GenAI Is Our Polyester

Summary

The best way to understand generative AI art and aesthetics is to consider how previous "synthetics" lost value in the long-runFor the first half of the 20th century, white-collar workers wore business shirts made from cotton or linen that wrinkled in the wash. Ironing them into a presentable shape required hours of labor each week, or required the time and money to continuously drop them off and pick them up at the dry cleaners.Science swept in to solve this problem: Chemical conglomerate DuPont learned from experimental research that mixing carboxylic acid and alcohol produced “polyester” fibers that could be used in textile production. Polyester was much stronger and more durable than cotton, especially when double-knit. DuPont then developed their own polyester called Ducron, which felt similar to a natural fiber — but did not wrinkle. A polyester garment could be worn for 68 days straight without needing to be ironed.From the 1950s onward, DuPont advertised polyester as an efficient solution to reduce household labor. In 1953, fabled American clothier Brooks Brothers introduced "no-iron" / "wash-and-wear" Brooksweave polyester-cotton blend shirts. By the 1970s, however, polyester was everywhere and made by everyone. In particular, no-name industrial manufacturers pumped out shiny polyester garments with vibrant psychedelic patterns — and the much maligned double-knit polyester “leisure suits."Everyone knows happened next: There was a massive cultural backlash against polyester, which led to the triumphant revaluation of natural fibers such as cotton and linen. The stigma against polyester persists even now. The backlash is often explained as a rejection of its weaknesses as a fiber: polyester's poor aeration makes it feel sticky. But there was also a massive aesthetic backlash to polyester, and this can't be separated from the fabric's social position. From the 1980s, cotton growers ran a massive advertising campaign to raise its profile among wealthy Americans...