culture
Ed

1
Ok, I have to be honest here; I was trying to see how the system would handle making a deer furry. It produced a (rejected) image that looked like the model version of what would have happened if one of Santa's reindeer had fused with one of the sacred Sika Deer from Nara Japan (and if that isn't cultural appropriation, I don't know what is).
Curious, I took the opportunity to see if there are any promonant deer figures in Japanese mythology. In addition to kirins, I learned that there are many deities such as Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, Ame-no-Kaku, Jurōjin, and Shishigami from Princess Mononoke. They deserve respect, not stereotyping.
So, this is more of a conversation on awareness to those who stumble upon it. It's a fun game, but oftentimes, inspiration is "borrowed" from people and cultures without honoring or knowing the full context of their origin. I wonder how many of us ever think about the impact of these images. As we sift through content, how often do we consider things like the level of positive diverse representation in the system? I wonder why overly sexualized bodies that tend to favor lighter skin tones seem to be the norm? How do these exclusions influence social beliefs?
I hope that as we continue to navigate these topics, we will make more of an effort (not to not just cancel everything that might be controversial) but to inform ourselves, call each other in, and hold eachother accountable for the ethics of our choices. Maybe it's, "just a game," but I view AI as a mirror to culture and society because, in a way, it reflects our most popular and mainstream thoughts, expectations, and ideas. Perhaps this is hypocratical, but I think it is important that we try our best to be mindful when we use it.
I don't usually do this, but it might be nice to spark a discussion in the comments. For those in the community with more knowledge, I would love for you to help educate and share your thoughts. Please be respectful.
Thank you dearly! 🦌