The utility of taste
I was on a call with a client recently and found myself saying that the human desire to listen to Homer recite The Odyssey is timeless. Even when AI voices become as good as today’s best voice actors, listening to the best in the world tell stories is always going to be worthwhile. Or as Pixar animator Bobby Podesta said to me recently: “Storytelling is a method of value exchange.”
Today's essay is about taste, an increasingly important skill in our noisy world.
I've raved before about Ezra Klein's new book, Abundance. But I haven't heard Ezra talk about his craft of writing before listening to a recent interview on the How I Write Podcast. The conversation covered the state of media and the role of AI, but the most interesting topic was the role of an editor. According to Ezra, a good editor is not somebody who makes sure that spelling and sentence structure are correct, but somebody who has taste. Taste, he says, is one of the most valuable skills – in writing and beyond.
I was reminded of a short blog post I read by up-and-coming author Billy Oppenheimer. Before he was a writer, Billy was a ski bum who supported his lifestyle by working part-time as a barista. And he argues that taste – understanding what customers want to drink, how they prefer their lattes, and providing exceptional service – is something that AI can’t replace, even if it does replace his writing career.
I developed taste growing up around my mother’s artwork. From the age of four, she would show me her work, ask for my opinion, and listen carefully to my feedback. I’ve never met a professional artist more open to feedback.
The aesthetic sense I developed as a kid has been a driving force behind my work at Zander Media. I’ve never struggled with a brand direction or critiquing our videos.
In an AI-enabled world, discernment is increasingly important. Creating work that moves people is a valuable skill. Taste is never going away.
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3 things I’ve loved this week
Video I’m revisiting
The Gap by Ira Glass
Whenever I doubt my creative endeavors, I return to this short video featuring Ira Glass. He reminds us that when we’re starting out, there’s a significant gap between our ability and our taste. For many of us, our aesthetic sensibility is what inspired us to create in the first place. The way to bridge that gap is simply to do the work.
Interview I’m listening to
Ezra Klein on How I Write
I’ve mentioned Ezra Klein’s Abundance before – he argues for a world in which the American libel left begins to build. Recently, on the How I Write Podcast, I heard him discuss the craft of writing for the first time. It’s a podcast I revisit regularly to hear how authors I admire approach their work.
Article I’m reading
Cup of Coffee Theory of AI
Billy Oppenheimer is bestselling author Ryan Holiday’s research assistant and publishes the weekly newsletter “Six at 6 on Sunday.” His first book is due next year. Before all that, he funded his lifestyle as a ski bum by working part-time as a barista. This article articulates his thesis on AI, which I find reassuring.
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