Artificially intelligent.

Sat 23rd Nov 2024

Staring yet again at a screen, avoiding most social interaction in the pursuit of knowledge, attempting a reshaping of the inner workings of my mind.
I ebb and flow between states of dreaming and focus. The real battle between good and evil.

I dream of having 48 hour days, 24 hours for myself and 24 hours for the world.

Recent readings include The Cosmic Puppets, by no means the best book in the world - it mostly has the ending to blame for that - but it managed to open up a gateway into another world. I quickly inhaled this short novel within two days. Phillip K. Dick never disappoints.

They my current selection seems relevant in these times. Although I guess someone is always trying to kill off aspects of this world they don’t agree with or understand.

I have barely taken a photo since.. I am unsure when. My musical well has all but dried up, Shrivelled in the screen glow of my University studies.
Closure is ever so close - 5 years - Yet I contemplate Honours? I shouldn’t.

I want to do it all and will try my hardest.
If only I had 48 hours in a day.

• https://cheatsheets.zip (if you want to learn some shortcuts because you are lazy like me)

bye 👋🏻 - Tj

A world under fire.

War is not the answer. History has shown time and time again that the costs of war are immeasurable. Whether in terms of loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, or economic repercussions, the toll of conflict on society is profound. War leaves a trail of devastation in its wake, breeding resentment, perpetuating cycles of violence, and sowing seeds of discord that can last for generations. Rather than resolving disputes, war often deepens existing divides and creates new grievances. Diplomacy, dialogue, and compromise offer a more sustainable path toward peace and prosperity, fostering understanding and reconciliation in place of enmity and destruction. Choosing the path of peace requires courage, patience, and a willingness to seek common ground, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the fleeting gains of war.

The above paragraph wasn’t written by me, it was AI generated obviously, which poses the question, are you ready and aware of its true influence?

We have lived with disinformation for a long time, however the playing field is changing rapidly.

I just watched 20 days in Mariupol, which added to my already overloaded brain, trying to piece together where things went so wrong with the world? And how could this be happening to people in the 2020’s? An eye opening firsthand account recorded by Mstyslav Chernov
& Evgeniy Maloletka of their experience documenting the stories of those trapped during the horrific invasion of the city of Mariupol and its human death toll.

It’s a poignant film that will not help you feel ok about where the world is heading. But I think we shouldn’t feel ok at a time like this, sitting in the comfort of our homes on the other-side of the world. One point the film made well was that we need to be wary, not just of the toll war takes on people, but of disinformation.

Through out the documentary the invaders chose to discredit, twist and manipulate the narrative. Calling the video footage fake news etc. It troubles me that even well documented firsthand accounts, actual proof, that show events happening to people in a real world scenario, can be flat out denied and written off as fake. This film really puts the nail in the coffin of anyone trying to dispute its authenticity. It is an outlier though.

This ever evolving landscape, as global powers struggle over the balance of power, has turned the worlds ship directly into the most dangerous storm we have ever faced. The new cold war.

I have been following the ways in which social manipulation has been playing out over the internet for the past few years, and cant help but wonder where this is taking us. Q into the storm is another great documentary. Showcasing just how odd and powerful these new forms of manipulation can be, and the potential they have to sway countries views and beliefs.

That being said, We are about to soon be engulfed (even more then we are now), into a world of over saturated AI generated content. That is near indistinguishable from reality to the untrained eye. The use cases for AI will be endless. Images, Video content, Documentation and Advertising are just some of the ways it is already being utilized. Most people aren’t even aware of what’s happening, and the vast majority of people wont be ready for what comes next. This tooling wont take over on its own, Sorry no Terminator type scenarios yet. But in the hands of bad actors the effects will be disastrous, and likely felt simultaneously across the world.

We are all hard wired in to this new Matrix whether we like it or not. My main concern here is that it will sow the seeds doubt in near everything. When the AI becomes unrecognizable, how do we differentiate what is real and what isn’t? That will be for the world to decide.

Being counterintuitive may be a way the way forward. A ship, unlike a car, steers its rudder in the opposite direction to go the way it wants to go, when left is right and right is left we may find a new way to be. A form of humanity we have started to grow accustom to in the world of fast paced meme culture, it may just allow us to differentiate ourselves from all the lifeless AI drivel bombarding our day to day.

