MetalMagpie said:
I don't really see much difference between accepting money in return for building someone a website (which I do) and accepting money in return for a picture of my feet. In neither case has the person "exerted power over me", because I decided whether to do it or not. "Will you do X if I give you money?" is basically how a job works! What matters is whether or not you're comfortable with what X involves.
If someone instead put a gun to my head and demanded a picture of my feet and then (once I'd done it) threw some money at me then yes, that would feel very weird. Being forced to do something is never nice.
I have to admit that I've kind of taken it as read that everyone felt the same way as I do about such things and this poll and post has made me consider why I feel the way I do.
To answer your question, I do think that this is different from working because if I were to contract you to build a website then what I am buying is the website. Part of that contract will be you working on that website, my expectation for you to do something, but fundamentally it is the website, your labour, that I am purchasing.
This is different. In this hypothetical situation I would be purchasing you. Just because it carries a shroud of anonymity doesn't get away from the fact that you are selling yourself, even if it is only an image.
I dunno! I guess I'm just not comfortable with that and it seems weird to me that anyone would be. I guess part of that is how I see myself and how I think about money. I don't have many scruples or principles but I don't want to be carried in life. If I want to do or have something then I want to do it with money that I myself have earned, not that I've had given to me though beyond my computer, my toys and passtimes, whilst having the fiscal freedom to go out for a drink or night out or a holiday with my mates whenever I want to, I don't have any real interest in money or stuff. I'm a pretty basic human living a simple life.
Plus I haven't got any debt and I've got decent savings so maybe that affects my perspective.