The Death of Creativity

(and Other Minor Inconveniences) 

By Andy Rutter

I’m a multimodal pedagogical didactic learning specialist, which is a very long-winded way of saying I teach using more than just a chalkboard. But before I settled into the world of academic titles, I was a freelance designer, a videographer, and a cook. I spent my twenties travelling the globe and working in kitchens, so I know a thing or two about food.

I once lived in a small town tucked away in the Selkirk Mountain Range in the British Columbian Kootenay region, called Trail. Trail was named after the Dewdney Trail, which was the passageway to the coast during the gold rush. It was nicknamed “Little Italy,” and as anyone with a stomach knows, where there are Italians, there is pasta. The Colander restaurant in the centre of Trail has been around as long as I. I once asked a cook at the local landmark how they got their spaghetti bolognese to taste so much better than everyone else’s. He told me they made it just like “Nonna” did back in the old country: fresh tomatoes, celery, carrot, onion, salt, pepper and a pinch of cinnamon. Learning this little secret changed my way of cooking and urged me to be more experimental with my dishes.

Cinnamon represents the “human touch,” and it’s exactly what’s missing from the digital meat-grinder we’re currently living in. 

The Rise of the Machines (Again)

We are currently obsessed with emerging technologies like AI and automation. The promise is that these tools will make us more efficient, but the reality is that they often just make us more generic. We’re trading unique artistic expressions for AI-generated content that has all the souls of a damp cardboard box. 

AI algorithms are riddled with biases and inaccuracies. It’s a bit of a gamble; you might get a great design, or you might get a dose of misinformation that spices up your brand image in all the wrong ways. It’s hard to be “culturally sensitive” when your creator is a line of code that doesn’t know the difference between a masterpiece and a mistake. 

The “Canned Spaghetti” Problem

Automation has always shifted job roles away from routine tasks, and the digital design world is no different. If you want to survive the “shifting landscape,” you must understand the foundations of the tools you’re using. 

If you don’t understand programming, design theory, or human interaction, you’re going to fall into an “echo chamber” of cookie-cutter products. It’s the difference between knowing how to make a proper Bolognese from scratch and just trusting the contents of a can of Chef Boyardee. If you know the classic ingredients, you’re never at the mercy of the canned stuff. 

The Verdict

Digital designers need to embrace change, sure, but they also need to keep their imagination and problem-solving skills sharp. We need to stay human to avoid a world void of emotion. 

The lesson here is simple: Use the tools, but don’t let the tools use you. And no matter what you’re creating, whether it’s a website, a video, or a bowl of pasta, never forget to add your own version of that pinch of cinnamon.