Accidental Anonymity
The Paradox of Accidental Anonymity
Inspired by a morning run and the writings of Nolen and Robin.
I recently felt the urge to explore a specific trend, though I acknowledge that others—specifically Nolen and Robin—have likely articulated these thoughts more effectively. Nevertheless, my own recent experiences have left me with a lingering sense of unease that I need to document.
The LLM Pipeline
Lately, my inbox has been flooded with a very specific brand of outreach. These messages follow a predictable, machine-like logic:
- Observation: A generic note about my work.
- Connection: A tenuous link between that observation and a product.
- The Ask: A request for me to test said product.
It isn't just the emails. I'm seeing a cascading effect of synthetic presence:
When I see this, my primary emotion is sadness. While I am not a Luddite not a purist—I use these tools myself and recognize their immense utility—the result is a world that feels colder. Most AI-driven trends make me feel pessimistic about the nature of work and human interaction.
The Cost of "Perfection"
Beyond the aesthetic dislike, there is a deeper issue: I know nothing about these people.
For fifteen years, I have shared my music, art, and essays online. Many people tell me they couldn't do that because they lack the skill or fear their work isn't "good enough." To be blunt:
Putting your creative expression out for public judgment is an act of bravery as much as it is a display of talent.
Many people simply lack that bravery. If you feel your work must be flawless beyond reproach before it is seen, you aren't facing a skill gap; you are facing a character gap.
Why we hide:
- Identity Conflict: A "tough" persona hiding a tender artistic style.
- Taste Anxiety: Fear that one's preferences are too strange or underdeveloped.
- Fear of Exposure: The general dread of being truly "known."
However, the person who refuses to risk judgment remains entirely invisible.
The Human Arc vs. The Prompt
The purpose of a portfolio or resume isn't merely to validate credentials. It is to provide a glimpse into the human being who will be your colleague. I want to see the arc of a person's growth.
| The Human Portfolio | The LLM Portfolio |
|---|---|
| Evidence of "silly" early projects (e.g., Neopets) | Polished, generic professional summaries |
| Projects driven by personal obsession | Projects that look like "best practices" |
| Visible struggle and iteration | Seamless, sterile outputs |
| A distinct, idiosyncratic voice | A neutral, "helpful" tone |
A perfected, prompted resume is an exercise in anonymity. It tells me the candidate can use a tool, but it hides the input process output pipeline. When an email tells me why I'm the "perfect" person for a project, it reveals nothing about the sender. There is no hook for human connection.
The Equation of Art
I previously wrote that we value pictures for their humanness, not their pictureness. It is nearly impossible to truly appreciate a piece of art without some context regarding the creator.
We can think of art as a mathematical relationship:
To engage with the work, we need to know who is speaking. We look for markers of:
- Sincerity or irony
- Rebellion or religiosity
- Suffering or joy
- Seriousness or a penchant for jokes
Final Thought
I understand the desire for perfection and the fear of being "found out." But if your goal is to forge a genuine connection with another human being, you cannot achieve it by hiding behind a machine.
