When Experiences are Avoided

A big concern with AI has been its use in the education system. Sure, cheating was relatively available long before AI. But now it’s even more so.

But it’s not only used by cheaters. Some teachers, either believing it’s for the best or just fatigued from trying to prevent its usage, are introducing and even encouraging AI in the classroom.

This isn’t about banning AI in classrooms, or even fully using it (but mitigating its usage in classrooms could help). I’m talking about truly curing the problem; AI is merely the coping mechanism. We have to handle it at the source: the students and their reasons to use AI, or any other method of foreshortening their education.

Sometimes it’s for a scholarship or A+ (or just not a D+). Possibly for approval by their parents. Sometimes it’s the culturally-pressured chase for efficiency and productivity so they can … watch Netflix on the couch?

And the worst: a fear of failure. And thanks to social media, failure can be publicly available and digitally unforgiving. Sound familiar, artists?

This idea came back to me due to this recent video: How to do anything (without AI). The video is less about AI and more just about work ethic. Why we do and don’t do creative things, even if we want to do them.

The tl:dw is ​​​"​Do stuff without the shame of failure." AI is quite tempting as it disassociates you from the result. You’re not really failing if you’re not really doing it either.

Without shame, you’ll try and explore when self doubts would otherwise hinder you. Without disassociating yourself from the creative experience itself.

It saddens me when artists (including myself) get so inside their heads. I remember a girl in my high school art class who was already an amazing drawer at the age of sixteen. But in fits of perfectionism, she would crumple fully shaded drawings that would’ve surely gotten A+’s.

But it wasn’t about the grade. It was about her shame despite it. When a failed creation is considered worse than not creating at all.

But "doing stuff" yourself is one of the greatest sources of joys. Remember the last time you finished a project and shared it with others. Didn’t it feel amazing? Even if you knew it was rough around the edges. You were proud you finished.

Sure, AI enables people to do things they couldn't otherwise. I’ve heard creators say it helps write posts when their dyslexia otherwise prevents them. I’m not talking about those kinds of enabling uses.

I’m talking about those who can and often want do the work themselves. If you can do it, why take that experience away from yourself?

Again, the issue with AI I’m discussing here is not about AI itself. It's people's choices against choosing experiences they could enjoy otherwise, often out of shame.

Happiness in the Learning Experience

Shame is protective, in a way. It can be a driving force to do better, and to get to the end. The successful result.

When it comes to art or any other hard-earned result, there’s plenty of joy to be had in the finishing. The sharing. The prestige of awards and acclamation.

But many artists still work without it. Vincent Van Gogh was famously not successful, despite being widely acclaimed today. But he created art until his death.

I find that the most important source of joy must also be in the experience. Just living in the artistic lifestyle and medium, day to day.

I’ve recently gotten back to creative writing. Something I hadn’t really done consistently since high school. But as soon as I got into a groove after a few paragraphs, it feels amazing.

It won’t surely get me likes, subscribers, or a talent agent. There may be a point where I do those things. But for now, I just enjoy it: checking online sources; tweaking dialogue; solving problems my plot holes gave me.

I’ve never really had the desire to use AI for writing. I love the process too much.

In a way, the struggle is the joy. I didn’t care about making it faster or easier. I just did it.

Saving time is certainly worthwhile. Taking shortcuts is important.

But ask yourself: what are things you don’t want to waste time on? What could you spend an entire day doing without feeling like a procrastinator?

Get yourself comfortable with failing. Fail in the privacy of not being online, if you must. But instead of living in shame of failed projects, cultivate love for the process and change.

Be fascinated. Enjoy learning. Enjoy the process. Enjoy the lifestyle, for crying out loud.