Category: artists

Human Feeling

My good friend Stanley Nelson and I have been discussing AI and the implications for artists and writers.  We agree and then we disagree.  We collaborated on three books, Murder So Wrong, Murder So Strange and Murder So Final, which were centered around a time in Oklahoma City when there was a newspaper war between the established and powerful newspaper and the upstart, The Oklahoma Journal.  We lived there during this time and knew many of the people involved.

We survive collaboration, just barely, and still speak, although there was a somewhat quiet phase right after the books.  Here was our latest email exchange about AI.

Stan.

Once I stopped to study an oil of yours, hung somewhere in your house. I was particularly taken by how you used simple, brief touches and swaths of color to suggest, successfully, a window, a door, a wall, a shadow. It was hard not to compare that with a nude portrait you did decades ago, hung so that it commanded the den in the house in Del City. I found that one far busier with its colors, not quite achieving the impressionism I figured was being tried for, although I never asked about it. I had only taken a junior high-school art class, but I had learned enough to wonder.

This is an opinion, but I should say your representational and sometimes impressionistic art has evolved over time, and for the better. Whether anyone agrees is hardly the point, which instead is about how art gives us a way to gauge someone else’s progress, or even regress, as an interpreter of the world around them. Consider the obsessive study of Van Gogh’s progress as an artist. Much like science, the matter is never conclusive.

So, here is my point: that art is not, nor has it ever been, a matter of instant gratification or product quality, i.e., salability or favorable critical appreciation. The goal of art is personal expression on a scale greater than or, at least, different from the ordinary, and for that a person must be the source. To credit AI for arranging pixels—zeros and ones—so a visually striking picture appears is a bit like giving out prizes to frying pans for not burning the bacon.

My response:

The artist, human or AI, is judged by the results.  You can ponder the artist behind the work, but it is the art itself that sticks in our head.  If we could extract personal expressions in art, then your point would be well stated.  I’m just not sure we can.  I have buried in my basement an accumulation of art that has not been seen by many–you might even call it hidden.  Why, because it was not what I was trying to achieve.  Failures?  No, probably not, those mostly got painted over; this would be “it’s okay, but just not right”.  So, if the result is what matters, soulless, stolen, zeros and ones generated art still must be judged by the result.  Therein lies the problem, the results are awesome.

That’s one of the reasons I think AI writing is not as powerful as art.  The writer is easier to “feel” in writing, I think, than in art (1).  Of course, that is still debatable.  I have played with AI writing, book descriptions and others, and it feels different.  While competent, there is something missing.  Now, you can say the same about art–but I don’t get that feeling with art itself.  It looks great, conveys with subtlety the qualities listed in the instructions.  I’m still going to say the art generated by AI will stunt any on-going development of human artists.  Why do something that is mostly inferior to what can be done with AI.  While it’s sad, it doesn’t change the fact; AI results are better.

I haven’t heard back from Stan, but my gut says he is going to say bullshit (although he doesn’t use that language as much as I do).  If you’re a creative person AI is a threat.  If not your soul, then maybe your pocketbook.  But AI is going to replace many people, people who love what they do, but cannot work for nothing or 24 hours a day.

Even with that pain, I will still say on almost any objective level AI is brilliant.  Maybe an asshole but many creative people (things?) have been assholes, so what’s so different.

I believe that we all will incorporate AI tools into much of our daily lives.  How do we not use that easy access tool that produces such amazing and easy results.  Many of us already have and it will grow because it works.

Are there risks, even existential risks?  Yes.

(1) When I wrote the “feeling” sentence I was thinking about creative writing, such as novels.  It’s possible that technical or business writing will be better not worse when done by AI since there was not much “feel” involved in the human version.

Human Thinking or AI Regurgitating?

I’m still debating AI when it comes to writing but must admit I’m sold on the art part.  AI is a whiz.  The art stuff this brainy machine can create is just amazing.  Artists, I’m afraid your time is up; writers, well why don’t ya hang around for just a bit.

