Doing More "Useless Work" in the AI Era

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I. Tools Are Not Synonymous with Ability

A curious phenomenon often occurs: the belief that acquiring a particular tool magically grants the abilities, lifestyle, or state associated with it. This illusion is surprisingly common.

Consider the widespread appeal of digital art. Seeing others effortlessly sketch vibrant scenes on iPads in cafes, on trains, or in parks creates a compelling image. Captivated by this vision, many purchase the iPad, Apple Pencil, Procreate app, and diligently hunt for the perfect brushes and tutorials. Yet, the anticipated transformation rarely materializes. The tools, devoid of the user's inherent skill or dedicated practice, quickly find themselves relegated to a drawer, perhaps only retrieved when needing a flat surface.

The pattern repeats with gadgets like the DJI Pocket camera. Videos showcasing dynamic, adventurous lives fuel the desire to capture similar excitement. Another purchase follows. However, the realization soon dawns that the true ingredients behind those captivating videos are ample free time and adventurous opportunities – resources often scarce for the average buyer. Consequently, the Pocket camera joins the iPad in gathering dust.

In an age saturated with consumerism, aspirations for personal growth or an enriched life frequently become entangled with consumption. There's a pervasive notion that buying the right object unlocks a desired version of oneself. This equation is fundamentally flawed. As astutely noted in DJI Pocket video comments: "Their lives aren't amazing because of DJI; DJI merely documents the existing amazingness." This highlights a critical inversion of cause and effect. The tool is a recorder, not the creator, of the experience. Ultimately, possessing a tool does not equate to possessing the ability it facilitates.

II. Access to Technology Does Not Guarantee Creative Output

For those working with words, the rise of AI presents a profound question: What unique contribution remains when an AI can generate an article in minutes?

On the surface, AI appears omnipotent. It answers complex queries, drafts plans, generates images, composes music, and edits videos. The prevailing narrative suggests that wielding AI transforms any individual into a "super-individual" – a term gaining significant traction since early 2023. This concept promises that even those lacking prior experience can, with AI assistance, write novels, draw comics, score films, and ultimately produce entire movies.

Any lingering doubts are readily assuaged by numerous online courses and influencers proclaiming AI as the ultimate shortcut to success, often packaged in enticing "learn it all for $998" deals. From this perspective, AI seems to offer boundless opportunities, with a burgeoning market eager to guide individuals towards perceived success.

Yet, despite this apparent empowerment, encountering an advanced AI tool often evokes a distinct sense of paralysis. It mirrors the feeling of holding a pen with no words to write, opening a drawing app with no image to create, or pointing a camera with nothing meaningful to capture. The knowledge that AI possesses immense creative potential – capable of generating text, images, video, music – clashes with a fundamental uncertainty: What should one create? It's akin to standing before an omniscient oracle but lacking a meaningful question to ask. This gap between potential and direction fosters a deep sense of creative impotence.

III. AI-Induced Paralysis Mirrors a Deficiency of Imagination

Imagination is the bedrock of all creation. Without the capacity to envision a desired outcome, even the most powerful tools remain inert. This limitation is evident in the current AI landscape, where many applications merely refine existing concepts rather than forging genuinely novel, AI-native paradigms.

However, a concerning reality accompanies adulthood: imagination often diminishes. The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), a globally recognized assessment, consistently demonstrates that adolescents typically exhibit richer imaginative capabilities than older adults. History reinforces this pattern. Many groundbreaking contributions by artists, writers, and scientists emerged during their youth: Mozart composed his Symphony No. 25 in G minor at 17; Lord Byron published "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" at 24; Newton formulated his theory of universal gravitation by 24. While exceptions exist, truly transformative "late bloomers" are relatively rare.

This decline is often personally perceptible. The endless stream of whimsical, unconventional ideas characteristic of childhood frequently dwindles. Cognitive patterns become increasingly reliant on past experiences, leading to more conventional and predictable thinking. Memories persist of childhood walks where a single cloud could spark elaborate narratives, or teenage years yielding surprisingly poignant writing. Yet, for many, this inherent spark becomes buried beneath the routines and demands of adult life.

A poignant example surfaced in a popular Douyin (China's TikTok) video. A young woman chronicled her internship at a newspaper with gentle, introspective prose, capturing the anxieties and restlessness of youth. Her post garnered significant attention. One comment resonated deeply: "There comes a day when you can no longer write such tender words. That's when you've truly entered society. It's a suffocating heat, indifferent to the seasons, overwhelming and inescapable."

This sentiment strikes a chord. We enter the world brimming with unique potential and imagination, yet the relentless grind of daily existence often erodes that innate creativity, leaving a residue of ordinariness. But the AI era has little use for the ordinary. AI excels at automating routine tasks, making uniquely human imagination increasingly paramount.

Scarcity demands productivity. Abundance, however, demands purpose. As AI radically amplifies our productive capacity, the critical challenge shifts to how we employ that capacity. The AI era is fundamentally an era demanding imagination.

Marketplace evidence supports this shift. Individuals are leveraging AI not just for efficiency, but for novel creative expression:

• Generating quirky, low-budget animations featuring cats doing household chores, reportedly yielding substantial income.
• Creating humorous shorts depicting "caveman programmers," consistently attracting large audiences.
• Producing surreal, dreamlike "AI hallucination" videos, rapidly amassing followers. Behind these successes lie inspiration, creativity, and imagination – intangible qualities now demonstrably driving value in the AI landscape.

IV. Relearning How to See the World

Perhaps the most crucial skill for the AI age isn't mastering the tools themselves, but cultivating the ability to perceive the world anew.

Regrettably, the daily treadmill of modern life often dulls this capacity. The innate curiosity about the world, the passion for living, and the inherent spark of creativity frequently diminish over time. Consequently, acquiring a more powerful AI tool often replicates the experience of acquiring a better iPad or camera: the instrument advances, but the capacity for truly original creation remains stagnant.

In the AI era, human imagination remains the irreplaceable engine of meaningful output. AI cannot fundamentally transform an individual lacking vision; it merely amplifies existing capabilities. The encouraging news is that the apparent decline of imagination is not an inevitable, irreversible consequence of aging. Neuroscience reveals that imagination engages specific brain networks, such as the Default Mode Network (DMN), associated with spontaneous thought, mental simulation, and envisioning the future, and the Executive Control Network, managing focused attention. These networks persist in the adult brain; their weakening stems from disuse, not inherent decay. As the popular adage suggests, "Unused talents atrophy."

Observing artists, dedicated freelancers, or individuals passionately pursuing non-traditional paths often reveals a distinct vitality and perspective. This difference stems from their active engagement with life, their conscious effort to experience deeply, and their continuous exercise of imagination.

Conversely, contemporary life often prioritizes tangible, immediate outcomes. This relentless focus on utility and return on investment narrows vision, fixating attention on the immediate path while obscuring the broader horizon.

Therefore, the essential prescription is to step outside this cycle. Engage in activities without predefined purpose: read books chosen purely for interest, not advancement; simply listen to the wind; observe the summer moon; converse with strangers; undertake tasks solely for the experience, devoid of expected rewards.

The ultimate pursuit may not be finding a singular "meaning," but rather rediscovering and nurturing that innate, childlike sense of wonder towards existence. Imagination is not the exclusive province of childhood or genius. It is a way of living, a conscious choice. By deliberately slowing down, observing intently, and allowing the mind to wander, individuals often find that dormant sparks of inspiration were merely awaiting reawakening. The capacity to see the world afresh, to ask new questions, and to envision novel possibilities remains the most vital human asset in an age of artificial intelligence.