I think this sheds light on social media’s “blanket” over the human experience in its entirety. Panda fest was a great example, where everything was a photo-op and made to look aesthetically pleasing for our timeline feeds. Although I didn’t attend the event, I’m merely basing my opinion off the general consensus that shares the same sentiment as this post. No one likes free-labor, we need to put our phones down.
Just some food for thought — Panda Fest really feels like a symptom of Seattle. It’s a good reminder of why it’s so important to support locally owned restaurants and businesses, especially those rooted in diverse cultures and communities!
I totally agree that supporting locally owned and culturally rooted businesses is essential. That’s actually why I appreciated Panda Fest. many of the vendors I spoke with were local, immigrant-owned, and excited to be there. They saw it as a platform to reach new audiences and celebrate their culture in a fun, lively way. Minus the sky high prices I thought it was a cute event. While it’s not perfect, I think events like this can coexist with authentic cultural support especially when they’re run by members of the community, like Biu Biu Xu. Just a reminder that joy and visibility can be part of the movement, too. 💛 Loved seeing the Asian community coming together. Even Asian media local influencers were included which was nice to see.
Did you attend Panda Fest or speak to any vendors before writing this?
I have to respectfully disagree with your analysis. Panda Fest was created by Asian people, specifically Biu Biu Xu, a Chinese-American founder. To claim that “Asian culture was just another raw material fed into the machine” ignores the agency and intent behind the festival itself. In many Asian cultures, food and aesthetics go hand-in-hand as forms of joyful expression not as “props” for capitalism.
You write that “Panda Fest wasn’t about feeding people; it was about feeding the machine.” But I spoke to several vendors personally, and many of them were grateful for the exposure, excited to share their food with new audiences, and proud to represent their heritage. One vendor told me, “This event gave us a boost we connected with so many people.” She even told me about another event that they will be at next weekend that I should check out.
The idea that attendees were “clocking in as content labor” for “minimum viral wage” also feels overly cynical. People took photos because they were excited to be there not because they were forced into performance. Sharing joyful cultural experiences online doesn’t always mean exploitation; sometimes it means celebration.
Within the context of this writer’s broader works, they’re not condemning the individuals trying to make a living but judging the system — commodification of “asia” america and worse that we do it to ourselves bc we have to stay relevant to the algorithm. Putting together Asian food booths, “Asian culture performances”, not listing who the local vendors on on the websites or in promo, and then charging a premium is not community. asians can be capitalists too and we’re really good at it.
Asking if you were “clocking in for minimum viral wage” is a sharply penned question asked with a critical lens and not a condemnation of the people but a witty invitation for some self-reflection.
I hear you, and I think the critique of the system is valid especially around commodification and algorithms. But I also think it’s important to recognize that many vendors chose to be there and felt proud to share their culture.
“Minimum viral wage” is a sharp line, but joy and cultural pride can still exist, even within imperfect systems especially when the event is created by members of the community themselves.
This was Panda Fest’s first year, and while not perfect, it was created by members of the community. They’re going from state to state to see how it goes.
I think this sheds light on social media’s “blanket” over the human experience in its entirety. Panda fest was a great example, where everything was a photo-op and made to look aesthetically pleasing for our timeline feeds. Although I didn’t attend the event, I’m merely basing my opinion off the general consensus that shares the same sentiment as this post. No one likes free-labor, we need to put our phones down.
Just some food for thought — Panda Fest really feels like a symptom of Seattle. It’s a good reminder of why it’s so important to support locally owned restaurants and businesses, especially those rooted in diverse cultures and communities!
I totally agree that supporting locally owned and culturally rooted businesses is essential. That’s actually why I appreciated Panda Fest. many of the vendors I spoke with were local, immigrant-owned, and excited to be there. They saw it as a platform to reach new audiences and celebrate their culture in a fun, lively way. Minus the sky high prices I thought it was a cute event. While it’s not perfect, I think events like this can coexist with authentic cultural support especially when they’re run by members of the community, like Biu Biu Xu. Just a reminder that joy and visibility can be part of the movement, too. 💛 Loved seeing the Asian community coming together. Even Asian media local influencers were included which was nice to see.
Did you attend Panda Fest or speak to any vendors before writing this?
I have to respectfully disagree with your analysis. Panda Fest was created by Asian people, specifically Biu Biu Xu, a Chinese-American founder. To claim that “Asian culture was just another raw material fed into the machine” ignores the agency and intent behind the festival itself. In many Asian cultures, food and aesthetics go hand-in-hand as forms of joyful expression not as “props” for capitalism.
You write that “Panda Fest wasn’t about feeding people; it was about feeding the machine.” But I spoke to several vendors personally, and many of them were grateful for the exposure, excited to share their food with new audiences, and proud to represent their heritage. One vendor told me, “This event gave us a boost we connected with so many people.” She even told me about another event that they will be at next weekend that I should check out.
The idea that attendees were “clocking in as content labor” for “minimum viral wage” also feels overly cynical. People took photos because they were excited to be there not because they were forced into performance. Sharing joyful cultural experiences online doesn’t always mean exploitation; sometimes it means celebration.
Life is not always promised, try living a little.
Within the context of this writer’s broader works, they’re not condemning the individuals trying to make a living but judging the system — commodification of “asia” america and worse that we do it to ourselves bc we have to stay relevant to the algorithm. Putting together Asian food booths, “Asian culture performances”, not listing who the local vendors on on the websites or in promo, and then charging a premium is not community. asians can be capitalists too and we’re really good at it.
Asking if you were “clocking in for minimum viral wage” is a sharply penned question asked with a critical lens and not a condemnation of the people but a witty invitation for some self-reflection.
I hear you, and I think the critique of the system is valid especially around commodification and algorithms. But I also think it’s important to recognize that many vendors chose to be there and felt proud to share their culture.
“Minimum viral wage” is a sharp line, but joy and cultural pride can still exist, even within imperfect systems especially when the event is created by members of the community themselves.
This was Panda Fest’s first year, and while not perfect, it was created by members of the community. They’re going from state to state to see how it goes.