Asked ChatGPT to write descriptions on three of my books.  They all were very promotional, hyped marketing pieces of verbiage.  Now, I do not know how AI knows those books, but they contained some material that directly tied to the book (with notable inaccuracies like the name of the main character) but mostly contained generalized language based on the genre.  If I were giving a grade, all three would have been B+.  I tend to grade my self-written book description as C-. So, AI would be hired by me before I would hire me to write book descriptions. 

Okay, the descriptions were good, above average but not perfect.  I tweaked the descriptions and will probably use them—they are better than the ones I wrote, the main reason I would say writers are still somewhat safe is that they were very similar.  There was a sameness to the descriptions and the errors were obvious ones.  The main character or the location of the story would not be mistakes a writer would make.  For now, I still give human writers a slight edge.

AI Book Description for Dog Gone Lies by Ted Clifton

Get ready for a wild ride through sun-drenched vistas of New Mexico in “Dog Gone Lies” by Ted Clifton, a gripping mystery novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.

When ex-Sheriff, turned private investigator, Ray Pacheco is compelled to track down the owner of a lost dog, he thinks it’ll be a routine matter. But as he delves deeper into the seemingly simple assignment, he uncovers a tangled web of deception, betrayal, and murder lurking beneath the surface of this picturesque Southwestern state.

With the help of his trusty companion, Tyee Chino, Ray follows a trail of clues that leads him to a cast of colorful characters, each with their own secrets to hide. From odd-ball eccentrics to ruthless drug dealers, everyone has something to lose – and Ray soon finds himself caught in the crossfire of a deadly game where the stakes couldn’t be higher.

As tensions rise and the body count mounts, Ray must use all his wits and instincts to untangle the truth before it’s too late. But with danger lurking around every corner, he’ll need to stay one step ahead of his adversaries if he hopes to crack the case and bring a killer to justice.

Fast-paced, action-packed, and full of twists and turns, “Dog Gone Lies” is a must-read for fans of gritty crime fiction and pulse-pounding thrillers. With its richly drawn characters, atmospheric setting, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, this novel will keep you glued to the page until the very last word. So, strap in, hold on tight, and get ready for a rollercoaster ride through the gritty landscape of New Mexico with Ted Clifton’s electrifying new novel.

Blatant promo but I always like this ad

The above description has a few changes I made but it was 95% AI generated.  It took AI about 20 seconds. My few minor corrections took about 20 minutes.

I asked AI to write a blog about AI written book descriptions.  Below is the blog. 

Title: Unleashing the Power of AI: Writing Compelling Book Descriptions

In the ever-evolving landscape of publishing, authors and publishers alike are constantly seeking innovative ways to capture readers’ attention and stand out in a crowded market. One such innovation that has been gaining traction in recent years is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to write book descriptions. Let’s delve into how AI can be a game-changer in crafting compelling book blurbs that entice readers and boost sales.

1. Harnessing Data-Driven Insights:

AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, including bestselling book descriptions, reader preferences, and market trends. By leveraging these insights, AI can identify patterns and characteristics that resonate with audiences, helping authors tailor their book descriptions to maximize engagement and appeal.

2. Generating Attention-Grabbing Content:

AI-powered natural language generation (NLG) models, such as GPT-based models, excel at generating coherent and persuasive text. Authors can input key details about their book, such as genre, plot summary, and target audience, and AI can produce a polished and professional book description that highlights the book’s unique selling points and hooks readers from the outset.

3. Optimizing SEO and Discoverability:

With the proliferation of online bookstores and digital platforms, discoverability is paramount for authors seeking to reach their target audience. AI can help optimize book descriptions for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases that improve visibility and organic traffic. By enhancing SEO, authors can increase their book’s discoverability and attract more potential readers.

4. Personalizing Recommendations:

AI-driven recommendation engines can analyze reader preferences and behavior to generate personalized book recommendations. By incorporating AI-generated book descriptions into recommendation algorithms, authors can increase the likelihood of their books being recommended to readers who are most likely to enjoy them, thereby driving sales and fostering reader loyalty.

5. Iterative Improvement and A/B Testing:

AI enables authors to conduct A/B testing of book descriptions by generating multiple versions and analyzing their performance metrics, such as click-through rates and conversion rates. By iteratively refining and optimizing book descriptions based on real-time data and feedback, authors can continuously improve their marketing strategies and maximize the effectiveness of their promotional efforts.

