#everyone deserves to be creative

[flightyquinn]

AI Haters, Please Read to the End

I see people celebrating every time something bad happens in the AI art world, and that makes me very sad. Because I am partially colorblind, and have ADHD, clinical depression, and other health issues that I'm less comfortable talking about. Because I can't work, and rely on family for housing and government assistance to afford essentials. For someone like me, the barrier to entry on art is high. I'm never going to own a drawing tablet, I can't get professional lessons, my focus sucks to the point where it's hard to follow tutorials no matter how much I want to, and even if all of that could be sorted, my own eyes are against me.

But I still have ideas. I still have pictures in my head that want to get out. Characters that want faces, scenes that want to be expressed, and the like. I'm still creative. I just can't properly express that creativity. Nor can I pay someone else to express it for me. However, I can tell an AI what I'm trying to depict. I can tweak the settings, make small changes, spend hours on end generating and re-generating, tweaking and re-tweaking, and making small edits that are within my power to do, until I have a picture that satisfies my need to bring the thing in my head to life. That's not "stealing". It's not pushing a button and letting the computer do the work for me. That's me having my own ideas, and trying to use the tools at my disposal to turn them into something that other people can see.

Plus, there's one other thing I can do. This is a picture I generated with AI that I'm actually quite proud of.

And do you know why? Because it started as this.

I fed my terrible MSPaint rough as hell doodle into an AI, and told it what the picture was supposed to be. And I tried again, and again, and again, until I was able to refine the result into something that I was happy with - which took a whole lot more than just pressing the button again, let me tell you.

This is my idea, from start to finish, and my shitty art became something that actually looks halfway decent. Yeah, I'm aware of the wonkiness and AI jank. I know the jawline's weird, his eyes don't match, and there's something up with his ear. It's not perfect, but it's a whole lot better than what I could do on my own.

Look, when it comes to stopping the commercialization of AI art, I'm right there with you guys. Fuck corporations that want to replace their whole art department. Fuck people who want to impersonate other artists, or take commissions to turn someone's description of what they want into a prompt. Hell, fuck the people who take the first result they're given without trying to refine it at all!

However, I don't want AI to die. AI is an accessibility option. AI is a tool that lets me go from saying for years, "I wish I could have art of my first D&D character, I have so many fond memories of him." to having that one picture. It lets me stop stealing every time I want a character portrait for a new TTRPG that I'm starting up. Because you know what? I don't have the ability to be a "real artist", and I never will. There's too many barriers for entry.

...and my situation is mild compared to what some people have to deal with. Sure, there are people who find ways to make traditional art despite disabilities, but that's an exception. It could be the rule. Why shouldn't it be?

As far as "theft" goes, I have yet to hear one explanation of why it's okay to use references, but not AI, that didn't boil down to "it's different when we do it". And what about collage? Is a collage art, or is it "theft?" What about sculptural works that use reclaimed objects? They didn't create that. They just decided how it would be arranged. Hell, what about pieces like "The Fountain" for that matter? That's a big problem I have with all this hate. If you applied the same standards to other things as to AI, then there's a lot of things that currently are art we'd have to say aren't any more.

If you have a problem with AI, why not work to make it better, instead of trying to deprive people who rely on it for self-expression of a creative outlet?

[thetimelordbatgirl]

Bob Iger saying all this while also being on basically billionaires vacation really should say something, holy shit.

[kingkenzieofmold]

The Second Generation Kids Electric Boogaloo Version 2.0!

Who remembers The Second Generation Kids? Well I have redrawn the kiddos again with slight variations! If you do not know which post I am talking about here’s the link!

I cannot take full credit for all these designs! So send lots of love and attention to these wonderful creators! @smoresthehalloweenqueen

@bluetorchsky

@jaytoons7

@rarestdoge

@androidcharles

@asknavstickmin

@mai-mai-lim

@capturecharlesau

@candikin

@dark-twist-fairytales

@lovelygirlnicole15

@skittisketch

Thank you for the support and enjoy!<3

[t1meslayer]

It's Dungeon Meshi Thursday!! Hope everyone is excited for a brand-new episode of—

*holds a finger up to my earpiece*

What was that?

*listens a little bit longer*

To shreds you say?

Well. Sorry folks, turns out the anime is still on break. In the meantime... Perhaps I can sate your hunger for new Dungeon Meshi content with this preview of three (3!!!) Fun Facts set to appear in the upcoming @dunmeshizine!

For my part, I worked on flavor text based on Floors 2, 3, and the Surface. But the book is going to be absolutely chock full of amazing art, writing, and recipes all around, with tons of great merchandise too!

Preorders are open RIGHT NOW, and last until September 23. Proceeds will support World Central Kitchen, so don't hesitate to check out a really fun project that benefits a cause we all know Senshi would be proud to back.

