enshittification of imagination
so... the hamster in my brain got the zoomies again. I was thinking why do people use AI to make "art" (other than to scam people out of their hard-earned money), because to me it seems like the effort is not worth the reward.
Faster output? What does that give you? Content for the algo? I mean, sure, it'll help you stay on the platform's good side, but it's not for your audience's benefit.
Afraid you can't draw? So what, you'll spend time and money training and programming your own engine (if you wanna do it ethically) or toy around on whatever slop machine they're shoving down our gullets (if you don't care)? IDK, seems to me like you could have learned yourself by the time you generate something you like.
No ideas? I remember someone used that as their reason why they turned to the slop engine but surely you can get inspirations by going outside. Go on a walk, to a museum, to the library, feed your artist child or whatever shite it was Julia Cameron was pushing 30 years ago....
Oh...
Wait...
Libraries and museums and even public parks are getting defunded.
Libraries and museums and even public parks are not accessible to everyone.
Libraries and museums and even public parks are third spaces and third spaces are vanishing rapidly.
And isn't that interesting? Isn't it interesting that art and art making is being pushed to us as "elitist", and museums and public libraries are also pushed to us as "elitist", and public parks are increasingly places of danger rather than respite? Isn't it interesting that all the places where imagination can be nurtured and grow wild are being rebranded as "elitist" while funding is being pulled left, right, and center? Isn't it interesting that, instead of funding these places of education, we are handing tax breaks to the same elites who make the slop machines?
Isn't it interesting that the general public is being told to stay inside and entertain themselves with slop?
Isn't it interesting that only rich people are allowed access to the places where imagination can get fed?
Isn't it interesting that the general population should give up libraries, museums and parks - third spaces that serve everybody - and instead pay more for an inferior product just so that they can feed their imagination a bit?
I find that interesting.
Do you?
