.
Beautiful illustrations. I love the detail.
Jenna Brager wrote on 04.13.11, 6:41am:
Hello! I'm glad you like the illustrations! :)
I think you bring up a valid conversation about the role of zines in an increasingly digital landscape--a conversation I know that many zine makers, and other non-digital producers (especially print media folks) are having. There is some great writing out there about this--including books such as Alison Piepmeier's "Girl Zines: Making Media, Doing Feminism" and blog posts like Jenna Freedman's "Zines Are Not Blogs." (http://zines.barnard.edu/about/notblogs). I also discuss these topics in my work.
I think a common perception is that zines and other print media are somehow in opposition to or a historical predecessor to web publishing--and must therefore be replaced, rather than viewing them as complimentary tools that serve sometimes different purposes. Sort of along the lines of "think global, act local." The short answer however, is yes! People still both make zines and read zines, and there are thriving zine communities putting together awesome projects and events all over the world.
--jenna b (sassyfrasscircus.com)
Marissa wrote on 06.02.11, 8:16am:
This was such a great pick-me-up as I prepare my personal statement for grad school. I'm applying to Fine Arts programs, and one of the main reasons I want to go is for access to incredible research material (one thing you touched upon so well in this strip! Sucks how us "commonfolk" are shut out of that stuff) and many grants and residencies want artists with graduate degrees.
BUT. It's becoming more and more apparent that the university and student loan debt is the next big "bubble" in our economy that's about to burst. I will not take out loans. If I get admitted to a school but do not have funding options to go with it, I will not go. It is not worth it.
There are a million ways to learn and gain access to information, and share our work. I hope that one day our higher education system will become less inflated and that people can truly afford to go.
Ivan wrote on 08.21.11, 12:23pm:
I am an academic at a small university that doesn't have much access. To be honest, it is true that being on or close to a big university has advantages, I have never been kicked out of any library when trying to get access to reading material. In fact the librarians at other schools have always been very helpful and understanding. Also, there are many places to get cutting edge research online. Many authors actually publish preprints on their website.
If you are willing to be flexible, almost any academic textbook or article can be found at no cost.
This comic strip appears in Shareable's paperback Share or Die published by New Society, available from Amazon. Share or Die is also available for Kindle, iPad, and other e-readers.
fucking amazing!