While AI offers immense potential for revolutionizing the way book descriptions are created and optimized, it’s important to note that human creativity and intuition remain indispensable. Authors should view AI as a powerful tool to augment their creative process rather than replace it entirely. By collaborating with AI, authors can unlock new possibilities for crafting compelling book descriptions that resonate with readers and propel their literary careers to new heights.

AI time: 10 seconds.

How did you like the highlighted sentence about humans being indispensable?  Was that AI sucking up to potential customers? AI is several things, fast, verbose for sure, the brain of a marketing machine, has an ego it wishes you would not notice (its recommending itself because it’s a computer–{I can do this…better than you can}–I wonder is that anti-human?) and smart.  Smart in ways (vast amounts of current data) that “normal” humans are not.  That smart part is what is going to put humans on the back bench very soon.  While on the bench, we will be able to read 59 cent novels that all feel oddly very similar. 

Art and Power

Every day the tech world makes life easier and more confusing.  Do any of us really know how this stuff works?  We cannot exist without a functioning internet.  At alarming speed, the basic needs for human existence are food, water, shelter and now electricity.

Sure, electric power has been a human need since the days of Benjamin Franklin, but with the internet it is a vital necessity that would leave us lifeless if it was cut-off.  Whether that is good or bad or somewhere in between is not relevant.  The relevant point is that few of us have considered the risk of losing access to electricity. 

One of my “side-hustles” is advising companies in the electric infrastructure industry.  My advice is financial and has nothing to do with their work.  As a result of that connection, I have a feeling that the whole system is vulnerable.  This is not news.  Most people with any knowledge recognize the great vulnerability of the electric grid system.  It’s not terrorists, although the system is not well protected, mostly it is the overall age of the total infrastructure.

In the 1950s government thinkers (no that is not an oxymoron) decided the largest vulnerability for USA security and commerce was a poor highway system that traversed the country.  From those first thoughts huge amounts of money were spent on designing and building the interstate highway system.  That system may have changed the country as much as anything that has ever been done.

The same approach needs to be focused on our electrical distribution system.  My layman’s advice has been to focus on small units of energy production and improved storage of power.  I won’t go into the details, because they are boring—but believe me this is a big problem that needs attention.

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In the fourth grade Miss Smith told me I was the best artist in her class.  I was a little bit surprised but immediately believed her, after all she was the teacher.  From that point up to my initial year in college I thought of myself as an artist.  An artist who didn’t produce much but none the less; I was an artist—ask Miss Smith. 

I enrolled in college and was immediately told I had to have a major.  I tried to tell them I was only avoiding the draft and was not really interested in much and for sure had no idea about a major.  They insisted.  So, I became an art major.  Of course, that meant I needed to take some art classes.  I enrolled in art appreciation (how hard could that be?) and a drawing class.  After reviewing the supply list for the drawing class, which was going to cost me a month’s rent (which wasn’t all that much) I was considering dropping the course. 

I didn’t drop the class and after only a few weeks wished that I had.  The instructor was never going to be my buddy.  He yelled at people, me included, about artistic sense and how many of us were obviously not in the right class.  He acted offended that we were not better at what we were studying to be better at.  It was a personal affront to his whole being that he had to be around such talentless ingrates.  After a few weeks of this haranguing, I was giving thought to enlisting.

Around the third week, Mr. “I’m So Wonderful” art instructor had to leave school due to some emergency that was never explained.  He was replaced by an older woman who looked lost, scared, and usually didn’t show up for the classes. 

Several people in the class gave me good advice and were instrumental in my becoming a better artist, although I’m sure Mr. I.S. Wonderful would still have given me an F.  Despite Miss Smith’s opinion, that unpleasant experience was probably the first time I was a “real” artist.  If you are required to suffer to become an artist, I was now in the club.

Lost and Found

It’s been a while.  Did I get lost?  No, not really, just stopped writing.  When I’m writing books everything about my day seems to stay in focus.  The book writing tends to keep me engaged and alert in all aspects of my life.  Without that focus I drift. 

