Everything is a Remix (2023 Edition)

The concept of remixing involves copying, transforming, and combining existing materials to produce something new. Remixing is present everywhere, from music to memes to computer programming. The evolution of remixing in music began with DJs looping favorite parts of songs and evolved to using old bits of music in new music, known as sampling. Sampling became a core element of music, and remixing is now common even when artists are not remixing. Remixing did not start with hip-hop but goes back to earlier musicians like Led Zeppelin.

The concept of memes is very interesting and how they relate to culture. Memes remix everything people do and share with the world, such as gestures, dances, emojis, clothes, phrases, clickbait, thumbnails, etc. There's also the prevalence of sequels, remakes, and adaptations in popular films. The superhero genre is currently the most dominant, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe being the highest-grossing franchise in cinema history. Superhero films are similar to other popular films in that they follow the hero's journey or the mono myth, which is a series of common plot points found in myths.

Creativity is not magic, but a combination of copying, transforming, and combining existing materials. Copying is the foundation of creativity and learning, and it is necessary to be fluent in the language of the domain before introducing anything new. Transforming an idea by creating variations can eventually produce a breakthrough. The most massive breakthroughs that change the world rely on combining the elements that were copied or transformed.

Video games are an excellent example of copy, transform, and combine. Many video games copy from video games themselves, but they can also copy from other sources. For example Fortnite, a free-to-play Battle Royale game, began as a mod for a military simulator called ARMA 2.

It is possible that artificial intelligence (AI) will surpass human intelligence. There are different predictions being made by experts, ranging from AGI being reached in the near future to it being impossible. Machines are now able to create text, music, images and videos, leading to concerns about creativity being lost. However, the author argues that this is not a new phenomenon and AI can also bring about increased productivity and fresh growth.

AI has a potential to create either a utopia or dystopia, but AI cannot replace human creativity as it lacks the awareness and understanding of human experiences that form the essence of art. Human creativity and the collective genius of humanity are very important in shaping the future, and we need to embrace the possibilities of AI while working to make the future better than the past.