In Bed With The Right Episode 62: AI Slop and the New Fascist Aesthetic with Roland Meyer
Mar 11, 2025
Roland Meyer, a professor of digital cultures and arts, explores the curious allure of AI-generated imagery, particularly among right-wing groups. He discusses how these images shape cultural and political narratives, often blending aspirational aesthetics with reality. Meyer critiques the biases in AI models and connects the homogenization of beauty standards to historical eugenics. The conversation touches on race representation in AI, societal pressures on femininity, and even humorously looks at an AI-generated Pope Francis image, revealing complex cultural clashes.
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Episode notes
AI's Influence
- AI image generation proliferates specific content and appeals to certain groups.
- It's not just a neutral tool; it shapes how information spreads.
Reverse Pattern Recognition
- AI image generation works by recognizing and reversing patterns, amplifying learned stereotypes.
- This "optimization" process creates visual cliches from massive datasets.
Aesthetic Bias
- AI image generators are fine-tuned for specific aesthetics, often reflecting a narrow demographic.
- This bias reinforces existing aesthetic preferences and creates a homogenized style.