… and modern culture in general.
So often you’ll find people on social media showing off stuff they “made” using generative AI. And I can’t help but always think one thing: making art is supposed to be FUN! So why do let the machine do all the fun work while we essentially are its “manager”? I’ve been thinking about it for a long time as to why people seem to like using generative-AI instead of being creative, and I think this is the reason:
- we are constantly inundated with the works of actual creatives 24/7 on social media
- we see these people and think “I want to do that!”
- “side-hustle culture” is a real thing and specifically targets the creative branches, so a LOT of people think “hey, I can make something creative and sell it and make money on the side”
- they then realize it takes a lot of effort learning new skills and honing your craft and practicing your art
- generative AI is sitting right there, saying “hey! use me! I can give you that dopamine hit of having “created” something without actually putting in any effort!”
- this leads right back into #1 with social media behavioural patterns and how we strive for those little hits and the dopamine comes in the short time we expect something good and not actually having done something. I know this is a side tangent, but really it’s the ROOT problem: social media psychology is the same as gambling: you press a button, roll the dice or whatever, and then the excitement builds and you get a dopamine hit. “will I win? will this next picture/video be funny?” and then regardless of the outcome – good or bad – we want that dopamine hit again, so we press the button, swipe the screen, hit refresh – whatever.
So… I try to preach wherever possible the joys of learning a skill and practicing your art. I try not to belittle them or tell them they’re hurting themselves and the creative arts, because that isn’t a good motivator. I just tell them how much joy I get from being creative and practicing my creative arts and how it can’t compare to whenever I download an asset pack or prompt AI to build something for me.
Oh, and one last thing: the mindset of “I don’t care about actually making something myself – I enjoy telling others to follow my vision” is something that is real, and it’s what managers and executives have and it’s almost always linked with psychopathy. Which is why techbros (who are all “management” types or types that don’t actually do anything except hire devs to fulfill their vision) are all-in on AI. And because modern startup culture and hustle culture and side-hustle culture and business culture and finance culture always pushes stuff like “make your money work for you” or “make sure you’re not the smartest one in the room” or “10 ways to get your team motivated to do anything for you” and “be your own boss” – a LOT of people consciously or unconsciously aspire to be that type of person as it’s what society hails as “good” and “successful”. Shame, really. I thought after 2012 we would transition into the next phase of humanity where the “spirit” (creativity, relationships, pesonal growth) would be the focus, and that the internet would help us in that with its massive potential for connectivity. Instead the “powers that be” turned it in a way to isolate us and pump us full of negativity so they can profit off of us.