It seems the most quoted lines of the post about the "tablegate" drama is the following:
Skepchick may say they're not trying to make a profit, they're trying to "break even" when accounting for the cost of making the trip happen.
That's just irrelevant. Skepchick wants to do something (i.e. attend an event) and has chosen a suspect way to fund it (i.e. skirt convention rules).
Presumably the majority of attendees make this work by having a day job and saving money.
Skepchick's plan counted on avoiding merchant fees at the event. Not a good idea.
These sentences wished to convey the following:
- The plan hatched to fund their trip was horrible
- Other attendees did not have the same opportunities
- Perhaps most importantly, other attendees did not have the same expectations about the event
However due to the clichéd instructions, emphasis and poor phrasing, it's being read this way:
- Rebecca and Amy suck for not having a 9 to 5
- The products made by Rebecca and Amy are terrible
- Trying to make a buck is evil
- Etc, etc, etc.
Let's clarify a few things - these articles exist not to judge the merits of the products being sold.
These articles exist not to second guess entrepreneurship or career choices.
The intention of covering "tablegate", if not always the words in all circumstances, is to lend a critical eye to intentionally playing the "woe is me" card or leading the internet hate machine down a path to hurt your opponents unfairly. Perhaps even naming a friend or the wrong person entirely during episodes of insane "social justice" rage.
That these acts are usually executed in a hypocritical, exposure-raising or profit-seeking manner merely adds to the absurdity of the situation.
One will not find a critique of arts, crafts and t-shirts here.
If think a particular product is good, or you think a friend will enjoy it, go for it.
Afterwards you can go buy some groceries or lunch at that shop you know is staffed by very religious social conservatives. World will not end.
Boycotts and preachy walk-outs are not really productive.