DESTROY THE OPPOSITION
DESTROY THE OPPOSITION
Quiet quitting, Nam June Paik, and the drama in the NBA
FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE I WOULD LIKE PEACE AND QUIET
Today is the second week of my new diet, and I have spent over an hour arguing with a British YouTuber on Twitter. I am laying the groundwork for my master plan to get fired from my office job by simply ceasing to do any and all work. However, considering the state of office culture, this plan is more likely to catapult me through the ranks to CEO within a few months. Office work is draining my life force and slowly chipping away at my will to live, but my new bit has reinvigorated me, and I feel alive and in control.
If the Suns lose to the Clippers you will never hear from me again.
IT IS BETTER TO FAIL IN ORIGINALITY THAN TO SUCCEED IN IMITATION
I briefly shared my thoughts on AI in the past, but now I have an addendum. Due to the rapid advancement of technology, a new trend has emerged: AI-generated rap songs. With this technology readily available to anyone dumb enough to use it, you can say whatever you want, however, you want – perhaps in the voice of your favorite celebrity, artist, or president.
A TikToker named Ghostwriter977 recently went viral for creating a collaborative song between Drake and The Weeknd, with the beat produced by Metro Boomin. After a single listen I was keen on a few ill-conceived extrapolations on behalf of the creator. While the voices produced by AI are convincing enough, they still sound robotic and sanitized, which I assume will improve over time. The lyrics are where the creator took the most liberties. The song may sound like Drake, but the lyrics do not read like Drake. The creator's use of popular slang and pop culture references that made no sense was the most noticeable and glaring tell. Whenever I hear these fake songs, they all sound like they were written by someone who spends too much time online; while they can usually imitate the flow of the artist in an Uncanny Valley kind of way, they are undoubtedly falling short on the lyrical front. A good ghostwriter should be able to truly embody their subject, and I don't think AI producers have thought that far ahead yet.
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WHO WILL MARCH FORWARD WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS
Apparently, there is a new phenomenon unfolding in New York City right now: someone is drawing chalk circles in Washington Square labeled Bad Luck Spot, which is, in turn, altering the walking pattern of thousands of people refusing to take a chance attracting any ill-fortune.
Whether it's a practical joke or an actual attempt at contemporary art, is there something to be said about the general consensus on superstition?
AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO STILL CARES
I was discussing music with a coworker during my once-weekly shift at the coffee shop and he asked my opinion on a band that will remain unnamed. My opinion is that all bands whose popularity is predicated upon a gimmick are not worth the attention of any serious person. Are these musical gimmicks a growing epidemic across all genres or just hardcore? Time will tell.
HERE COMES YOUR MAN
34 years of Doolittle, released on this day in 1989.
PAIN IS THE WORLD
The NBA post-season has started and here is the drama.1
Kyle Kuzman versus Spencer Dinwiddie
https://twitter.com/Krisplashed/status/1646558132917633028?s=20
Russ versus the Money-Counting Suns fan
https://twitter.com/ComplexSports/status/1647806791680499714
LeBron versus the entire NBA
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1647716009074360320
Knicks in 3
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1647414192771854337
The Kings light the beam over the Warriors
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1647442563639672836
Tyler Herro sinks 3 with a broken hand
https://twitter.com/currypistonn/status/1647774593048780801
Giannis injured
https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1647733851123507200
HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY BY FIGHTING LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING
Nam June Paik was a Korean-American artist widely recognized as a pioneer of video art. Born in Seoul, Korea, in 1932, he moved to the United States in 1964 and became a key figure in the Fluxus movement, which sought to blur the boundaries between different art forms and promote a more democratic approach to culture. In a world so overwhelmed by video technology, can you even imagine a world before it?
Paik's work often incorporated television sets, video cameras, and other electronic devices, using them unexpectedly to create innovative and thought-provoking pieces. He was fascinated by the potential of technology to transform art and society, and his work frequently explored themes such as communication, globalization, and the impact of media on human consciousness.
One of Paik's most famous works is TV Buddha, a sculpture consisting of a Buddha statue sitting in front of a closed-circuit television system that broadcasts a live video feed of itself. This piece has been interpreted as a commentary on the relationship between technology and spirituality, as well as on the idea of self-reflection and self-awareness.
Another notable work is Electronic Superhighway, a large-scale installation that features a map of the United States made out of neon lights and more than 300 television sets, each showing images related to a particular state. This piece explores national identity, media saturation, and the interconnectedness of different regions and cultures.
Throughout his career, Paik collaborated with a wide range of artists, musicians, and performers, including John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Charlotte Moorman, Lou Reed, and Allen Ginsberg. His work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, and his influence on the development of video art and new media continues to be felt today. Nam June Paik passed in 2006, leaving behind a legacy of innovative and boundary-pushing work that continues to inspire and challenge artists and audiences alike – is the future so digital?
John Cage took seriousness out of serious music and I took seriousness out of serious TV
I KNOW IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN SOMEDAY
Apparently, Substack isn’t allowing you to embed tweets anymore because of the drama of Twitter throttling posts with Substack links… tech people have such frail fucking egos
DESTROY THE OPPOSITION
Thanks for highlighting Paik's art. I plan to visit the Smithsonian Museum in DC in June and saw a photo of Electric Superhighway. I'm hyped, now that I have more context ;)