An ever increasing requirement for data driven, scientific, ‘factual’ answers threatens subjectivity. 

Why might that be important?

Because we are humans, and humans are flawed, unique and beautiful. 

The human story has many characters, and they are all different. Sure they will share common traits like lust, desire, love and hunger, but they are fundamentally different. 

How would you start to measure such traits? Why would you want to? Intuition, wonder, and instinct are human. A bird builds a nest, not because it was shown. It’s instinctive for its survival.

Malcolm Gladwell covers instinct in his book Blink. He talks about instinct (or intuition) as a blend of deep experience and unconscious pattern recognition. It’s not just a gut feeling. It is the brain processing tons of tiny cues based on our awareness. Ok, so that is less subjective, but it’s formed by a human brain. Based on first-hand experience. 

We need opinions alongside facts. Because opinions are new and drive original actions. That reminds me. I got called a plagiarist today. His words, not mine!

In Art and Fashion, sure they borrow from the past, but subjective ideas are what make things desirable and unique. Beauty is, and will remain subjective. In my experience people’s physical flaws are often what attracts me to them. Despite what the Kardashians do or think, beauty is real and it is both flawed and subjective, and we must protect it. 

I sent ChatGPT a picture of me and asked it to describe me today. Whilst it did get many things right about my “handsome and charismatic look”, and my “strong beard game, balancing your face nicely”, the absence of experience lead it down a dead end.

It went on to say that I had a “relaxed grin” (it’s a grimace), “suggesting warmth and friendliness” (half right) and that I am “approachable” (flat out false). If you spoke to be for 10 mins you would know that to be a stretch. 

So subjectively, we need to be less objective about things that need to remain subjective. Make sense?

It does in my opinion…