Art, Tech and Venus + Uranus in Gemini
Venus, planet of beauty, connection, and resources, entered curious Gemini on the 4th. Uranus, lord of innovation, chaos, and rebellion, entered Gemini on July 7.
Uranus in Gemini has a swift electric current. It motivates inspired, intuitive thinking. With Venus, it embraces the unusual and paradoxical - and has fun with it.
Seshat, goddess of writing, Luxor temple
It’s been said that we live in a post-truth world. Even though we can vet a claim with a quick internet search, most often, people don’t bother to fact-check. Even when facts are presented, there is cognitive dissonance. Denial. Choosing to believe something else. Neptune’s journey in Aries (and soon, back into Pisces for a bit) will continue to place pressure on beliefs and their underlying motives.
Communication and technology are likely to undergo significant changes during these seven years of Uranus in Gemini.
Polarizations in society aren't anything new, but Gemini transits can have a way of exacerbating them.
Historically, Uranus in Gemini has coincided with numerous pivotal moments in the history of the United States, such as World War II and the Civil War.
I think it’s important to observe patterns while suspending any specific expectations. With Pluto in Aquarius trining Uranus in Gemini, there’s a lot of Air energy flowing. This could mean that the battles will be fought in tech, or merely in the minds of people - or both. Knowledge is power. So, those who control data and access to information have a great deal of power. Those who pull strings to shape public opinion through the media have power.
Of course, mainstream media has been struggling to maintain its supremacy, thanks to the internet allowing for independent voices to be heard. Everyone can have their own publication, channel, gallery, or album now… the old institutions are crumbling. But what takes shape in their wake?
Humankind has, for decades, been merging with technology, growing increasingly dependent on it to function day to day. I remember having to go to the library to do a research paper in high school. Now, I can access countless resources from my laptop. I can order just about any product to be delivered the same day. I can translate most languages and identify most songs with my phone.
Despite having memorized many phone numbers as a child, I now know almost no one’s telephone number because I store them all in my phone. I have 105 Substack drafts at the moment - I couldn’t name all of them off the top of my head… I have outsourced some of my memory to machines.
Cyborg consciousness is increasingly common in the world, but it’s been happening so gradually, few outside of Anthropology mention it. If we stop and think about how different daily existence is compared to 50 years ago, it begins to become more obvious.
Human nature lies in experimentation and the quest for more knowledge, so it seems a consequence of our nature to explore the possibilities with AI and emerging technologies.
Still, I don’t believe art benefits from this. Art is quintessentially human, something that differentiates us from the rest of the animal kingdom.
To create art is to engage with the universe as a co-creator in a way machines cannot.
Intuition, yearning, inspiration, grief, ecstasy, hope, rage, love - they all find an outlet in the arts. AI replicates, approximates, and refines what humans create.
I suppose using AI to refine something a person wrote, drew, or composed is a lot easier to digest than a completely AI-generated band or artist… it’s still “cyborg consciousness”, but at least it has humanity to it!
Gemini’s duality may play out socially in people splitting into two camps - people who use and consume AI art, and those who reject it.
-If we’re in a post-truth paradigm now, are we post-reality, too? Or will the definition of what is “real” simply evolve?
I do not have answers for the questions I pose, and I don’t think it’s necessary to have them. Observing and asking are valuable - critical thinking is valuable - and we must maintain these habits if we want to successfully navigate the world of deepfakes that’s coming…
Rather than respond to change and the unknown with fear, let’s embrace the happy-go-lucky spirit of Venus and Uranus in Gemini and enjoy the ride! It won’t be boring.
Gemini, Johfra Bosschart, 1974
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Tonight at 6pm CT, I will be going live with independent musician Sierra Swan — talking art, the cosmos, and existence in these strange times! It'll be a good time.
Sierra Swan
Hope you'll join us! 💜🌹