Taste
WILD BARE THOUGHTS
How I Use AI to Sharpen My Taste and Pursue the Real Me
because taste is self-pursuit—and self-pursuit requires taste
stepfanie tyler
Jul 16, 2025
∙ Paid
Most people think AI makes you lose yourself. That it kills taste. That algorithms flatten us into sameness, rewarding short attention spans, cheap aesthetics, and dopamine over depth... See more
How I Use AI to Sharpen My Taste and Pursue the Real Me
because taste is self-pursuit—and self-pursuit requires taste
stepfanie tyler
Jul 16, 2025
∙ Paid
Most people think AI makes you lose yourself. That it kills taste. That algorithms flatten us into sameness, rewarding short attention spans, cheap aesthetics, and dopamine over depth... See more
How I Use AI to Sharpen My Taste and Pursue the Real Me
Taste starts with noticing.
a) The first step is exposure.
You have to see, hear, and feel a wide range of options to understand what excellence looks like. Read great literature. Listen to great speeches. Visit great buildings. Eat great food.
b) The second is... See more
Robin Goodsubstack.com
But taste requires subtraction. It means not participating in every viral moment. It means not resharing something just because it’s getting attention. It means opting out of the churn.
That doesn’t mean being contrarian for the sake of it. It means noticing when the culture’s default setting no longer reflects what’s true for you—and walking away.
That doesn’t mean being contrarian for the sake of it. It means noticing when the culture’s default setting no longer reflects what’s true for you—and walking away.
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
“Everything we come into contact with has the potential to influence our taste. So the art of living well includes the art of feeding your input stream.” — Rick Rubin
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
That’s why taste is a responsibility. It’s not just about what you like. It’s about what you allow in.
Taste is how you protect your mental environment.
Taste is how you protect your mental environment.
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
And that’s what real taste is: a deep internal coherence. A way of filtering the world through intuition that’s been sharpened by attention.
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
I have yet to find a single writer who’s grown a serious following without some kind of niche.
That doesn’t mean boxing yourself in. It means starting with something clear enough for people to get what you’re about, and specific enough for the right readers to find you.
The first six months are for you. Experiment like crazy. Write about anything. Te... See more
That doesn’t mean boxing yourself in. It means starting with something clear enough for people to get what you’re about, and specific enough for the right readers to find you.
The first six months are for you. Experiment like crazy. Write about anything. Te... See more
Benjamin Antoine • The Golden era of Substack is over. Now what?
The 2025 tastemaker navigates this tension with remarkable dexterity. They aren't anti-digital but post-digital, using online tools with intention rather than compulsion. The crucial distinction lies in their relationship with attention: Internet Cool seeks it desperately; Scene Cool appears indifferent. This studied indifference isn't affectation ... See more