Shh... It's A Secret


lizziebydesign's avatar
"Don't complain about something unless you intend to do something to change it" -Someone on the Internet
^I'll start by saying that I am posting this rant in the hopes that someone from the DAS admin team will see it, and do something about it. :poke:

Deviant Art Secret: :icondeviantartsecret:

Maybe you know them, maybe you you've seen their posts on the front page every now and then over the past 6 years, maybe you've even submitted a secret yourself (I did a while ago) and maybe you've realized the same thing a lot of other people have about them... namely that there is a lot of controversy around the idea (even after 6 years of operation) and the whole thing is actually rather poorly managed. The inner workings (not that I'm a part of that, but it's obvious from the outside) appear to be rife with miscommunications between helpers, the standards posted in past journals' rules are not upheld on a consistent basis, secrets that are mostly posted are done so on a quantity>'is more important than'>quality standard, yet months of backlogged secrets are common, contradicting the stated rule of "it will take a lest a month for your secret to be submitted". (btw, the spelling mistake in that quote is actually in the journal, and it's not the only one to be found in these 'official' postings)

And of course the comments by regular members about DAS's short-comings are endless yet none of them are responded to, or even acknowledged by the administration of the DAS club!

Here are some of my most recent favorites from the main page (since DAS disabled all comments on the secrets):

:iconpurplerubyred: Dec 24, 2012
Some of the people who are posting these secrets need some serious help. Rape, abuse and suicide are nothing to play with. Get some help because that stuff will eat away at your adult lives, even if you allow yourself to bury it years later. Don't let it linger on and on without talking to someone who can help you.
---
:icondee-dee96: Dec 23, 2012
Ah, DAS, such a good place to fine my daily dose of drama :) -scrolls up and down comments-

Hehe, but on another note, I just think I'll throw my opinion out there. Some'll disagree, others might agree -shrug- Freedom of speech and all that shite.

I agree when people say that there's nothing wrong with posting your problems online. Studies find that posting blogs, online diaries, etc are actually really helpful....when it's in its proper place.

DeviantART is an ART website, not a blogging website. If you feel the need to talk about you're problems, then take it to tumblr, or twitter, or youtube (since I hear vlogging is becoming quite popular). Or better yet, if your problem is so bad, seek professional help. There are multiple ways to receive such help - counseling is one of them. Hell, it's what counseling is for!

And I know people will be waving their arms telling me that DAS has been around longer than Twitter or Tumblr or whatever, but shouldn't that mean it's time to move? A few years ago before these sites existed, I wouldn't have minded, but now stuff like these so-called 'secrets' (seriously they aren't even secrets) have a proper place. And that place isn't here.

I could bitch and moan about how it isn't art or whatever, but scroll down you can probably see that a lot of people already have that point covered. So I think I'll leave it at that.

Just thought I'd put my two cents in, so agree or disagree, I don't care all that much.
---
:iconnp-sage: Dec 18, 2012
You guys need to come clean on what the heck is going on in the background of this operation. What was once a well run operation, now looks like a start-up run by moronic yuppies.

1. The journals now look it was written by someone with a very loose grasp on the English language. If people are not reading the journals, it's because people train themselves to ignore text they can't read.

2. You have a popular thing going here; thus you are going to get a lot of user submitted content. Either find a way to sort it so only the best get posted or speed up your posting by getting more people who can post so that stuff get posted daily and reduces the back-log.

3. I have not forgotten that whole selling secrets debacle. I know that I personally want answers as to why anyone thought that would ever be a good idea. Seems to me it should have been shot down at first suggestion.
---
:iconvegeluxia: Dec 14, 2012
I figure I'll get put down for this, but I feel like I have to say it.
"DAS needs Artistic Secrets. We realise a lot of you think all secrets should be accepted. We also agree with this, but like it or not DAS is a club on an art site. Because of this secrets need to be artistic. If your secret is not artistic, it will not be accepted.

I hardly think a lengthy paragraph quickly jotted down over some scribbles could really be considered "artistic". I'm not saying everybody needs to go out and create a masterpiece, but some more thought put into these things would be nice. Maybe try being poetic or something...And for the love of god, learn to proofread.

The vast majority of this just comes off as whining rather than a heartfelt confession.
"... If you send in a secret that is much the same as the 1000's of other secrets in DAS, sorry, but your secret will not be accepted.

Either somebody lied, or I have missed something entirely.

Finally, I know it sucks to hear, but people cannot read your freaking mind. If you're upset no one understand you, sad that your best-friend got the guy you've been in love with for forever but never told, ect., please try being more direct with them instead of just getting upset about it.

That's not your friends/ famly's/ the universe's fault. It's yours.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course, I understand why DAS disabled comments on the secrets, people were abusing them and doing a lot more harm to the posters of the secrets than to DAS itself. Let's face it kids, the Internet is a cold, cruel, unyielding mass of judgment and ridicule; you can't expect to post anything and not get abusive feedback at least a little! So yes, I get the disabling comments thing. However, I don't understand why DAS continues to ignore these comments that are very obviously making good points about how to improve the way their club is run and how their members are using (and abusing) their service!