See the zine on Bigcartel: https://dungeonmeshizine.bigcartel.com/

(Or if you're in the UK: https://www.etsy.com/shop/dungeonmeshizine)

[majestic-kestrel]

Found this little rainbow-printed strip of card at home and decided to give the Captain some ribbons he can wear with pride

[avastyetwats]

The flags made by the crew of The Revenge (ft. The Swede's reaction.)

[simmingonthelow]

Happy Simblr Gratitude day!

I don't wanna say much cause I talk too much 🫠!

You guys are soooo extraordinary on this site, and I live for it!

I wanna thank all you wonderful people for being so amazing and soo creative making the few years I've been on this side of tumblr amazing!

I wanna make this a thank you to @cinamun , @coatedinhoney , @crsentfairy , @moonfromearth, @m0ckest , @bibliosims , @latte-trait , @lilypixels , @nightlifeseries , @wileyfern , @duskbats , @adrasteamoon , @clumsyalienn , @void-imp , @shittyysimblr , @blackskorpi0n, @aniraklova, @gunthermunch, @thegrimalldis, @emzchaos , @citylighten, @pralinesims, @xldkx, @uiakodoesstuff, @liliumsims, @zynoox, @simarcana, @ezra-trait and everyone else I forgot to mention (I'll keep adding as I remember....I hope)

Thank you all for making this simblr experience something so special to me!

🥺♥️❤️‍🔥 I love you All!

[disturbnot]

no life updates today, just a general big old thank you to my friends n treasured moots who have been endlessly kind and patient with me while i try to break free of this cyclical depression and get back to writing more consistently. without needlessly traumadumping, a whole lot has happened since i was last in the rpc before the pandemic, and my will to create and share has been considerably blighted by bad actors and unnecessary conflict over those years. i really REALLY hope to reclaim my spark again, but the journey there is long and difficult. i'm enormously grateful to you folks for sticking with me and giving me grace, though, whether all you do is like my posts or go as far as to befriend and support me closely. no act of connection goes unnoticed and unappreciated 💖 thank u everyone for giving me something to hold onto while i climb my way back, not to former glory, but to a new era of falling back in love with this hobby. may we all get to see me in my thriving era!

[epickiya722]

It's a minor detail and I can recall this happening twice, but it's nice to me whenever Yuji displays his strength and speed, the first person that comes to mind from other characters is Maki.

[ajdrawshq]

i can almost guarantee ive said it before but. he would thrive in a zero escape game

[goodtimeswithgrian]

one thing i really like about this fandom is that so many people just give their block guy a beard even though there's no indication of facial hair on their skin. feels good feels organic.

[carbonbasedmatter]

I just think it would be funny if we called troy x britta/tritta or whatever they're called michael jackson² 😞

[djevelbl]

Kill the cringe cop in your head, do what makes you happy.

[neon-vocalist]

if any agency other than idol wins best agency i will genuinely go on a killing spree. even if you hate all their talents, shit, even if you hate aviel basin for some reason, even if you’re angry over riro’s termination, even if you think rin penrose isn’t funny— you need to admit to yourself that they are, by definition, objectively, the best agency. they’re changing the game in vtuber corporation culture with their incredible transparency about what they do and how they interact with their talents. they’re setting new standards for the entire industry. no other agency is doing this. no other agency is publicly posting their revenue cut— and not to mention how GOOD of a cut it is— no other agency is making such thorough termination info posts. few other agencies give their talents such freedom with who they are and how they present. do you hear about other agencies giving their talents a max streaming limit to prevent burnout? no! idol is one of few agencies who can say they’re talent first and mean it. and if any other agency is beginning to do these things it’s because they’re following idol’s lead. idol supremacy forever.

[thatonebirdwrites]

Curiosity, Creativity, Compassion, and Cooperation are the 4 C’s of human nature. A fifth C is the darker side of our nature: Control. -- TheBirdWrites

I think about the 5 C's of human nature, and how our current society obsesses over the last one to the detriment of all others.

Control over environment -- despite the fact that 'ownership' and 'productive' approach to control is killing our environment and rapidly making the earth less habitable for life; control over Future Success-- the mythological and untrue idea that we can 'pull ourselves up by our bootstraps' and grab control of our future and make it big, despite capitalist society specifically being set-up to prevent the vast majority of people from ever seeing wealth; control over our lives -- despite the fact that rugged individualism does not actually give us control but instead it alienates us from community and breaks down bonds of connection; control of government and resources -- predominantly held by the very rich and corporations due to the amount of dark money and deals the public never sees that pushes bad (or no) regulations that would protect the public from abuses; control over our data -- where all aspects of our online life is mined for profits by corporations and privacy is treated like a commodity rather than a right.

That's the tip of the iceberg.

Society didn't used to be all about control either, considering there was a shit ton of alternate ways to life throughout the world. Western Imperialism has tried hard to exert control over through acts of genocide, terror, and enslavement.

