It seems to me that this new era of nearly automated digital production (i.e. "AI slop") is an opportunity, a reminder to us all of what it means to be human and how we get to be more of that now—if we choose. I realize this may be optimistic, and I'll admit my own cynicism towards humanity here, but I imagine those who resist AI will be something like the medieval monks who chose to read and write and build libraries at a time when literal barbarians were at the gates. What does that mean for us today?
We have seen this movie before. It is called "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Have a look at the trailer on The Tube. Rotten Tomatoes has it. Mr. Beast is just the latest incarnation of cruel unfeeling mindlessness using humans for its own purposes. Making people desperate, and then turning them against each other. If that ain't beastly, what is? Will humanity create a rope to hang itself on?
As someone who is relatively early on in their writing journey, the point on the templates of posts struck a chord. It reminds me we should choose carefully who to pay attention to. I'm trying to make a point of learning from how great journalists and authors write online (as opposed to learning from those who are merely great at getting a lot of views).
"scroll down your Instagram feed or your X feed or your Apple News feed, or swipe through your For You page on TikTok."
Nope! Don't have any of these.
Substack is the only "social media," (I was told by a commenter that substack is social media) I am on. Whatever it is, it is so much better. No algorhythms to manipulate my feed. I get to chose what I read and interact with other readers.
You can turn on 'following', which I do, meaning I don't get random people inserted in my feed. It's still not chronological, though, so it is algorithmically sorted.
It seems to me that this new era of nearly automated digital production (i.e. "AI slop") is an opportunity, a reminder to us all of what it means to be human and how we get to be more of that now—if we choose. I realize this may be optimistic, and I'll admit my own cynicism towards humanity here, but I imagine those who resist AI will be something like the medieval monks who chose to read and write and build libraries at a time when literal barbarians were at the gates. What does that mean for us today?
Have you read Paul Kingsnorth's "Against the Machine?" Right in line with your way of thinking.
It's on my bedside table.
We have seen this movie before. It is called "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Have a look at the trailer on The Tube. Rotten Tomatoes has it. Mr. Beast is just the latest incarnation of cruel unfeeling mindlessness using humans for its own purposes. Making people desperate, and then turning them against each other. If that ain't beastly, what is? Will humanity create a rope to hang itself on?
A cautionary tale, to be sure. Perhaps even with apologies to
Walter Benjamin's essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction"
As someone who is relatively early on in their writing journey, the point on the templates of posts struck a chord. It reminds me we should choose carefully who to pay attention to. I'm trying to make a point of learning from how great journalists and authors write online (as opposed to learning from those who are merely great at getting a lot of views).
"scroll down your Instagram feed or your X feed or your Apple News feed, or swipe through your For You page on TikTok."
Nope! Don't have any of these.
Substack is the only "social media," (I was told by a commenter that substack is social media) I am on. Whatever it is, it is so much better. No algorhythms to manipulate my feed. I get to chose what I read and interact with other readers.
"No algorhythms to manipulate my feed." Uh, wanna bet?
explain please
Substack's Notes feed is algorithmically generated.
I don't do notes. Rare case of looking at a couple writers
You can turn on 'following', which I do, meaning I don't get random people inserted in my feed. It's still not chronological, though, so it is algorithmically sorted.
I’m throwing all my chips, the keys to my car, and the deed to my house on humanity.