293 / Is self-expression just conformity in disguise?

We’re approaching a splitting point, where AI’s impacts on how we speak and write move between the poles of standardization, like templating professional emails or formal presentations, and authentic expression in personal and emotional spaces. Between those poles, there are three core tensions at play. Early backlash signals, like academics avoidi... See more

We are taught very early to respect external signals above internal signals, to respect the voice of others above the voice of self. A “good” child is one who “minds” his or her elders, who “behaves.” We are taught to identify virtue with compliance with the wants and expectations of others. We are taught conformity as the ultimate civic good. We a

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It’s this idea that we’re all communicating informally, but at the same time we’ve adopted a lot of the practices of public figures or like, I dunno, brands. And that is a really weird and stressful thing.

Sharing your work creates an audience effect, which is when the knowledge that others are observing you leads you to alter your behavior. The human brain is wired to respond to social feedback, which affects our self-perception and behavior—a response that translates to our interactions on social media. When shared publicly, your work becomes conte

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