So, I’ve been drifting.  What have I found.  I started a new activity.  It’s a website selling stuff.  The stuff is shifting some but mostly it is bags, totes, duffels, some apparel, posters, and some yoga items.  Why.  Mostly because I like to design and play with designs in bold striking colors.  That is my art.  This is some of that, but different—it is using all the tools including AI to create images.  The images are more important to me than the products—so the bag becomes art.  Is it art?  Is it my art?

I really don’t know the answer to that question.  My first reaction to AI creating something was directly related to writing.  I was playing with the tool and discovered it might be more effective at writing than I was.  Or at least faster!  The more I experimented, the more I became disillusioned about my writing.  Do we already have all the knowledge we will ever need and therefore, all new things will just be rehashed from past creations.  AI will learn and spit out the next best seller based on parameters entered by AI “talkers”.  No need for authors.  Fast, easy, and cheap.

I started using AI images to add to this blog.  That was some time ago.  It was amazing.  Enter words and there in an instant an image.  The fascination with the process started to interfere with my writing.  I became enamored with the non-creation of non-original art that was not my art or anyone else’s and was based on past art that was used without permission to teach a computer to create something new.  It was wrong, but the results were so right—and inevitably better than my art, better than my book, better than my blog, better than?

So, I tumbled from the haze into creating bags using my art, and AI generated images.  Probably no logic in that, but it’s a fact; I’m enjoying what I’m doing.

Will I write again?  This post is part of that answer.  You need to write to be able to write.

The web site is www.myusagifts.com.  The company is USA Gifts.  The focus was originally on southwest states and southwest designs.  My fascination with New Mexico continues.  These are printed products based on digital designs.  I’m now creating looks to represent the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, and Oklahoma.  Six states that link southwest designs, Native American images, and Hispanic cultures into a diverse and dynamic grouping of products and looks.

Some recent responses from book readers to new customers have been both encouraging and heartwarming.

It is an ever-changing world, some good, some bad; but still a world we want to be in and find ways to be creative.

New Art

In my recent posts I have been using Midjourney AI illustrations.  Computer generated images based on written input.  My images were generated with a minimum of input from me.  The last two for the writer’s block post were just that “writer’s block” with some additional input regarding mood, such as “dark”.  Many of the images which you can see on Midjourney are being created with a bunch of words.  Much, much greater descriptions than you would think, often with words I’m not real sure I know what they mean—and yet the results seem to please these demanding users—at least they keep making them.

My early creative efforts were originally art.  In my head I still think of myself as an artist, not a particularly good one, but that was what I was.  That person finds this “new art”, repulsive and threatening.  How can a machine create art—well, it can and some of the results are stunning.  The logical me feels like this is just an extension of human activity and while we are having trouble fitting it into or old definition of art, that is what it is.

The typical dictionary definition of art:

“the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”

Drop the word human and the AI art is just that– art.  Or maybe, the people who wrote the program are artists, or the people who invented the computer, or the person who harnessed electricity—yeah, this can go on and on.

How about my words “writer’s block”, does that make me the artist? 

In almost all our creative activities, technology has changed how we create.  Is this just another or is this something different?

“producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”

Maybe that is the defining part; if you like the image and you react to it’s emotion then it is art.  Who created it or how it was created is not important.

While that may be the answer, it still leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling (or maybe it is jealousy, I sure couldn’t have drawn that image.)

It is possible one of the AI writers should have written this post along with the AI illustrations to be read by AI readers; who really liked it.

Loosey-Goosey Philosophy

Generally, I’m not a full-time writer.  Not sure this has any real impact, but I do run into times when something else in my world takes precedence.  This is not good for a writer.  Writing is story telling with all sorts of things to keep up with as you write.  Not sure what most writers do to plan a book, but my approach is pretty loosey-goosey.  Yes, that is a technical term. 

I will do an outline, with big picture stuff.  Seldom do I know the ending of the book or even who did what.  This is of course a murder mystery and when I start, I only have an idea who will be the victim and who’s the killer.  This causes me all sorts of problems.

A mystery book shares things with the readers as the story develops, such as clues.  Obviously to do that you have to know who is going to be killed and by whom.  Due to my loosey-goosey philosophy, I often must do re-writes to correct something I said in Chapter two that is total BS in Chapter 28.

