I struggle with Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder) to this day. I no longer go to therapy or take fistfuls of prescription pills that they used to have me on. It took a long time to work through my issues and stabilize myself without pills or booze, but I got there.
While I don't feel that qualifies me to be judging anyone or preaching about anyone's actions, I can relate to both sides of this thread. A lot of designers don't get much respect, I agree. But who's fault is that? If a designer is actively promoting their studio or services here and can't reply to a potential client inquiry after 4 days, (barring some emergency or technical glitch), it's probably a good indicator of how they operate. (personal opinion there.)
I feel MetaMan's pain, but I disagree with his approach here in this thread. I used to post up wild, manic rants like that every day here for a long time. I came within an inch of complete self-destruction, and had to take a few years off to regroup, reorganize, reevaluate and reprioritize. There was (and still is) much personal work to be done on myself, every day. The important part is, I'm no longer regretting my actions at the end of every day, wishing I could change it. I am actively engaged in changing myself & my studio into exactly what I want it / me to be. That doesn't necessarily translate into "being rich". There are more important things than money.
I've learned the value of not being a douchebag to the rest of society 24/7.
But that is my story. I don't know MetaMan, or really hardly anyone here on a personal level, and so I don't know his story or motivations and this pot isn't going to call that kettle black any time soon.
Yeah, designers don't always get as much respect as maybe we should. But again, who's fault is that? It comes down (again, personal opinion here) to how you operate your studio, providing your service in a professional way, and conducting yourself as a professional when representing your studio. I don't work for peanuts. But I also don't complain about it, because... well, because I don't work for peanuts. If someone doesn't like my fees, I try to work with them as best I can, or they can simply go elsewhere. It's no skin off my back.
Amp's Golden Rule: Run your studio like a professional instead of a college kid, and the respect will follow.
