The new status symbol?
is not what you think
The new status symbol?
Typos.
In a world filled with AI generated content, outreach, etcetera — I think typos will be the last remaining sprinkle of proof that something was made by a real human.
So I’m not edting anything I write anymore.
From now on, when I post and it looks like it was written by a drunken sailor, at least you’ll know it was truly from you’re’s truly 😊
I like to tell myself I’ve shared much more profound insights than this. Like I’m some sort of pseudo-intellectual. But this silly little shower thought went semi-viral.
So let’s flesh it out…
A couple weeks ago, I was over-caffeinated, furiously firing off work emails to loads of unsuspecting victims prospects trying to convince them that they were idiots for not already being a client of mine (in the most polite way possible).
**Yes, I’m a lowly tech bro just trying to sell some SaaS. Not proud of it, but we all gotta eat, right?**
All of a sudden, I realized I made a rookie mistake by accidentally misspelling one of their names right after clicking send.
Shit!
I couldn’t let this blunder continue to exist uncorrected in her inbox. So I immediately sent a follow up note, “Sorry (correct spelling of her name*). At least you know this wasn’t written by AI.”
To my surprise, she replied.
“Haha good one.”
Nothing more. She completely ignored the actual purpose of my email. But hey, at least she responded. And it got a laugh. I’ll take it!
Have you ever gotten irrationally infuriated when you caught a typo, however minuscule, in a book? So much so that you often find yourself throwing the book down in disgust?
It used to happen to me all the time.
How could I trust anything this author was rambling on about when they didn’t even know the difference between your and you’re?
Were they stupid? Lazy? Careless? Or a nasty combination of the three?
But I’ve done a complete 180.
Now I’m not sure if I can trust any typo-free writing thanks to AI.
The cynic in me can’t help but wonder, “Did a human really write this? Or was it just written by insert-hot-AI-tool-of-the-day?”
Strange times, no doubt.
An occasional typo is the new sign of authenticity.
But then I wondered if this is really new?
After giving myself a round of pats on the back for coming up with this, a little research showed that this wasn’t new at all. Far from it.
The art of imperfection has been around as long as art itself. And it’s not limited to the writing craft.
So I got curious and asked, “what are the typo-equivalents in other art forms?”
Tons of artists from all kinds of cultures and periods have purposely added imperfections to their art.
A few of my favorites:
Auguste Rodin: After his sculpture "The Age of Bronze" was accused of being a cast from a live model, Rodin began to include imperfections such as cracks, streaks, handprints, and fingerprints in his work. This was his way of proving that the sculptures were made by his own hands and not by mechanical means.
Amish quilters: add imperfections to their quilts as a symbol of humility before the perfection of God, reflecting a spiritual and cultural belief in the imperfection of human creation.
Persian rugs: “Persian flaw” refers to a common characteristic found in many handmade Persian rugs. It’s an imperfect design element that was intentionally added by the weaver. And it’s even considered a desirable feature — a mark of authenticity and quality. It adds character and charm to the rug and makes each one unique.
All subtle reminders that we don’t love art despite its imperfections, but rather, because of them.
I was wrong.
Errors in art have always been a status symbol. They infuse it with some soul.
It still irks me when I see those dreaded red squiggly lines of death under my misspelled words. But I’m resisting the urge to correct them all.
Because, at least for now, you can be confident that it was written by a real human, a lot like you.
Unfortunately, I fear this won’t remain the case for long.
I’m sure the AI nerds have already caught on to this and are rapidly reprogramming their algorithms as I write these words. Purposely including a few mistakes here and there to better mimic authentic human creation.
God help us.
PS — I lied. I still edited the shit out of this. You would’ve been horrified to see the original version. So you’re welcome.
Your thoughts? Comments? Complaints? Please leave a reply below.
This is well written. I believe the concerns of AI in writing are largely overstated because I don't see the typos, or lack thereof, as analogous to artistic imperfections, unless the art in itself is spelling everything correctly. To me, the content of the writing is what makes it art and I don't think AI has reached, nor will reach, a place of true artistic parity with humans. Therefore, I still believe the typos ought to be corrected as the typed words are merely a framework for conveying the intended meaning. Framed in this way, I don't think typos make writing more obviously human except insofar as such an error might indicate the final draft wasn't proofed by way a perfect system (and it is probably worth mentioning ChatGPT does not catch every little error when I enlist it as a proofreading aid).
I think our concerns around AI in writing are born of a threat within the marketplace rather than a genuine worry over the authenticity of ideas. After all, AI does not possess ideas that weren't ours first, nor do all human writers have the expressive ability that can justify their work being considered art. So in the end, though there may be the occasional convincing simulacrum, I believe truly human expression will be a more prominent flame in the vastness of written words than that of our greatest imitators, drawing near those of us to whom the words are truly speaking.
You forgot the ancient Japanese art of Kinsugi, wherein cracks in pottery were filled with gold.
Oh--and I know the "you're's" was purposeful, but was this one: "edting?" lol