When I was making my coffee today, I looked out the kitchen window. There was a Luna moth crammed into the corner on the other side of the glass. It looked as though it had gotten smooshed in the sash when the window had been opened. Uh-oh.
Assuming it was dead, I opened the window to retrieve it for a more reverential final resting place. It fell to the deck below the window. I went out to get the moth and when I touched it, it was clearly still alive and kicking. However, it's wing was twisted and it couldn't take flight; flopping around in circles. Usually, when an insect loses the use of one of its wings, it's not a good thing. But after a few flaps, the wing came untwisted and the moth was able to fly. But it crashed again. I picked it up and this time it got airborne and was successful. It flew off into the woods. I breathed a sigh of relief. Was it a sign? I often take these sorts of things as "signs." And a Luna moth couldn't be more fraught with meanings and metaphors and symbolisms and signs. One of those signs is that the Luna moth represents is perseverance. And timing.
My OCD can consist of intrusive thoughts of different types. But, and I think I prefer this, the OCD can manifest as one sort of all consuming thought. Lately, I've been obsessed with A-I. It's like, fuck. I'm an artist and the first thing people did was create this thing that can already "out-Art" any artist. Why? Yeah, let's teach this super-intelligence how to replicate the most Human of endeavors: Art. It was like the first thing. Teach it science, sure. Medicine. Math: but why Art. It has no business making Art. That is for Humans. And of course humans, to save a buck, will opt for the Insta-AI-Art.
Are we that stupid? Can we not see where this is going? It's already threatening to kill us all. Asking Siri or Alexa or Hal 9000 to play our favorite song or tell us who was on the 1936 Olympic track team is one thing; having it create a sermon or a poem is another. The first story about a super-computer, Hal from 2001 had him going off the deep end and murdering his colleagues; and that was a half century ago. How many Star Trek episodes warned about omnipotent super-computers? A lot. Our first instincts about it were correct. And yet, here we are.
My OCD can consist of intrusive thoughts of different types. But, and I think I prefer this, the OCD can manifest as one sort of all consuming thought. Lately, I've been obsessed with A-I. It's like, fuck. I'm an artist and the first thing people did was create this thing that can already "out-Art" any artist. Why? Yeah, let's teach this super-intelligence how to replicate the most Human of endeavors: Art. It was like the first thing. Teach it science, sure. Medicine. Math: but why Art. It has no business making Art. That is for Humans. And of course humans, to save a buck, will opt for the Insta-AI-Art.
Are we that stupid? Can we not see where this is going? It's already threatening to kill us all. Asking Siri or Alexa or Hal 9000 to play our favorite song or tell us who was on the 1936 Olympic track team is one thing; having it create a sermon or a poem is another. The first story about a super-computer, Hal from 2001 had him going off the deep end and murdering his colleagues; and that was a half century ago. How many Star Trek episodes warned about omnipotent super-computers? A lot. Our first instincts about it were correct. And yet, here we are.
I have to be honest. This is what's going on in my head right now. And why am I sharing this with you? I don't know. Maybe you're worried too.
But, I don't like to dwell on the negative (even if I can't help it). I will still create ART. My own ART. And just maybe the Luna moth was trying to tell me (and you) that everything, for now, is going to be all right.
Let's hope.
But, I don't like to dwell on the negative (even if I can't help it). I will still create ART. My own ART. And just maybe the Luna moth was trying to tell me (and you) that everything, for now, is going to be all right.
Let's hope.
CFR 4/13/23