I was thinking back yesterday to Ira Glass’s classic observations on the (productive) tension that comes from having developed a sense of taste but not yet the skills to create accordingly:
Independently I came across this encouraging tweet from digital artist Claire Silver:
As it happens, Claire’s Twitter bio includes the phrase “Taste is the new skill.” I’ve been thinking along these lines as tools like DALL•E & Imagen suddenly grant mass access to what previously required hard-won skill. When mechanical execution is taken largely off the table, what’s left? Maybe the sum total of your curiosity & life’s experiences—your developed perspective, your taste—is what sets you apart, making you you, letting you pair that uniqueness with better execution tools & thereby stand out. At least, y’know, until the next big language model drops. 🙃
Practice. Practice. Practice.