Here is my shameless plug, some non AI bullshit, A man in a car with a camera taking photos of buildings.

Stop making sense.

Life has a funny way of giving you what you need at the right times.



1. Stop making sense - Jonathan Demme, a screening at Imax cinema 10.30am 24th of Sep, I was late but didn’t miss a thing. Soy in my coffee with a bottle of water. An ample title for a band so grand in concept.



I whittled away the hours in-between film stubs prowling the city looking for moments into lives I do not live. The city provided what I was looking for. Escaping my duties of study and the like. Note to self, Southbank is a cesspool of civilisation.

2. Nam june paik : moon is the oldest tv - Amanda Kim, an afternoon screening at ACMI, considerably empty cinema, Oat in my coffee and a glass bottle of water.



I walked out of both sessions inspired in different ways, the first instantly reinforced the fact that being an odd ball is ok, curating it is better. The second cemented in my mind that pursuing this is my only option, I have been chasing art for years never truly grasping my medium in my mind. The veil has been pulled aside, I walked toward the exit, an older lady to my left, also heading toward the door. 
We both came to an abrupt halt as the door did not open for us. I laughed and said something witty that has since slipped my mind, she laughed, we left via the side door.
There was a warmth as I walked out of the afternoon screening into federation square, my mind was racing.

I feel the energy inside me has a channel. Look insane who gives a fuck. 
Record everything, create a purpose for these things. Document the world in my own way, create something new if I can. 
If I cannot, I tried.



Aleisha 8am, drop off, gastroenterologist appointment. 

I was brewing an idea already, recording my breakfast, documenting it, wearing a suit, suits give you credibility, credibility in a world forever divorced from reality. I hate suits. 
Intense light, dial in 88%, 3 cameras different angles, a grey curtain, a pedestal, a radio and a bible, 2 litres of sprite replaced with water and two slices of left over pizza from last night. Cold.

What I created resembles double vision auditory nightmare scene from 66 scenes from america - Jorgen Leth, which was unbeknownst to me at the time, my algorithm fed me that later that afternoon.
 I was merely creating an art work as a nod to Nam June Paik and David Byrne. An assortment of loose concepts interwoven. The idea has meaning in the sense of the world of internet culture. Loneliness and anxiety fed by the hyper capitalistic world of today. A Mukbang if you will, for a world forever consuming, food and content all tangled into one. Ive always had an issue with my weight and appearance, In doing this I immortalize that pain and stress. Release it in a way. Forever connected but alone, Tuning into pockets of life but not really experiencing, always hungry for it, but what is it?

The bible? Meaning in life? Sure that’s it. Gone are the days of saying grace for most. But if you have forgotten how do not fret, because the internet has you covered. The internet changed the world and where you can look for meaning, just like Jesus did.

Did either of them fix anything? Not that I can tell yet.
Am i having some kind of delusion of grandeur, that my art will culminate into something one day? I want this work to be projected somewhere. Ill start with my lounge room and work on a gallery exhibit. Bring about a new form of spiritualism for myself. Maybe the end goal is to find a community of like minded internet weirdos. I will continue to create this organized chaos to ease my mind. Bringing about a zen like state as I battle against time. Time to create things I care about vs time spent doing life's chores. My true enemy, Menial tasks, Working etc. My true purpose is and always will be creating.

There was more but as always my mind is fleeting and if I do not write thoughts down at the time. Then the sink hole somewhere in the middle of my brain sucks the thoughts right out of my head. Possibly regurgitated at a later date, I may remember more some time next June. But that is for the world to decide.

Sincerely yours,

T. James

Seven.

7 weeks in Japan completing an internship.
Its a long time to go without vegemite.

Culture shock hits everyone differently i suppose. I felt like i managed under the circumstances. At times i was definitely challenged and felt deflated by it all, the pressure was intense, but in retrospect having had an opportunity to be faced with complexity and a severe language barrier i managed to complete the internship.
My true take away was a cultural one, Ill never forget this time. I made some friends along the way, Japanese and Australian. It opened my eyes to the things i take for granted.

There were one too many beers and cigarettes. A strange adventure with an army soldier. A sobering hike and a moment of bliss at dawn on a beach.

