I knew it wasn't venison. Okay, that's not too much of a plot spoiler if you haven't watched HBO's 'The Last of Us', and if it it is, maybe you shouldn't have clicked on this post. Still, there's enough in the last episode to keep us interested. I even cried at the end of it, dammit - I really do like this show.
In this episode we have the counter to Jackson, a much more successful settlement that gives hope to Joel and Ellie, and a possibility of a home one day. It's run by a woman who used to be a lawyer, an intelligent woman who believes in the community and in law. However, in this episode, we finally see the first sign of religion in the world struggling to survive after the cordyceps virus infects most of humanity and still lurks on the periphery in various forms.
David not a nice guy. It's hard for me to believe he might be, because no leaders of people who rule by gaslighting, fear and violence can possibly be a good guy. But there's also that archetype in post apocalyptic drama where the religious leader is more often than not more than often dodgy. When he says to a grieving daughter that she can't bury her father because the ground is too cold, well, you know something isn't right.
I don't really want to get into a review here as it's not the point of this post, but what I found interesting was his argument (and justification for some heinous acts to survive a really, really bad winter) is that is what nature does. David argues:
What does Cordyceps do? Is it evil? No. It's fruitful. It multiplies. It feeds and protects its children, and it secures its future with violence, if it must. It loves.
At first, I was annoyed with the show for this line, and then I realised it's very much David's character to make this error about nature. Nature doesn't love in the way humans do, and nor does it have 'children' - that's anthropomorphising. David's saying it's natural to be violent, as if it is God's way, when it is his alone. It cannot be 'evil', because it cannot be 'good'. Only man has that capacity. Just as Ellie is capable of violence, so too is her heart capable of love and tenderness. David isn't capable of love and probably hasn't known it, and choose to rule by violence in the guise of love. So whatever his excuse, it's based off something deeply flawed.
I really like what Merlin Sheldrake says about anthropomorphisim in his book 'Entangled Life':
“Anthropomorphism is usually thought of as an illusion that arises like a blister in soft human minds: untrained, undisciplined, unhardened. There are good reasons for this: when we humanise the world, we may prevent ourselves from understanding the lives of other organisms on their own terms. But are there things this stance might lead us to pass over – or forget to notice?” ― Merlin Sheldrake, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
In this case David's passing over or not noticing what it means for a human being to love. And it's not merely about base survival, or about control and violence at all costs. On the other hand, he's cherry picking the most brutal aspects of nature rather than learning from other aspects such mutualism, something that the leader of Jackson is more aligned with. David takes, and does not give in return, unless it directly benefits him, and the only way he knows how to do it is through violence. Dumb bloke, really. The world could do with less of them.
To AI art or not?
I said a few days ago that AI written text is unacceptable on HIVE because it's decietful and taking rewards that should be given to human effort. I feel quite differently about AI 'art' - and I'm calling it art, because it's capable of evoking human emotion, and despite what people think, is very much the human intention and effort that brings it into being with the assistance of AI. It helps bring visions to life, and brings joy if not a kind of therapy through creation. I imagine I'd feel very differently if I was a traditional artist. I recognise and understand how they might be feeling right now.
Probably how a lot of professions felt when the printing press arrived. Technology has a way of rattling the world to it's core, but it's unstoppable. We just have to adapt.
I don't see an issue with AI art so long as we attribute it. It's probably where I've got to with CHAT GPT too - as long as we are not deliberately trying to decieve someone what's the harm? People can make a choice about whether or not to support it. You might, for example, think 'oh River's written some okay stuff here but - ugh - AI art - no upvote from me'. Fair enough. I get it.
Me, I'm obsessed. I've never been able to bring my fantasies to life except in words, and there's something quite magical in the visual. It's not always as easy as plugging in a sentence or two - one has to know a little more about art, and colour, and technique and lighting, which is quite the learning process for me. I'm enjoying following a theme, particuarly nature and mushrooms. It's a theme I'm exploring on my instagram account @myco_whispers, mixing the AI art, real photographs, quotes and my own writing. I'm finding real joy in it.
Mushroom Notebooks
I can't remember the last time I printed off a photo. I was in KMart today and walked past the photo desks and thought - hey, I wonder what my AI art would look like printed. Turns out, hit and miss - only as good as the original image. Some I loved. Turns out for .40 cents plus $2.50 for a plain notebook and a gluestick, you can make your own personalised notebook. Voila. I have to say I'm thrilled with how these turned out, especially since I was googling 'mushroom notebooks' and baulking at spending $20.
Of course, you could argue what's the point when a plain .20c pad would do, but - freaking mushrooms.
What do you think of my notebooks? What about AI 'art'? Are you watching 'The Last of Us'?!
With Love,
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AI art is finished in seconds and displays what could have taken me hours. I like to draw and play with art. When I started playing with AI I was a little scared of pursuing art but AI can only take directions. The ideas came from me. I think as long as credit is given to the AI the is no reason not to include it in illustrations for blogs or even books. I will look for your IG.
Sorry mate, I've been busy - saw you follow me on @myco_whispers and I got ya back! I agree, as long as you credit the image it shouldn't be a prob. I dont' think I did here haha but I think it's kinda obvious in context of the blog right?
Have a great weekend. Check out South Park's ChatGTP episode. Great stuff
Oh I'll have to hunt that down... I'm laughing already!
Yeah I agree with you there. AI written texts and AI images are two entirely different things. The AI generated images are used only to enhance the formatting of a human written post and it actually takes away the issue of using copyrighted images that is apparently an extremely big thing on hive. The image itself is not what the majority of the blog is. It is just an adjunct and as long as the written text is original there should be no harm in using AI generated images. I personally rely heavily on AI generated images (mentioning the source of course) for my blogs to avoid using just a generic image from google.
