Zombie Mobile Sighting in The New York Times
What it feels like to been remixed by Kirby Ferguson
Today I spotted my zombie mobile image on The New York Times website in a short film by Kirby Ferguson. The video is called “Is Creativity Dead?” and it is worth your time. Watch it and pay attention at the 1:30 mark where my name and image briefly appear. (Apologies if you get hit with the pay wall.) Here’s a screenshot.
My crossover image has gone viral before, but this usage was particularly special because I am such a fan of Kirby Ferguson. His Everything is a Remix video series ranks high in my list of favorite internet things. It’s a big inspiration. And having a reference to User Zero connected to the New York Times (brief as it is) feels good, too.
But is creativity dead, as Kirby’s video asks?
It’s a fair question, and it is one that I’ve been struggling with lately, too. As I continue to experiment with ways to match my art experiments with the evolving algorithm-driven social media landscape it sure feels like all the incentives are aligned to reward conformity over creativity.
Kirby describes the “crisis of sameness” situation as an iceberg where the visible part is dominated by pop culture. But below the surface is a rich ecosystem of creative humans with small followings. It’s kind of a long tail observation that suggests that we’ll be okay because even though it’s not getting attention, authentic work is still being created.
And maybe that’s enough.
But I prefer Ferguson’s thoughts at the end of his video where he suggests that we might be on the verge of a reckoning. He points out that “stagnation can lead to explosive change” pointing at the Renaissance, Harlem in the 1920s and 30s, and the counterculture of the 60s. He ends the video on a note of optimism suggesting that,
“When human creativity seems defeated it is actually gathering strength and waiting for its moment to erupt.”
Personally, I’m already preparing for when that sameness bubble bursts. For now we are still in the infatuation phase of AI and algorithm-driven suggestion engines, but it won’t last forever. And when it bursts, there will be a resurgence of interest in unique creators. The copycats will be shunned. Right now everyone is copying each other and optimizing for the algorithms.
When the crisis of sameness ends, it will be the oddballs who benefit from the renewed interest in authenticity. That’s why I keep chipping away at my odd analog side projects. My work doesn’t fit comfortably in the predefined categories of large language models. Things like:
My Kickstarters, The Infestation and Inner Demons
Graffiti animation and my fascination with shipping labels and receipts
My analog video projects with my Glitch Organ
The algorithm hasn’t rewarded these things yet. Why would it, there is no ad revenue incentives to drive the traffic. But that can change in the next cycle. Pop culture has no loyalty, and I believe the fickle pendulum of society’s gaze will swing back towards the unpredictable creators.
Changes in culture won’t come from the algorithmic regurgitation of the current consensus. It requires humans who can reject the formula and set out in unexpected new directions. If you ask me, that future can’t come soon enough.
Thanks for reading. Stay creative.
Your friend,
Ade