I recently came across a tweet that said, “Many people refer to the Deftones as a ‘nu metal’ band. Those people are wrong.” I can think of a time in my life in the not-distant past when this would cause me to nod and say, “Here, here, the Deftones are so much better than nu-metal.” But today, this kind of thing immediately irritates me.
This statement made me think about the elitism embedded in our discussions about music and creativity. It’s been something I’ve been thinking about a lot the last two years, and similar statements I’ve seen were in many ways the inspiration for my new documentary, Plato is a Bitch: AI and Bomberguy (which premieres at 4pm EST today).
The documentary explores the elitist ideas of Plato and how they manifest in contemporary discussions about artificial intelligence and creativity. One of the key points I make is that the notions of “originality” and “authenticity” are often used as tools to gatekeep and maintain power structures, much like the way we gatekeep in music by labeling some genres as more “authentic” or “real” than others.
For me, this has manifested in the idea of “pop punk vs. real punk” before (hello). This is a form of elitism that mirrors the Platonic disdain for the masses’ ability to discern “truth” and “beauty.” This is not to say that all music is the same or that there's no value in genre distinctions, but rather to question why we place so much importance on these labels and what they say about our underlying beliefs about art and creativity.
Put more simply: I was wrong.
In my own head, it had nothing to do with elitism or considering myself better than anyone else, but that doesn’t have to be the intent of something for it to be where the ideology comes from. Reflecting on my past views, I realize that my dismissal of certain genres or bands was a form of gatekeeping, albeit unintentional. It was a way of drawing arbitrary lines in the sand, deciding who was a “real” band and who was not.
This realization made me think about how elitism can sneak into our thoughts and actions, even when we believe we’re just expressing our preferences. It's a reminder that broader cultural narratives and power dynamics often shape our views on music, art, and creativity, ones we are likely not fully aware of.
When I say "I was wrong," it's not just about changing my mind on a particular genre of music (though I have found more appreciation for both “nu-metal” and “pop-punk” as of late). It’s about recognizing the problem with this kind of elitism – it not only limits our regard for the many expressions of human creativity but also functions as an ideology that reinforces class society.
It’s a contradiction that I’ve had to confront and work through. The documentary is very much an expression of that work and a takedown of elitist ideology, which I think is fueling both the plagiarism and artificial intelligence discussions – as well as this one about music.
In it, I argue that creativity is a collective human legacy, richer and more complex than any single creator or work. This perspective challenges the capitalist notion that creative work is valuable primarily for its potential to sell, rather than for its artistic vision or contribution to our collective culture. Further, I assert creative labor is where the value is expressed and thus is what should be incentivized rather than ownership of the “winning” intellectual property.
If you're interested in exploring these ideas further, I invite you to watch Plato is a Bitch: AI and Bomberguy, premiering on YouTube at 4pm EST today. It's a deep dive into the complexities of creativity, technology, and the power structures that influence our understanding of both.
I'm very much here for this discussion and super excited for the premiere tomorrow. I spend most of my time thinking about art and creativity, and what it means to be an artist within capitalism. I try to challenge my notions of "good" vs "bad" art, and question why I like some things better than others. I work really hard not to judge people for their music tastes, and try to understand what they are getting from a particular artist I happen to dislike. I think for me, the work of extricating commercialization from art-making is tricky AF. I look forward to your analysis, which I always appreciate.