If you don't already know, DAS was inspired by a project an American guy started a number of years ago called Post Secret. It was, and still is, a brilliantly designed and executed project that has touched millions of people the world over. *DeviantArtSecret got the idea to duplicate this project, most likely with the (at one point, stated) intention of sharing the secrets of their artistic community in the best way we all know how... artistically! However, it hasn't quite worked out that way.

Listen, I get it that "anything can be considered art" and that people's secrets are their own and I shouldn't be the one to pass judgement on what qualifies as 'art' or even as a 'secret'. Or wait... isn't that exactly what the helpers and admins of DAS are supposed to do? YES! If you submit a secret you probably read their rules on how to do so, in which case we can assume you understand that your secret has the potential to be denied on the grounds that it is 'not artistic enough' or not original enough. (Because NO ONE except you has a best friend who loves the same guy you do and you're not sure if you can trust them anymore :heartbreaker:)

Lastly, and I promise this is the last point I'll make, I'd like to address their handling of secrets involving self-harm and other abusive behavior either to or from the secret teller. Granted, they do provide this dinky little journal about depicting self-harm in secrets but they completely ignore the biggest issue: secrets containing abusive (mentally or otherwise) statements.

Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery, no matter what it is <<<<<everyone knows this.
The NEXT step is doing something about it (ie: seeking help, professional or otherwise).

The Internet is not the best place to get help or advise on the matters of rape, self-harm, physical abuse, coping with mental disorders, etc. as most of the people commenting are not professionals and may not be giving good, or tested, advice. Because of the way DAS is set up, this inevitably happens whether they turn off the secret comments or not (ie: the main page). As a side note: Yes, my secret was one that would have been considered written by someone who need mental help and yes, I did pursue it and I did get better. It's not a secret anymore.

The reason Post Secret doesn't have this issue is because they don't allow comments. Period. There is a process of evaluating the secrets submitted and then the ones chosen are published where they cannot easily be publicly commented on. Those who submit do so for their own personal benefit and do not receive feedback in any way, they only find out if they got in the book or not. You can't fave their secrets, you can't comment and you can't follow comments on them.

Alright, I'm done. That's my two cents and you can take it or leave it, though I would prefer the former. :twocents:

-----------------------------------------

TL;DR?
I was annoyed with DAS so I did something about it.
Read it, you might enjoy it.
Comments92
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
JericaWinters's avatar
Secrets steals front page spots that should go to harder working artists. I wish they'd move secrets to the Jerry Springer show (if it's still running).
Kinrift's avatar
Afraid I only read about two thirds of it, but well done for a tonne of text that doesn't look like it was written by a 5-year-old. Like most textwalls on here.
lizziebydesign's avatar
I'm glad about that, as I am definitely not a 5-year old :)
blackvragor's avatar
The amount of needless angst posted in that group makes me sick. If I read one more, "it's tearing me apart," or, "I fucking hate him/her for 'it'," or, "It hurts...," I just, I don't know what I'll do.

If only those kiddos knew anything of the kinds of horrid things happening outside of their personal pity party. Unbelievable the kind of ignorance I've read there. I almost become insulted by it.
lizziebydesign's avatar
:nod: It's one of the reasons people should focus more on supporting psychological professionals and mental help groups. There are a lot of things that would be better about the world if people only knew how to properly use the tools given them.
HametsuNoCharge's avatar
But see the human mentality in trained to be self-focused so it makes sure the self survives first and is more important than others. Your brain basically tricks you into thinking "I AM SPECIAL" and unless you take that message with a grain of salt, you will believe you are the single most unique person on earth.
Spudfuzz's avatar
Enter religion.

:sprint:
NerdyAndProud's avatar
Holy crap, the coffee one is adorable!
GoGo-T-W's avatar
Aww, I posted before getting to whore.

PurpleAmharicCoffee's avatar
Wow. That was a waste of fifteen seconds. Typing this comment wasted thirty six more, but I needed to do so to mend my brain.
GoGo-T-W's avatar
Post Secret gets complaining e-mails about secrets. Sometimes they are even posted on the blog.

But Post Secret put out their app which got taken down for the same reason DAS doesn't allow comments.

And there is a third party that has archived all the Sunday secrets since you can't go back to look at them on the blog itself. And it is a horrible place like DAS.
phoenixleo's avatar
Contact +help with this. 
K-Koji's avatar
o_O Am I the only one who has never heard of this before?

..and I still don't really get the purpose of the group :o ...
HametsuNoCharge's avatar
Nope, neither have I....I just checked it...apparently this exists
Buniis's avatar
A secret is something you keep to yourself, not something you tell everybody and if you don't want people to see things, don't post them to public. Just because people can't comment, doesn't mean people can't judge. Anybody can link to the 'secret' or do a dramatic reading on it. They're still going to receive feedback, disabling comments just tells everybody else they're scared of what others have to say.
Xcetera's avatar
Gosh, DAS is so bad, it's like they're human or something.

Seriously, everyone on that group sound like whiny little cunts. DAS is a small group of people operating a very popular club, and for obvious reasons that can't just get anyone to help. You think it's poory run? That's great. Start a new one and run it yourself, then.
kawaii-cookies's avatar
meh. i'm not in the mood for self promo :lol:
kitsumekat's avatar
Everytime I see that account, I feel good about myself and my art.
SynapticBoomstick's avatar
Those Secrets things drip far too much "waaahh" and I still don't get it.