Illuminations and Innovations: Navigating Creativity and Culture

In this newsletter, I have three things to write:

1. An alarming interview about arts I recently read.

2. AI and creativity.

3. The generosity of strangers who helped me to find a place for my protagonist to live. 

Let's start with the rant.

Steven Braunias interviewed the Act party's culture and arts spokesman, Todd Stephenson. Steven is the literary editor of the books section at Newsroom. The interview was enlightening and showed the darkest ignorance of culture I have seen in a very long time.

I don't go into the details of the interview. You should read it yourself to believe the lack of knowledge, insights, and even basic-level laypersons' awareness about the interview topics.

Albert Einstein said it well: "Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until they speak."

The only problem with that quote above is that Todd does not appear bright in any light (and definitely does not radiate it much himself), but the rest of the quote is spot on.

Why did this interview catch my attention? Steve Braunias knows his stuff. I don't always agree with him, but he makes an effort to dig deeper, understand better, and then form a view based on facts and not just opinions. In the age of influencers, this trait is rare and diminishing.

The danger is imminent: We are on a slippery slope if our political spokespersons do not know the subject matter they should be speaking for. Culture, art, and creative stuff are the first to be slaughtered by these Goebbelsian idiots. And when looking at the lessons, they are also the first things that heal, review and bring communities together after disasters.

After WWII in the destroyed Berlin, one of the first things people wanted and needed to see and listen to was the Berliner Philharmoniker playing on the ruins. That gave them hope, strength and resilience to live on.

Too often, politics ruin—and then the culture needs to pick up the pieces and make things worthwhile. And every time, we must think, who were the people who voted for those idiots and gave them power? And why?

Do you have any good answers to that?

AI does not require creativity – humans do.

It is not the tool but how we use it that determines creativity. As I have written many times, I hate the robotic (meaningless in this context) approach to AI. But I love the human touch when augmented with the AI. 

I give you an example. Last week, I was pleased to meet a young scientist working on her PhD. She explained how her unique research will help to detect faults in superconducting materials. It will not say much for a layperson like me, but when she explained that if her hypothesis is correct and the research supports it, then it might lead to a breakthrough, for example, in designing sustainable power transfer systems. That would mean cheaper, faster, and environmentally friendly transportation, among other goodies. 

She uses machine learning and AI to model her approach, which would have been mere science fiction ten years ago. Now, this young and very clever woman is potentially part of the total energy sector revolution for a better world for us all.

That's how you use IA, and it has nothing to do with asking ChatGPT (or any other flavour of the month) to write you a blog post because you are too lazy to think, write, and proofread your stuff—me included. Mind you, I use AI only for grammar, spelling and punctuation checks. 

I love AI, but more than that, I love my words and how I can use them to talk to you. AI has made my limited vocabulary much more valuable because every sentence carries some bits of truly lived life experiences.

If ChatGPT says, "I love you," it is just syntax, but it has meaning if I say it to you. 

And I am deeply sorry about the spelling mistake in the previous newsletter's title. Errare humanum est, as the Latin blokes so well put it. 

The generosity of strangers

I have taken on a Herculean job that hopefully leads to a divine outcome. As I mentioned before, I am writing a novel. It's a murder mystery (my nod to Agatha Christie, my boyhood summer reading goddess). I was fool enough to make it happen in Finland, New Zealand, and the Cotswolds in England. 

I know Finland and New Zealand pretty well now, but it has been some thirty years since I last visited any parts of the Cotswolds. So, I became desperate after watching dozens of YouTube videos and reading articles, books and FaceBook posts about the Cotswolds. There was too much to choose.

Where should I put my protagonist? What would be the ideal location for him to start investigating a murder that took place in Finland in 1990? 

Instead of writer's block, I chose to get help. I wrote a Facebook post in one of the most active and exciting Cotswolds communities, asking people to help me find the right place. 

Lo and behold, minutes after my post, I started getting comments, PMs, and detailed suggestions from dozens (actually now hundreds) of people who just wanted to help me and were curious, supportive, and keen to help. And very many of them also said they would definitely buy the book when it is published.

So, to birds with one post: I found my ideal little town to put my protagonist in, and I gained a very receptive and friendly audience who is ready to buy my book. 

Again, it was a great lesson about generosity. We are generous if we see a genuine and sincere need and an opportunity to help. I decided to never turn my back on anybody who needs a creative hand to help. 

Have you recently needed any help, and did you get it? Or have you given your support lately to any endeavour without asking anything back?

Have a great week.

Ngā mihi

Jussi

This week's TED talk:

Jill Bolte Taylor had a stroke that caused her brain functions to shut down one by one. She recounts the experience in an astonishing story.

As a brain scientist, she could analyse, understand and observe what was happening to her during the stroke. After she recovered, she gave this TED talk, one of my all-time favourites.

I watch it now and then, and it always makes me feel goosebumps. 

The Quote of the week

One of the keys to creativity is learning how to access self.  

– Tusiata Avia