Well, the other problem with this jump-in and see what happens approach, is that it is all in my head.  I have this rough out-line that guides me some, but most is being developed as I write.  Now, keep in mind, this is not my choice.  I’ve tried to develop extensive drafts and detail before I begin, but inevitably, I will change all of that as I write. 

Without interruptions I can write a full-length book in a few months.  With interruptions, it could take years.  I’ve been in one of those difficult patterns for the last year or so.

My interruptions are often due to my continued activity related to being an advisor on M&A transactions.  Some of you are aware, others maybe not, that I’m a retired CPA who for many years has provided consulting advice on the selling and buying of businesses.  This is where the business books come from, How to Sell Your Business Without a Broker and How to Start and Run a Successful Small Business.  (Have a small beginning on a new biz book about planning and budgeting.  I know I just said I’m a terrible planner of my books, but I’m a strong advocate for the benefit of extensive planning in business.  Do as I say not as I do.)

I really enjoy the business activity, even if it does interfere with my writing.  Analyzing, running, selling, or buying a business is in its own way much like a mystery book.  There is always an abundance of clues with many twists and turns before you reach the conclusion.  Sometimes the good guys win, sometimes they don’t.  Now in most of my business activity, there are very few bodies (for which I am most grateful), but even without the over-the-top drama, it distracts.  The mind can only hold so much (please keep any personal comments to yourself).

Targeting this latest all consuming business activity to be over in a month or so.  Once that is done, I will concentrate on writing.  Seldom do my plans work out perfectly, but the hope is that next year will be 100% book writing.  That could mean 4 to 5 books available next year and 3 more the next.  All those projects are in some stage of completion, with a couple almost finished. 

Now how about those audio books.  Not sure how many have listened to Chino & Tonto—but you should.  I like this story telling vehicle, but it does have a problem; it involves a lot more people than the writing.  There have been multiple people helping with the voices, so progress is dependent on more than just me.  All the players are doing this for fun (not money) so almost anything becomes more important than my erratic schedule.  When we started, I was staying focused and we made good progress, as I have drifted, they also have drifted.  The final episodes have been written for Vegas Dead End so I’m sure in the next few weeks we will get them recorded and make all available.  After that the audio dramas will be rethought.  Could be it is best for me to concentrate on the books and get some of that promised titles published before I dig too deep into the audio book world—we’ll see.

It’s Important!

It’s My Art—It’s My Words

Who is the artist if the work is created by a computer program with only a few words entered by the “artist”? 

Most likely you have heard of the AI assisted software that can create dynamic renderings with only a description to guide the program.  (New York Times article about an artist winning first at the Colorado State Fair with an entry produced by the computer program.)

For much of our history art has been a process of imagination, but also skilled crafts people who could turn the imagination into a finished work of art.  Often those skills were very precise and took years to hone to the point your work was considered “good”.  These were generally realistic artists creating images that all could recognize.  Before photography this was an amazing craft and many of our most famous artists are from this school of art.  Later there were impressionist and modern artists.  These were emotions created in different ways and in different shapes and colors.  While all of that was called art, many saw value in one form, but not the other.

Now we have art being created with a minimum amount of human involvement—but in my mind, still art.

This new AI assisted art can be discovered at Midjourney—although it is not completely user friendly, expect a few hiccups.  What you can see there is amazing “pictures” (art) by thousands of people, being created instantly.  Some of this is wonderfully complicated and bold, some is satisfyingly simple but beautiful.  All of it, in its own way, can be called art.

So, as an artist what do I “really” think?

It feels more like a game than the act of producing art, but there is no question that the result is art.  It takes a different kind of skill set, but it takes the same imagination and eye for what is “right” to you.  And, just like most things, it takes practice.

Now, I don’t have much patience for practice, so I just jumped in and gave it a try.  I entered “southwest landscape, bold colors, tall cactus with flowers, highly detailed, bright sun, puffy clouds, art deco” and got.

(You may say, hey, that’s not so hot—keep in mind I spent literally about a minute “creating” the above work of art.)

