Emerging Clarity

I took up two courses on AI. I played around with many platforms. I am mesmerised by what it can do and the images it produces that my unskilled hands cannot. But I soon began to tired out because the fakeness glares at me. Some of the images are actually quite grotesque.

In this AI world, it is getting harder and harder to tell between what is real and what’s fake. I am extremely suspicious of what drives it. The “A” in AI stands for “Artificial” remember? I have not decided if I will continue to use AI. It is a useful tool. I’m just saying I’m struggling to find Authentic. I have no doubt that I am not alone.

• my fellow seekers of the truth, the genuine, the real;
• the creatives,
• the timid adventurers, the seasoned professionals,
• the career switchers,
• the digital immigrants struggling in a digital world,
• the work-from-home solopreneurs,
• and the involuntary caregivers.

We live in uncertain times. I would even venture to say perilous times. The kind Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24. I thought it would never happen in my lifetime. I have been rudely awakened.

It is in this context that I find the term “waterhole” intriguing. I hope this blog will be a waterhole from which we can sip from to be refreshed or to guzzle down for the parched.

A waterhole can be permanent or semi-permanent depending on the climate conditions. They can be found in the wild or in a desert. They are often the only water source for people and livestock and a critical habitat for native wildlife species. Friend and foe alike come for water in desert places. It is a place of survival and life.

David Thornburg in his book, From the Campfire to the Holodeck: Creating Engaging and Powerful 21st Century Learning Environments, identifies three kinds of learning spaces: the cave, the campfire, and the watering hole. (I didn’t read the book.)

“The watering hole is the informal space where peers can share information and discoveries, acting as both learner and teacher simultaneously. This shared space can serve as an incubator for ideas and can promote a sense of shared culture.” – extract by Mark Dun Woody.

Written by AK with NO help from AI. First published as a post on 8 October 2024.