> CD #93: Your stuff is actually worse now

The minute I read this Vox article about how consumer products have gotten worse over time, I knew I wanted to write about it. As I’ve told you before, our house burned down in 2012. As a result, almost everything we own is around 10 years old or less, and it’s been distressing to see firsthand just how quickly things fall apart. House-wise, we’ve already had to repair or replace numerous appliances and electronics, including our dishwasher, fridge, microwave, vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, and water heater.

And because most of my clothes are basically from one store, I have seen a decline in clothing quality as well. Fabrics feel different now—even natural materials like silk and cashmere. And while the wool-blend pants I bought 10 years ago are still being sold under the same “name” (side note: should I write about clothing names??), the current version contains more synthetic fibres and are no longer lined.

As the Vox article says, all our stuff is actually worse now, despite the shiny promises of capitalism. Because of the shiny promises of capitalism.

False promises are why I look at the rise of generative AI with a lot of skepticism. Not only because AI art generators steal from artists and ChatGPT will probably take my day job, but also because I think the stuff it makes will be bad.

It won’t be glaringly bad, of course, as you can see from the following experiment I did this morning in Asterix, which can turn a bulleted list into a fairly competent paragraph:

It’s not terrible writing. And you can add another paragraph instantly just by clicking “Continue.”

I’m a little disturbed at how quickly it moves into giving specific examples that are obviously made up (or, more accurately, synthesized from the internet). What are bedding accessories??

But still, not bad on the surface. And actually sort of impressive when you try the filters that let you switch the voice and tone instantly. Here’s the same text in “Gen X,” lol.

Or my personal favourite, the “Doge” filter, which is pretty much the voice inside my head.

Ultimately, I can see generative AI taking away my day job because copywriting is not necessarily about good writing, but I don’t think it can replace what I do with Closet Dispatch. The words feel empty—or, perhaps more aptly, full of synthetic fibres—and the writing does not speak to anyone who cares about craft, or creativity, or nuance, or surprise, or meaning.

What I do here has never been about efficiency of production. And, to my readers, I hope it doesn’t feel like I’m just filling your inboxes with more cheap words to consume every week. Please know I’m not here to “grow my platform” or gain “followers.” I don’t wish to be a writing machine, putting out “content” just so I can keep putting out more content.

All I hope with this newsletter (and my writing in general) is to tell you what life feels like for me—how simultaneously wonderful and devastating it is to be a person in the world—in a way that invites you to consider more deeply your own life, your own humanity.

Also, I like drawing clothes.

And generating a drawing through AI is… not the same.

“A gouache illustration of Aritzia’s Dexter Wool Pants done in a rough but realistic style.”

While I am much too self-aware to promise you consistently high-quality writing and art, I can assure you this: My work will always be 100% human, for better or for worse.

:) Teresa

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ps. What is happening even?? Closet Dispatch is a free, limited-run weekly newsletter by Teresa Wong.