Joining the Sunday Post, hosted by The Caffeinated Reviewer.
I’m not sure what I’m more sick of: people touting the benefits of AI, people bemoaning the harm of AI (either on our environment, mental health, economy, job opportunities, creativity, you name it), or people sharing how to spot AI. If AI had a PR agent, I’d say the PR pro was doing a fantastic job. We can’t stop talking about that very thing we loathe (or love, depending on what camp you fall into).
Truth is, I’m not a fan of AI, even though I am called to use it for my day job. I could go on about why I am not a fan and the potential harm it could do to us as individuals and to our society, but…I don’t want to waste more time on AI than I have to.
So lately, as tired as I’ve been of seeing all that buzz about AI (for or against), I’ve decided to move in the direction of rediscovering my love of words again. Not just storytelling and books, but words in general. AI has become like the wholesale club of words, generating them in bulk and destroying their value.
I liked it when words felt like shopping in a local farmer’s market, when you could find a few delicious choices that you’ve never seen before.
So, I’ve been going down the farmer’s market route of word hunting lately. I browsed Libby for some new reading options. I typically read mystery books. Yet, I wanted to venture out. Here’s what I have been reading lately:
Absurd Words: In case you are wondering, yes, this is specifically intended for kids. But I’m enjoying it nonetheless. It’s a charming review of new words, their definitions, and origins.
Setting a Place for Us: I just started this one, but it’s a feature of recipes from people who have experienced displacement. It’s rich in detail and has already exposed me to some new words (and foods!).
Well-Spoken Thesaurus: I love this book so far. The writer is teaching various writing methods used by famous authors. I’ve already taken the advice to apply to a story I’m working on.
MEG & Shipwrecked!: These two books were inspired by me watching the movie Sphere last night. I realized I haven’t read many underwater/deep-sea-type books in my life. So we’ll see how these go.
I’m also planning on doing more handwriting of stories and journaling. I think that’s another way of minimizing the harm of AI. This, alongside my regular Bible reading (most important of all). I’m in Job right now, and this book of the Bible is a fantastic reminder to me to trust God despite circumstances and to bring everything to God, including my upsets and struggles.
Remember, there’s a whole world of words out there that AI hasn’t written. Happy reading and writing everyone.
