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becoming
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Fly like an eagle or swim like a goose.
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CXLVII – THE AI question
For the past few months on flickr there has been a discussion about AI most people ranting against it and it’s place on sites like flickr. So I finally decided to explore my own thoughts and jump into the fray. Here was my post to this discussion/argument.
I’d like to say feel free to comment but for some reason comments have been disable on this site by someone other than me and I have not been able to figure out how to reactivate them.
A fantastic discussion/argument on AI. Many threads to explore:
i.e. The question of is AI art?
The question of should AI work be on Flickr?
The question of is the use of AI in its current iteration a moral, immoral or amoral act?
Maybe the bigger question is what role should technology play in our creative lives and work.
Many people like to suggest that AI will be the end of humanity.
And that may well be the case - but I say so, what? Have you looked at humanity closely.
We are broken, flawed beings with personality, character and sometimes physical glitches.
The end of humanity is inescapable. It's just ironic that it would be at the hands of our own creations - just like humanity killed the creator god. Or Dr. Frankensteins Monster killed him. The creation always kills its creator - sometimes even as it is worshiping it. I say we've got it coming. So let's enjoy what's left. To believe in a human-centric existence is delusional.
Maybe AI technology will "fix" us and all our human "glitches". Will we still be human? And aren't we already halfway there - wherever "there" takes us? Look how people look to technology for medical, commercial, military, spiritual aids. There has been no turning back since the industrial revolution evolved into the technological revolution and now the AI information revolution. Things change - and humans are notoriously bad at accepting change. I know this from personal experience as I also am human. Humans are also notoriously bad at knowing when and how to quit. And when you factor in the global capitalist expansionist commercial ventures - there is and will be NO stopping.
I actually do a lot of photo-manipulation and creative edit abstract work a process that for years I have called "Visual Glossolalia" and I can tell you that for about a month now I've started tagging my work "NOT AI" because I don't want people to think I used AI to create my images - that was after someone emailed me asking if I use AI in my work. LOL
Sorry for the bad news. I'm sure many will take issue with things I've said and I'm fine with that. I'm willing to co-exist in the same world as those who think differently and disagree with me. On that note Happy flickr life everyone.
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CXXXIV – WHEN A SONG IS TRULY GREAT!
Once in a very rare occasion you can find a song that is truly great that transcends itself and is happy in just about every setting.
Before I go further, I'd like to lament that people in the United States don't pay more attention to things outside of the US. The Eurovision contest is an example. I'm convinced that most talent shows in the US are profit driven more than they are talent drive and Eurovision is an example of how talent wins. I've followed this contest for a couple of years checking in periodically on the talent presented.
2024 Eurovision was plagued by politics - and politics can destroy ANYTHING!
But I'm convinced after hearing all the entries that the winner of Eurovision 2024 would have won even if there wasn't all the drama that surrounded it.
The artist is Nemo, they are from Switzerland and their winning song was called THE CODE. A song that is a mashup of opera, rap, pop - which sounds like it might be pure garbage. But Nemo seamlessly weaves the genres together making them complimentary and adding to the dynamic and emotional content of the lyrics.
Nemo's vocal diversity, range and power are present throughout the song whether it's breathy, sung or rapped and in the live version below which is my personal favorite it it amazing how he carries off the vocal delivery with a consistent energy that is rarely seen. The acoustic version really showcases the actual voice. This is pure talent!
Another thing about this song. I have heard 4 different versions. And I can tell you that while the mood changes in different settings it does not diminish the songs power. There is a certain level of dynamism and even some bombast like one hears in music used in the opening credits of a contemporary James Bond film.
It just has that kind of kick. I'm really looking forward to how this talent develops going forward. We'll see if this was a one-off or if it's a directional indicator.
I'm going to present these 4 versions here and let you decide which you like best. But all 4 are winners in my mind.
Enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments.
#1. Live
#2. Orchestral
#3. Acoustic
#4. Official Music Video
~~~ Lyrics ~~~
Welcome to the show
Let everybody know
I’m done playing the game
I’ll break out of the chains
You better buckle up
I’ll pour another cup
This is my boheme
So drink it up my friend
Uhhh Uhhh
This story is my truth
I, I went to hell and back
To find myself on track
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Like ammonites
I just gave it some time
Now I found paradise
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Let me tell you a tale about life
‘Bout the good and the bad, better hold on tight
Who decides what’s wrong, what’s right
Everything is balance, everything’s light
I got so much on my mind
And I been awake all night
I’m so pumped, I’m so psyched
It’s bigger than me, I’m getting so hyped
Uhhhh
Let me taste the lows and highs
Uhhhh
Let me feel that burning fright
Uhhhh
This story is my truth
I, I went to hell and back
To find myself on track
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Like ammonites
I just gave it some time
Now I found paradise
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Somewhere between the 0s and 1s
That’s where I found my kingdom come
My heart beats like a…
Somewhere between the 0s and 1s
That’s where I found my kingdom come
My heart beats like a drum
Uhhhh…
I, I went to hell and back
To find myself on track
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Like ammonites
I just gave it some time
Now I found paradise
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
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Happy May Day everyone. If any part of this creation looks familiar - it should. This is an extreme creative edit of a raw color photo file that I originally posted as a black and white image back in April. Here's the link to that photo if you are interested. https://onbeingbecoming.com/2024/04/23/cix-2/
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INTO THE BLACK WITH A LITTLE BRAIN SALAD SURGERY
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LXV – FASHION
I've been wanting to do a post about this topic for a couple of years and just never got around to it.
The topic Fashion. Specifically Haut Couture.
Haut Couture basically means "hand sewn" and is typically synonymous for "one-of-a-kind", "one offs" with little or no practical use other than the theatrical setting of the runway show. It's all about design, feel, mood, texture and concept. What most people think of when they think of "high fashion" is usually called Pret a Porter (ready to wear) stuff you can buy in high end stores that eventually get's knocked off for the masses. But that's a whole different world.
In the internet age Haut Couture has exploded. Designers preview their collections typically twice a year. Spring/Summer collections are previewed in the Fall and Fall/Winter collections are shown late Winter or early Spring. So coming out right now are shows for designers Fall/Winter '24/'25 collections.
Most runway shows are rather predictable but once in a while a designer has a full blown visual concept for their work that it becomes a theatrical/cinematic experience.
The video, featuring designs by Maison Margiela, I'm posting here is one such marvelous example. Titled Maison Margiela Arisanal Collection 2024 - from the opening musical theme to the closing credits it is a complete concept. The setting is a Noir/Mystery landscape of the Paris underbelly with shady characters that are almost cartoonish but at the same time seem more realistic than many models in a typical runway show. Only 30 minutes long. This short film will leave you amazed, baffled and maybe a little horrified. At the end you may say, "What the hell did I just watch" but one thing is certain... it will stay with you. You will not easily forget what you have seen.
Maison Margiela is the name of the fashion house started in 1988 by Martin Margiela and Jenny Mairens and is headquartered in Paris.
The opening description of the video by Maison Margiela states, "The ritual of dressing is a composition of the self. With the body as our canvas, we build an exterior expressive of the interior: a form of emotion." A perfect expression of what you will see. Oh and corsets for everybody (you'll see what I mean LOL)
The models are more than the expressionless figures one typically sees in a runway show. They are performers. The video opens with an interesting live musical number then switches to a cinematic Noir that morphs into the live experience. Enjoy the video. Leave your comments below.
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... on being and becoming ... 