I still have lots of questions about some of the steps and the function of the web site.  Without a doubt, at the very least, this sort of stuff is fun.  Does it detract from “artists”—probably.  Why buy anything if I can just add a few words and create my own art?  Of course, that means you like your own stuff created with the help of AI computer program, which may or may not be true.  But this type of art can be very impressive.  If you have not seen the piece created for the state fair entry, you will be impressed.

Okay, it’s goodbye artists, hello AI computer art done by you (sort of).

I think we’ve been on this path for a while.  Goodbye humans, hello cyborgs (or whatever they would be called).  As a person who observes and comments on the less than stellar activities of humans, maybe this is not a bad trend.  Now, having computers decide what is right and wrong could go very wrong, but, hey; were not doing such a hot job ourselves. 

Hey, mom, I would like you to meet my new friend—ZX2008MOD-5.  He, She, It, They just wrote a book for me! So long authors!

Compromise?

Everyday seems to bring more evidence of disharmony in our country.  Of course, it is possible we have never been as harmonious as we would like to think.  The past always gets a bit fuzzy, while the present-day faults are crystal clear.  I grew up in the 50s and 60s and I have fond memories of a different world.  My parents grew up in the Great Depression of the 30s and chose not to talk about it.   In both cases, if you examine those periods closer, you see problems in the so-called ideal period after WWII and you can find good things that happened in the horrible depression.  Nothing is ever 100% bad or good.

One of the major issues that exist today is that tendency to see the world as black or white.  Every issue is one thing or another—two opposing sides.  Abortion, guns, mental health, gay rights, criminal justice—any issue you can think of seems to be dominated by opposing positions that are locked in, and no one will compromise.  How did we reach the point where we cannot agree in some middle ground?  Compromising is a very human quality, anybody who has experienced a long-term marriage understands compromising to achieve harmony.

Now, discussions on issues are defined by winning or losing.  To win each side must get their way.  The goal has become more an objective of defeating the other side as opposed to fixing problems.  This “them against us” mentality will lead to disastrous results.  A family always compromises, citizens must also compromise; the alternative is ugly.  Our leaders used to understand the art of compromise, it is how the country was built in the first place.

Many people give almost reverent respect for the founders and the resulting documents.  The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were not divined by heavenly beings but written by men.  Those documents did not spring magically into being.  The process was difficult, full of arguments, even threats.  The final documents were the result of a give and take–compromise.

You can go back and read what was written about the process.  It was not easy or congenial. 

A key to compromising is to respect your opponent.  You can disagree but you cannot hate.  If you identify your fellow citizens as the enemy, compromise is impossible.  “I would rather die than give up my guns!”

“Give me liberty or give me death!” is a slogan of defiance with no compromise.  The battle cry of “Let’s find some middle ground!” does not exist because it is not a battle cry.  The goal of compromise does not have the emotional draw that leads to war.  All battle cries are inevitably about the battle.

Wars usually start out having some kind of goal.  Land, power, wealth, have all been objectives of wars.  But once the war starts the only goal that matters is defeating your enemy.  Destroying your enemy becomes the only goal.  It’s now personal.  Wars become so illogical that destroying yourself to defeat your enemy becomes a common tactic.

We may have reached that point in our internal affairs.  Defeating the enemy is the goal.  Running the country?  Have no time to do that stuff!

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”

― Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s words (based on a biblical quote) have as much meaning today as they did then.  Slavery is not the dividing issue (although it is still in the background) but the issues that divide us have the same power—which is to destroy the whole.

“Let’s find some middle ground!” is probably better than how can we break this country up?

I’ve become a Patreon creator with my own page.  What does that mean.  Patreon is a gathering of various creative types who are seeking support through patrons.  For that support those patrons receive unique rewards.  This support is usually minimal; my tiers of support are $2, $5, $10 and $20 per month.  Each tier has increasing rewards.  Link to my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/cliftonwrites

Is that something you want to do—probably not.  I sure understand that position.  I would ask that you look at the page and give it some thought.  I think the rewards will have value (some) and, of course, the support to me will be hugely beneficial.

Venturing into a new area for me; audio dramas.  These will be based on my books or the characters from the books.  The first is a spin-off of Pacheco and Chino.  Chino & Tonto Mysteries.  These will be released through Patreon first.

