I got into an argument with AI the other day because I didn’t like a piece of art. Specifically, I didn’t like the art in the film Titanic. The drawings that the character “Jack” makes in Paris, and of course, the heroine “Rose”.
While even the names “Jack” and “Rose” seem to suggest some sort of Clive Cussler-esque plod-a-thon is on its way, let me please not get distracted by the whole premise and execution of Titanic. It’s a blockbuster doing blockbuster things; it’s the highest-grossing film of all time or something, but the art still really annoys me and I don’t have to like either the movie or the art. That’s my right.
In fact, the art got me so annoyed that I decided to ask the AIs why this was the case.
how bad is the drawing in titanic?
First up, google AI from my ecosia browser (which one is that again?) replied:
The drawing in Titanic, done by director James Cameron (whose left hand appears on screen), isn’t considered “bad” but rather simplistic and stylized, fitting Jack’s character as an observant but untrained artist rather than a master; fans debate its technical quality, but it serves its narrative purpose of showing Jack’s talent and deepening his connection with Rose. While some find it lacking realism or detail compared to professional art, others appreciate it as a realistic portrayal of a gifted amateur’s work.
Great. Thanks for mansplaining me on how I can or can’t appreciate art, you incessantly dull machine. Bouyed by that peppy response, I tried ChatGPT (model doesn’t matter, they are all idiots).
Short answer: it’s not bad at all—just a bit idealized and simple.
Longer, friend-to-friend take:
The drawing Jack makes of Rose in Titanic is actually perfectly believable for who Jack is and for what the scene needs. Technically, it’s competent: good proportions, confident line work, and a clear understanding of the human figure. That alone puts it well above “bad drawing.”
WRONG, MACHINE. YOU’RE FUCKING WRONG. And stop trying to befriend me. So, I tried Claude and again get slapped down.
The drawing scene in Titanic (1997) – where Jack sketches Rose – is actually pretty well-executed for what it needed to be! Here are a few things worth noting:
The actual drawing we see in the film was created by James Cameron himself, who’s apparently a decent sketch artist. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s quite competent – it has the loose, confident line quality you’d expect from someone who draws regularly and captures the pose and proportions reasonably well.
Is Cameron paying these people? Probably. Anyway, my point is, yes, the sketches are adequate. I do agree with the machine on that, but I don’t like them. I don’t like them because they are soulless sketches; they have no movement, no life. They are not good drawings. They are by someone who has no fucking soul for drawing.
Furthermore, the drawing has no “loose confident line” – it has, if anything, the deliberate and plodding feel of someone who has the technical ability to hold a pencil straight and the ability to turn real objects into 2d simulations of them, but that is exactly that. These are lifeless 2d approximations of whatever the guy is looking at.
Where AI Gets Everything Wrong
And fuck yeah, I do discriminate here. I don’t like all art; in fact, I like hardly any art. I do think that most writing is poor, boring, and predictable. And now we outsource our art creation and writing skills to AI, the more we lose touch with our ability to discriminate. Will we have to check with the AI every time we want to have a fucking opinion?
So what has got me really agitated is that the real problem here, as many a techie will say, is between chair and keyboard. The user will now start to believe these drecky opinions as they are confidently spouted to us. Now that we have AI deciding what is good for us, it drives the real discussion or opinion about art even further underground. It makes having an opinion an ELITE THING TO DO.
Since when is having an opinion an elite thing? It’s just an opinion. I am allowed. But perhaps this is the point: we are rapidly approaching the time when all non-standard opinions are seen as subversive.
The Opportunity For Those Who Are Still Alive
It’s easy to get swept along in the ongoing batshit crazy hype of the AI way. It’s easy to think that we can avoid it, sidestep, carry on as normal. Well, we can’t because it’s in your fucking face every single fucking day.
The good news, though, is that we can still make a choice. The last time I looked, we still had free will, and I can still decide whether I like something or not. So no, I’m afraid, James, your drawing sucks and no matter how much you pay the AI or the people who write the filth that the AI sucks in.
Because the process that builds an LLM, a current AI, trains itself to be a people pleaser based on previous results. It defines the mean, and any answers it gives will regress toward it. For us humans, this is an opportunity. It means I can test its answers on things I don’t like, and I can feel fucking justified in hating the things it loves. Because I love being different. Who doesn’t?
But let’s not get sidetracked into “what I learnt from hating James Cameron’s Art” territory here. Let’s be clear. You have a choice. Exercise it daily or risk losing it. Have an opinion without fear before that right is taken away from you, too.
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