u/EasyTree12

So this post might be unpopular with hardliners on both sides, but I just felt the need to get my experience off my chest.

My childhood was defined by boomer parents who held a rigid, perfectionist standard for what constituted "worthy" art, and their constant belittling ensured I never felt safe enough to fail. This environmental pressure, compounded by the executive dysfunction of ADHD, meant that my creative muscles eventually withered under the weight of shame and perceived inadequacy. Finding AI was like finally being handed a key to a room I’d been locked out of my entire life, offering a low-stakes way to bypass my artistic paralysis and explore my internal world.

To my fellow AI users, I celebrate your discovery of voice, especially if you were also taught that your imagination wasn't worth the effort. My curiosity has since blossomed into a desire to cultivate my own technical skills, as I’ve realized that building my own craft is the best way to further sharpen my personal creative vision. *This is just my experience, and I'm not asking you to stop using AI, I still think it is a great way to get started with the wellspring of ideas in our minds.

I’ve grown to value the intentionality of the artistic process, recognizing that the discipline of constructing a piece fosters a unique intimacy with my own ideas. I wish those who oppose AI could have more empathy for those making AI Art, understanding that for many of us, this was the first door to creativity that ever felt safe to open. Likewise, I hope more AI users begin to appreciate the grit of the artistic process, as that journey is what truly allows our creativity to develop.