大丈夫 です

Six.

ZERO SUGAR.

I started writing this in May and have no memory of what the zero sugar is in reference to. It does now seem more relevant now than then, as i wait on results as to the state of my pancreas.

Werner Herzog at 14 had a hard and fast experience that has guided him until this day.
Living in a house collecting water from a well, at the time living in Munich where he had an epiphanic moment which led to a life devoted to film.

As i prepare for an internship in the land of the rising sun, i am finding myself pondering what the big picture is in my life. I had been weaving a somewhat unguided ship through dangerous waters for the better part of my twenties. I had a bad attitude and tried to lead a party boy lifestyle that became apart of my outward personality. Which also lends itself to me coming off nonchalant and jokey to people about life and my university studies now. This is something i am picking apart day by day. But will never fully shake.

A slacker i am, but a very curious one too. I want to see how far i can push this rock.

Cyber crime, computers and space. I find myself looking back two, three even four years prior and wondering how i got here. Something changed in me. One of many epiphanies in my life, One that beamed a light toward what guides me, i was forced to ponder and shown that if I continued on the path of doing nothing, I would die. Not physically but mentally.

Damaged goods

I have been running in every direction since, still unsure exactly where i am going, but I’m going that’s for sure.

Stay tuned for my notes on living in japan, Again i wrote this in May so have since completed the internship.

Five.

“Come on man, The little guys with the big eyes”

The more i delve into photography the more i find meaning in things. The bigger picture that is often written about. A phrase i had never truly understood and was maybe rebelling against, i spent my twenties chasing a good time, trying to enjoy what time i had, living a fast paced life that leaned towards inevitable burnout. When you stop enjoying what life brings you that mentality becomes redundant.

Flash forward, mid pandemic i start taking photography seriously, it became my tool to document life. I have found a way to enrich my being with new perspective. For me an addiction that brings me toward people and experiences in a more meaningful and thoughtful way.
The knowledge that a split second moment is always showing itself to us before dissipating never to be seen again and that i can eternalize it in some form, as long as i am being conscious and aware, brings a true form of happiness i’ve never had before.

It is easy to forget this because it is a regular occurrence in our everyday lives. I guess this is what i was touching on in my last post about being present. Ive always had a problem with religion and never quiet found the right spiritualism to suit my style, but i do love when strange things materialize before me, it has allowed me to see beauty in this bizarre mind boggling world.

It may not be for everyone, but it seems that those around me have all been looking for ways of slowing down amongst the constant barrage of life the world has been throwing at us, photography has become my form of meditation.
Sappy crap, cherish the moment, blah blah.

Also Nope should’ve been nominated for an Oscar.
Avatar 2 - The way of old Hollywood.. really?

Four.

Swimming in a sea of plastic and peppers.

This post was initially written sometime in September. I’m unsure why i wasn’t ready to share it. Short and sweet, straight to the point.

It’s not usually until it’s too late that people realise they had a good thing.

Good things can vary from relationships to objects, Relationships such as the comfort of family life or the intimacy of strong friendships. Objects like a favorite tool you rely heavily on, or the vehicle/transport you take regularly.

We are presented with opportunities everyday to take note of these small blessings, next time you pick up your favorite thing, or have coffee with a friend, be present and appreciate the moment.

Oh I’ve also been working on some more Youtube content.

Three.

The end of it all. Our Crisis era. A well spring of uncomfortable feelings. The bone chilling reality.

As we ride through the current upheaval of the planet I can’t help but wonder what this mixture of events is leading us to. The Misinformation bandits gestating on their half baked ideas of freedom. Politicians greedily stuffing their pockets full of gold, mouths full of cake & minds full of unholy fallacies. Instead of leading nations by holding the reins & steering us away from disaster. Illness appearing from the shadows, it’s ghoulish gaunt appearance leaving an unsavoury taste in everyone’s mouth. The Mercury continues to rise, leading to further devastation around the globe, loss of habitat & life not just for animals but humans too. War horses seemingly starting to march in all directions, eyes ablaze with fire, leaving hellish landscapes and muddy bloodied footprints in our minds. Feelings of being oversaturated, overextended & overstimulated can be seen all around.

Continue we all do to feed the machine. En masse buying, doom scrolling, uploading, draining, consuming.

