Forgiveness & Growth
Happy Wednesday everybody! It’s October 7th! And it’s been 98 degrees for six days! I hope your week is going well.
There has been a really big divide in the online communities the last few years- since the inception and implementation of a certain technology. I think now more than ever is the time we exercise some humanity. Forgiveness is a big part of humankind as a whole, to live peacefully. To learn from our mistakes and grow.
I came across an ad for a music artist this morning while waiting for a post to finish uploading. His music reminded me a lot of music from about 12-15 years ago, things like Of Monsters & Men, but with a bit of a more 2020’s mixing mindset, and an Elton John kind of performance. I listened to a few of his top hits, and was ready to put it down and probably not pick him up again, but i sent him to some friends thinking they would like his style.
However. (This is not an accusation, but an observation) Some of his album covers have a certain…look to them. You know the one. And while I try not to do this, I spent far too long zooming and picking apart these covers. It was just so in my face about it. I wanted to feel vindicated, so I did this with all the albums, and while the most egregious one was from 2021, the others also had the look, even if it was much more subtle, and used in tandem with edited photos. I want to say; if you are in a position to make music, you can make your own album covers. 2021 may have been a time when everyone was unsure of the technology and futzing around with it to edit photos and stuff, but 2026 is not the same landscape at all, especially if you clearly have the budget to afford an artist with how many listens you have on Spotify and you’re selling out shows.
This is not a call-out post, so I will not name who it is, but sir, you know who you are. I like your style, I like your voice- please do better. Either make it yourself or pay an artist. You make music, you should know the heart and work that goes into making art, and stealing that from others to save money is not okay.
The subject of this is FORGIVENESS & GROWTH for a reason- the point of this was to say, if you know someone who doesn’t understand why artists are so against people using AI to generate images or books or essays, be kind. Be loving. They don’t know better. Use this opportunity to explain why, help them see it’s wrong with patience, and give them some tips on how to start creating with their own abilities, and support their growth. Odds are these people are afraid of failure and have a negative perspective on how to try something new. It’s okay not to be good at something right away, or even ever, if creating is your goal. Just make things. The joy of having made something is way cooler than having it generated with no intent or passion or skill behind it. And if worst comes to worst and you just can’t get it right, they can just not, and have someone else make it. But allowing people the space to learn from these mistakes- especially if they happened years ago- and being kind, is something we have to maintain. Witch hunting never left the world better off, and it didn’t make your tension headaches go away, having your face all scrunched up that way hunched over your phone with your soggy cereal and cold coffee. Relax, take a deep breath, put your phone down.
This is your weekly reminder to get off the internet and go outside, sit in the shade, and just breathe for a while. Think about your goals, and how you’ll get there, or how your week went. Can you remember your week?
Thanks for listening to me ramble
Rem
