How to Survive in a Fake World
Why would you continue to compromise something that’s beautiful?
It feels increasingly like elegance and authenticity are drowning in this modern world.
Artificiality, superficiality, and an expanding narcissism bent on attention have taken center stage in this age of endless social media, and 24/7 digital noise. Sprinkle in Artificial Intelligence, with its curated, derivative content and god-awful fake images, and you sense our societal decline.
Maybe it was Billy Bob Thornton’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that did me in.
Thornton is a talented, Oscar-winning actor who’s been making the TV talk show rounds lately for his starring role in the new Paramount+ series “Landman.” My wife and I watched the free “preview” episode the other night, and I was reminded why Billy Bob Thornton is such a fine actor.
Stephen Colbert introduces Thornton, who walks out waving and wearing an outfit that someone on YouTube described as looking like “the fortune-teller in the Zoltar machine in the movie Big.”
Thornton wore a kind of beanie or turban, with earrings attached, completely covering his ears, and then a felt-looking Fedora-style hat on top. He was also festooned with chain necklaces, bracelets, rings, and…
