Someone please tell me what the difference is between this sentiment and "I'll get an AI-generated PFP because it's cheaper". As far as I'm concerned either way it's " expensive traditional art" vs "mass-manufactured knockoff".

Do people have no respect for jewelers or not understand the work that goes into a good timepiece? Or is it that art is contempt-worthy when is used as a status symbol (in which case what about a $500 timepiece?)

[–] CaptainBasculin@lemmy.ml 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (5 children)

This sentiment is more of "I want a 30.000$ NFT pfp even though good artists can go way cheaper for art commissions.". Equivilent of an AI generated PFPs in watches are those 10$ watches you see some street vendor is selling. They could look appealing for those without a clock and want to try one, but for someone that wants a quality watch, they lack quality.

There exists good quality watches for 100-500$ range that'll never die on you, and can last multiple next generations after you. Hell, even cheaper if you don't care that much about aesthetics. It's dumb af to drop above 4 digit numbers on a watch where you're not getting any reasonable difference from any perspective whatsoever. Similar thing goes with PFPs.

[–] azertyfun@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 7 months ago

If all you care about is functionality, a $50 casio with a resin casing will have more complications than most expensive watches, be hundreds of times more precise, will last you decades and you will spend less time and money in maintenance over your lifetime than you would for one revision of a mechanical watch. They're practically superior in literally every way to a $30,000 watch.

But that's not my point, I'm specifically talking about art. $200+ watches are art for its own sake, arguing on the basis of quality/reliability is nonsensical. The only things that matter is esthetics and even more importantly for mechanical watches, the appreciation for the incredible history and intricacy of a well-built movement. There is a lot of craftsmanship to be appreciated there.

And it's fine if you don't care or can't justify the expense (I don't own a mechanical watch myself though I probably will at some point), but the original meme completely disregards the artistry and craftsmanship going into expensive watches and I am trying to expose the glaring cognitive dissonance of the consensus that "quartz watches better" but "AI PFP evil". Both are responsible for the collapse of an industry, so if you think there is a meaningful moral difference there please tell me.

Here's my take: the mechanical watch industry already collapsed, and the "small commission PFP art" hasn't fully yet. We should preserve as much of these artists' livelihoods as we can to soften the blow until a new equilibrium is reached where – just like with mechanical watches – only those with a real appreciation for art or a want for a status symbol will commission a real artist for their PFP. But that's a very different discourse from what I hear which is typically "AI PFP poopoo evil, if you get one you're worse than Hitler".

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