random generators can take more into account than you might think. for one thing, they don't always exhibit human limitations or biases, if the programmer includes a forgiving tolerance for the otherwise. w.s. burroughs is often quoted for saying "when you cut into the present, the future leaks through" in regards to his experiments with "cut-up" randomisation (both experiments and observations being well documented), which sounds like a load of cobblers until you experience it, but this delves into regions that could be interpreted as religion so i'll stop there.


i spent part of my youth living at arcosanti.. the prototype arcology. futures were envisioned with significantly different cultural norms, eg. a predominant techno nomadism, entirely feasible for dreamers. and i have increasingly been living in a manner i prefer rather than waiting for a sensible culture to sweep over me. i don't mean to declaim you, but when you talk about what people "should" do (which is always fine, just fine when sufficiently subjectively qualified..), and, "to make sure everyone gets paid" to me, you are living in some unrealistic mode. being an artist, being skilled or talented, capable, practiced, accomplished, is not a license for income, which capitalists tell me is based on demand. really you are using a subjective envaluation for all your statements. whether it's right or wrong, people don't care about what you care about. if that weren't true, you wouldn't have had to tell the original poster how important you and your profession were.

art is art, skill is skill. take pride in yourself if you will, but when your pride expects your skill to earn food and a table to eat it off, you're likely to discover that the world is constantly changing unless you are significantly insulated from it. examine what technology did to the swiss watch industry, the epitome of craft.

professions advance and decline. when imaging and interface is advanced enough, cartography will die out, it won't matter how much love anyone puts into it. it could take centuries, eg. for humans to move on from grouping it with gunsmithing and other "heritage endeavours", but cartography is not immortal.

i do entirely understand that monetization and being "honoured" for your accomplishments by station of career is very real and inclusive to you. the dream of a polite, civilised society is so appealing.. but utterly impracticable as politeness requires conformity.

perhaps what you will consider to be most important, i don't get paid much at all for what i do, monetarily, as cultural redaction is my requisite form of income.

for some of us, or at least often for me, generative algorithms are that careful, vital craft, that can hold the breath of being. i make it that way. if you were to apply your knowledge to generative code, perhaps you'd consider it a serious option.



whatever anybody does, if they're not setting out to shank nobody, it's okay. remember that.