22 Comments

Brilliant as always, Ryan.

I just have to tell you that we sang Vincent in primary school choir in the mid 1980s. Mrs Mott had great taste in music as well as being amazing on the piano; we did a fair few Simon and Garfunkel numbers as well. And your AI paragraph demonstrates your point about humanity in creativity perfectly. Clever!

Expand full comment

Here's to Mrs Mott!

Expand full comment

Brilliantly written. You are evolving into my favorite kind of writer, one who creates paintings from their word choices and evocative phrases. These can be powerful and moving - here they put the us with you in front of the art, on the rain soaked roadway and touched by the humanity of the feelings generated. At times it is an old song heard for the first time, at other times it is a song heard many times that is suddenly listened to for the first time. Whether AI will reach the level of real feeling or present an imitation so profound that it can be mistaken for real has yet to be determined but already the results are amazing. Dall-E Van Gogh and Vincent ChatGPT Gogh are evolving at light speed - now if they could only get the pope's fingers right...:-)

Expand full comment

Thanks Mike. Of course, I may be wrong and AI is about to make us all redundant!

Expand full comment

Stunning piece.

Expand full comment

Thank you Sarah. Glad you enjoyed it.

Expand full comment

An excellent post. I am not afraid of AI because it has no heart, but it can take work from humans. But when it comes to creative arts, there is always an implicit relationship between the artist and the person appreciating it. As a songwriter, when I perform, and someone listens to the song and responds with tears, saying "How did you know that about me?" I don't think, clever as they might be, that an AI will achieve that. Can an AI write a best selling song? I suspect absolutely yes. When I studied music, I learned formulas, tools, structures. Can it create soul? I don't think so.

Expand full comment

I think you've done a better of saying what I was trying to say!

Expand full comment

Spot on. I feel confident in your summation!

Expand full comment

I think you're safe Alex!

Expand full comment

Beautiful summary of the power of someone else’s words or images to evoke something in us. It requires a human on the other end of the line, doesn’t it? I love this song too, and I tear up nearly every time I hear it.

Expand full comment

Definitely. AI may fool us but as soon as we know there is no human on the other side it all becomes meaningless.

Expand full comment

I loved this piece, thank you. I feel the same way about Kenny Rogers the Gambler. After hearing it many times, there was a time where it just moved me, and the wisdom in considering the journey of life, and the cards we're dealt. Thank you for illuminating more reactions to humanity.

Expand full comment

Thanks Alexandria. And yes, The Gambler, another classic!

Expand full comment

Thanks for reminding me about the song. Haven't heard it in years.

Also, Wollongong! I used to live in Cronulla, to your north!

Expand full comment

I'm a little further south, at Kiama, but not far from Cronulla.

Expand full comment

That's the famous blowhole there, right? It's been many years since I lived there.

Expand full comment

Two blow holes actually! But yes, that's the place.

Expand full comment

‘Without humanity’ Mmm very insightful.

Expand full comment

I hope I'm right!

Expand full comment

As usual, you've touched my heart

Expand full comment

Thanks Di.

Expand full comment