Tonto is the dog!

We’re All Dumb

Let’s just say this out loud, our current political environment is much more a shitshow than anything approaching intelligent discussion.  Clown car, performative art, demagoguery –these are words that show up when observing our politicians attempt to lead.  Why?

I’m sure some of us can remember a politician or two who would discuss some of the issues addressing our nation with a thoughtful presentation regarding their causes and a detailed legislative agenda to address those issues.  Much of the political discussion today is being conducted by one bozo after another.  Why?

There are reasons.  A couple are cable TV and the internet.  These wonderful sources of entertainment and information have been turned into the main draw for the gullible.  Why think when you can tune in and watch some morons tell you lies about almost anything that might cross your mind.

The U.S. Department of Education says that 54% of U.S. adults 16-74 years old—lack proficiency in literacy, reading below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level.  Welcome to the land of stupid. 

What does it mean to have over half the adults in a country not being able to read a newspaper?  It means as a country we have gone backward.  Today we think based on a group test.  My group believes this, so I do too.  And who often leads the group.  The loudest, most confident member of the group.  That person has rock solid beliefs that will never change, no discussion could alter their views, no facts could interfere with their assuredness, no argument could sway them to question themselves; completely closed minded and absolutely confident in what they believe.  They are the leaders.

There was a time, in the not-too-distant past, when critical thinking was a skill schools taught.  Not now.  Schools are more likely to teach beliefs than facts because the parents demand it.  Don’t confuse my kids with uncomfortable facts—it’s bad for their self-esteem.  There was a time when schools taught art, music—not so much now.  Teach my kid to be a computer coder, so they can be millionaires or billionaires, that’s what matters.  I don’t care if they can’t read or think, can they code?

Who cares if people can’t read a newspaper, newspapers are dead anyway?  Yep, there is some truth there, but the on-line world will dumb down everything if half their customers are functionally illiterate.  Can you convey a complex thought and keep the sentence structure below a sixth-grade level?  We just had a leader who wanted critical information presented to him in picture form—and many people thought he was smart. 

There is ample evidence that the U.S. school system is failing.  More and more kids are being taught in religious schools or home schooled where often the primary agenda is beliefs not objective truth.  There are more STEM programs, but they are not teaching critical thinking or objective facts, just computers, math, and ego.  Independent test scores show children under performing compared to other countries while school grades are averaging higher.  More A’s to C students.  Makes the parents feel better, but what does that accomplish?

The decline in our educational system may be contributing to the current crop of clowns in congress.  Stupid people elect stupid people to lead them; then believe they are doing a good job because at least they are entertaining, and don’t take shit off anybody.  That last part fogs my brain.  It is so outlandish.  A common requirement in politicians today is that they fight.  Fight almost everyone.  You would think we were electing pro-wrestlers not thoughtful leaders.  This strange requirement to be outlandish to win elections is driven by ignorant people who have no idea what the country would look like if all leaders were as clueless as their favorites. 

Why?  One easy answer to all of those “why”s is money.  The money in politics is staggering.  This is better than pro-wrestling and less dangerous.  There seem to be three groups running for office.  One group are people who actually want to serve and make things better, this group is becoming smaller rapidly.  The second group are people who have money, often lots of money, but want power.  The motivations here are hard to understand but people seeking power usually have an agenda that is more personal than honorable.  The third group are the hustlers.  They’ve looked around and decided this is the best con-game in town.  These are the real clowns.  Their only goal is to attract attention.  To do that they must be louder, more offensive, more obnoxious, more controversial, more hatful, more ridiculous than anyone else in the room.  The biggest clown wins.

The biggest clown wins because we are all dumb and we decided we want entertainment, not a well governed country.  Send in the clowns!

Isn’t it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns

Isn’t it bliss?
Don’t you approve?
One who keeps tearing around
One who can’t move
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns

Just when I stopped
Opening doors
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines
None is there

Don’t you love a farce?
My fault, I fear
I thought that you’d want what I want
Sorry my dear
But where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns
Don’t bother
They’re here

Isn’t it rich?
Isn’t it queer?
Losing my timing this late
In my career
Where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year