Building a society on the other 4 C's is very much needed.

And I think that's what our problem is -- creativity, curiosity, compassion, and cooperation all involve some level of imagination. We need to visualize the world we want and then transform that vision into the current reality. We do this through the bonds we create, the art we make, the structures we build, and by tearing down harmful societal structures that try to control our every move.

I think about this a lot.

In Ways of Learning essay, I wrote about the above's impact on education and our societal imagination and thinking patterns.

As conscious human beings, we are not passive wells for a teacher to fill (just as children are not blank slates for parents, teachers, society to write upon). We have the ability to think beyond what we are told, but if we continuously receive the message to blindly obey what society tries to dump into our minds, then we can become trapped in oppressor’s domination webs. Many authoritarian groups and leaders abhor education and books that present an alternative view because it often induces critical thinking. Education and what we read or discuss with others can give us new language to explore our reality, our environments, and our relations with others. In order to maintain power over us, the oppressor needs to limit our language, knowledge, and ways of being. Thus, the rigid control of education and societal narratives. The teacher must be the one to teach, to hold power over the student, while the student exists as a receptical and absorbs the narrative given to them. Critical thinking cannot exist in the ‘banking method’ because the moment questions arise to critically examine the given narrative is the moment the fragile veil masking reality shatters, and reality ceases to be the carefully constructed fiction of the oppressor.

This social control over education requires what Paulo Freire called the 'banking method' of education.

The object of study can range from an multitude of objects within our universe to an infinite amount of ideas. To think critically, we must be open and willing to engage in dialogue and seek understanding between the thoughts, actions, and perceptions of others. Freire describes this examination of the object or idea as an act if cognition, which is an active act. He contrasts it with the “banking method’s” approach, where students must be passively absorbing what another tells them. The students do not utilize their cognition to memorize another’s words. The need to question the truth of the teacher’s narrative is discouraged. To become an active agent in one’s education requires acts of cognition. Quoted above, Freire describes how that works between students and each other and the teacher. They contemplate, critically examine, reflect, and work together toward understanding. This is not an passive act but an active one.

Indoctrinating people into the current societal apparatus demands us to be passive receptacles, to not ask questions, to not be curious, and to not work cooperatively unless it furthers the non-thinking cogs for the capitalism machine. A lot of schools fall under that 'banking method' that seeks to control the narrative and what we learn, while diminishes the other four aspects of humanity.

Schools that do not seek to control, but instead work cooperatively with one another to indulge our curiosity and creativity and compassion -- definitely exist and bolster critical thinking skills. Non-Western educational practices often fell under this problem-solving-cooperative approach to education. We can go back to that.

This is why fascists love to burn books, and why they rewrite history to further their harmful ideology. They exert control of the narrative in order to stay in control of society itself.

By thinking critically, by learning how to work cooperatively, by engaging in our curiosity and creativity, we end up as rebels against the prevailing social norms. We end up fighting back against those that seek to control our lives, our minds, our imagination.

Society is a social construct. Our current world is not inevitable. It is not the only way for society to exist either.

Other worlds are possible.

We need to rescue our imagination from these capitalist fascists, indulge our curiosity and creativity, and work cooperatively to dismantle the harmful systems and replace with something better.

We ought to have networks of mutual aid in our towns, where we work together to share food, items, housing, basic resources, and so forth with one another. We have the resources for no one to be left out, but it's not being distributed or managed effectively. Instead, much of what is produced is made to break or rot before it ever reaches us.

We need to create mending and repair libraries to help us keep our current resources working and not contribute to the growing wastes of consumerism.

We need to create a library of things so people can check out random items they may need for specific projects, which they then can return to the library when finished.

Andrewism does an excellent video on this library idea:

We also need to act. It's not enough to envision this future; we need to make it a reality in our present moment.

Some places are working on these sorts of projects. (There's mutual aid groups, repair/mending libraries, and so forth popping up all over. They need more support.)

The fascists fear our imagination and the power in our cooperative creativity because they know if we do work together to imagine and build a better future, it will push the fascists out of control. The fascists will no longer be able to exploit and harm us, and they fear that. That's why they've been pushing so hard lately to institute horror shows like Project 2025. They want to control society so they can continue to exploit us all for profits.

I think about this a lot. And I think it's something us humans need to remember.

Our Curiosity, Creativity, Compassion, and Cooperation skills and talents are integral to who we are as a species. We are powerful when we work together to create what we cooperatively imagined.

Hope you all enjoyed. I'm hazy today, so I didn't really clean this up into a suitable essay. It's just a hodgepodge of ideas that I think about regularly.

[neuromantis]

when i think about hanamiya makoto, i think what i respect most is the sheer pragmaticism.

like oh, you entered a field of high school basketball players who seemingly have superpowers? well if you break their legs... what type of superpower is gonna help them?