With this topic, there is a great temptation to proceed down the path of how terrible humans are and how we cultivate division, war and destruction… however, I’d rather focus on the all the beautiful things we do.
Humans cultivate creativity.
We are creative beings. We can’t help it. And we create, not just in the common understanding of the word, but in every way imaginable. Yes we paint, write, draw, compose, play music, dance — but we also imagine new technology and bring it into being. We imagine new solutions to problems… and sometimes create new problems with some of the solutions. We build buildings and streets and automobiles and planes… everything around me in this moment was thought up by and created by a human. Well, except for my plant friend.
We do love to cultivate material things. I am not ignoring the farmers and gardeners out there cultivating plants or animals. However, as a whole we are obsessed with things, objects and images. I am no different. I cultivate my creativity mostly on a screen. My work and artwork are, by and large, not something anyone can touch, or hold in their hand. A screen is required and the only touching is a *swipe* or a *click*.
Isn’t it odd how many of our creations are invisible to the “real world”? Your device is like a window into another realm… another existence. For some, it has become the world through which life is viewed. The ‘online self’ tends to be either flawless, or proudly claiming a flaw — both with the purpose of attracting attention.
This does not scare me, it fascinates me. We cultivate little avatars of ourselves to be presented to each other in an imaginary, on screen world. What will future generations take from this age of technological masks? Will it seem silly there is even a debate about something like ChatGPT… or will humanity return to natural living and not even know what a screen is? Will all the creation and cultivation of our age disappear into dust, never to be seen again? Or is this merely the beginning…