AI generated text however is different if that makes up the majority of the blog.
Sorry I missed this. I really like the AI images over using a generic one from google that everyone uses all the time!
AI art, I love it. Chat GPT has its uses. It can even give you tips on how to play Hive games. It is here to stay, so we need to need to harness it for the good.
But making futuristic art out of prompts is great fun. I mean look at Dande he is a star.
Haha yeah Dande is a winner!
I really interested with the first image. Such a very cool designs. I see now people in love using this platform.
Sorry it didn't load properly.
Still not thrilled by AI stuff but I get your point about being able to create in some way.
I have taken photographs and put them on notebooks, my address book is one I made years ago. I had my husband spray the image with acrylic to protect it before I mounted it.
The multi mushroom one does look nice…
It's like a botanical art drawing isn't it? I like it. I'd love to see your address book, that's cool! I used to take black and white photos and contact them to exercise books. Same kinda thing.
Here ya go:
It was a free notebook and I put the photo on the cover and made the tabs down the sides. Those didn't show up in the photo, being black with gold lettering and part covered by the cover.
Wow that's BEAUTIFUL!!!! You took that photo? It's so magical and enticing a landscape! I love it! All the better that it's not AI!
Nope, I didn't take it, not sure where it came from as it was about 20 years ago, I think. Might have been a card once...
Oh it's lovely
Those notebooks look fantastic, as do the images you generated with AI (which I also have no issues with whatsoever). And I understand in the huge theoretical upheaval in the reaction of traditional artists, and even people who are not. Kinda reminds me of 3D printers when they came out. But it has yet to replace traditional manufacturing, similarly as how photography has never replaced painting. So I expect the discussion to die down eventually, and people come to terms with the phenomenon of AI generated art.
Yeah, I think it'll die down. And I think actual artists will still be appreciated and valued, and artists gotta art, right? It's not as if human beings will lose their desire to create.
Exactly! And we're not even talking about the disproportional work-reward ratio in art. And to create uninspiring corporate "art" no AI was ever needed.
Oh yeah, like musak for elevators... Ugh. Dead right.
Love the notebooks. AI art fine if attribution is clear. Not watching "Last of Us".
On vacation, thats all you get today 🙂
Haha I hope you are having fun!
THere is now Ai music, Ai vocals, and I don't feel like it's stealing my bread. I am chilled with it. There are rooms for everyone...
I gave up posting about my Ai Art because I didn't enjoy the rewards I was getting. But I still enjoy posting on IG about my Ai art.
Yeah everyone starts to panic like it's the end of the world.
Uncomfortable with the fact you were getting rewards or that you didn't?
Yeah I understand the panic because it will probably be the end of us all, but it's kind of inevitable so why not enjoy the process hahah...
About the rewards, I felt that my AI art deserved much more rewards than the one I was getting, and then it somewhat validated for me that maybe my AI art wasn't that special and maybe that none of what I am doing is special, creativity is a merky water, because some days you feel like a genius and the next day like the average moron. And it bled into my music somehow, so I am staying away from it for a little while, as like everyone else I have a "confidence bar" that can deplete, and I prefer depleting it with my music right now. I'll come back to it, but it needs to be more playful, I always compete with other artists in my mind, it's hard to just embrace art for what it is, just art. Especially when you're trying to make a living with it.
Hahaha you asked a simple question and gave you the most convoluted answer.
I totally agree with and understand all you say! I mean there's a huge explosion of AI art everywhere, so what makes ours better, more unique, etc etc? And yeah that OBSESSION of creating images and the whole wonder of it can take up time you probably could be putting into other, perhaps more valid, creative energies?
We do live in an image rich world - we're totally over run by it. How much has the power to 'wow' anymore? And how might ours 'wow' more than anyone elses? How much is our essence, our unique creative prompting and vision, and how much is it just the AI drawing from the rest of humanity according to a language input?
Still, I'm loving doing the IG. Thanks for following me there. I like the way I can do half real life images and half AI, like I'm showing my human through the AI created imagery too. Here I am in the forest for real, here I am in an imaginative forest.
it's interesting the word that you picked, the first few months of using Ai art , I really enjoyed what it triggered in me, but after a while, I think it reminded me a bit of the desensitization that one could feel after watching a whole bunch of p*rn. If all your "fantasies" are being fulfilled, then what is left to do? So while it's a great tool to help imagine and dream, it should be used with caution because it can very well gives that dopamine boost that is "similar to the real thing", but we all know that nothing can replace the real thing, whether we talk about creation, relationships, life, hahah...
Now you wanna hear some crazy shit?
https://www.firstpost.com/world/researchers-make-ai-bot-that-can-read-your-mind-and-draw-80-per-cent-accurate-images-12266382.html
So very soon, you'll just imagine something in your mind, and it will be interpreted by a computer and AI, fascinating.
It also means you could create your own movie, it would probably revolutionize the whole industry, everyone making up their own stories in the comfort of their own homes.
I like that you're doing that! You're probably using Ai the right way (not that there is a wrong way haha, but it's the healthy way).
I love what you say about de-sensitizing. I have a feeling that even the images we produce are like 'meh' to the masses now as the masses can insta produce their own art. There's something sad about that. And I'm not sure how literate the masses are to find beauty in words anymore, and what if they are produced by AI too? But then .. all one needs to do is switch off, and the whole meta verse gives way to the beautiful loved experience of life.