Things have always been bleak.

Not much has changed on that front. Dark growth periods in which the worlds cyclical nature tends to ebb & flow will continue on their course. The light speed ways in which we consume the world’s oddities will get faster and faster adding to the pressure of it all.

The coming spearhead may drive into the chest of society & stick hard, Or slice straight through & glide out the other side.

All is not lost, as things seemingly descend into entropy, it’s easy to forget that it is within the universes nature for order to flow back into things. Glimmers of hope can be few and far between in such times, but maybe not as far as some may believe. Leaning on a book in order to escape this world momentarily can suffice. Leaning into creative pursuits can carry unfathomable weights. Creating a routine or reshaping an old one can give new meaning to life. Sharing with those around will shape them and yourself as you come out the other side of it all. Sometimes just taking a quiet moment to reflect can put things into perspective.

Take a deep breath, hold it momentarily & breathe out.

Two.

It can be hard to fathom that our bodies the strange blobs they are, are just a combination of 3 particles repeated millions of times. Groups of Quarks making up Protons and Neutrons, that then dance with Electrons and create us.

We are all just little wobbling particles, tiny vibrations. Vibes.

According to The Standard Model, matter at a fundamental level isn’t really made up of solid “particles” per se but instead made up of “fields” or a collection of fluid like objects vibing together that spread through out all of space to the edge of existence.

Its strange to think of our bodies in this way, the solid thing we feel every day, living day to day in our own realities, our senses, feeling things physically and emotionally. Our minds creating reactionary thoughts to all these vibrations.

On a side note i am planning on getting a slacker tattoo, dont judge me, “a young person (especially in the 1990s) of a subculture characterized by apathy and aimlessness” which sums up most of my 20’s, highly recommend watching the Richard Linklater film if you haven’t seen it.

“Every thought you have creates its own reality”.

I often think about this and wonder if déjà vu is a glimpse into another reality, for a micro second your brain showing you a flash of a diversion from the path you are currently taking. Almost some kind of brain speculative execution (the computer optimization technique) in which it runs a reality that may not be needed. At all times a multitude of path ways running in parallel to your very own but never being brought to action unless utterly necessary. It may be some kind of quantum entanglement criss-crossing the particles between events here and far, clashing in our brains and leaving traces of alternative lives being lived. Spooky action at a distance. Or it could just all be brain farts?

I enjoy my vibrations, the matter making up my body and mind, stay positive y’all, do some om chants, get your vibrations in sync, try to vibe out with other humans in this giant world.

Until next time amoebas.

One.

Everything begins with an idea, I imagine the first microbes that eventually went on to morph into us and everything else had tiny ideas, wiggling through their long and arduous journeys into each stage of evolution, tiny ideas to be something better, maybe just more exciting or even a little different.

Ive decided to follow suit by creating this space to post ideas that work along side or feed into my artistic & photographic works, and help me work out what life is really all about.
Join me on my journey we can create a little cult of Chaos?
No no, just follow along if you want, no cults thanks, I have no current plans to become some great messiah and dont really like the idea of world domination, that sounds incredibly time consuming and doesn’t fit into my slacker aesthetic.

Its currently 7:03am on a Friday, my “slacker aesthetic” means i probably shouldn’t be awake for another 6 hours, but this dark overcast morning is a vibe, i will vote today to avoid the rush tomorrow.
The weather is clearing up hoping its a sign of whats to come.
Its probably not too hard to guess who i am voting for even if you don’t know seeing as I live in the northern suburbs and do creative things. #throwthelibnatsinthebin
On a more palatable note Post Ghost finally released an EP! Its linked here for your sonic pleasure. Send me a message tell me your thoughts?
The cover art was a creation of mine. I wasn’t planning on using this work for this specific purpose, however with a little convincing from the band i was swayed.
An artwork from 2020, that encapsulates a lot of the feelings we were all having at the time. Ideas on canvas about the absolute dystopia life is sometimes.
The EP felt like a long time coming because of the unwanted two year hiatus, the final results were better then i was expecting.
There is more music on the horizon. Also more photos.
And a mountain more ideas to work through, materialize and show to the world.

Until next time,
Stay safe fellow amoebas.

Photo credit - Aleisha Earp - 2022 Tote Show.