TIK TOK: Augmented Reality for Noobs

Follow me on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellopepepix

When I first heard about Augmented Reality (AR), I thought it was a stupid idea. I thought humans already had enough ways to escape from reality and didn’t need this new form. I also thought Augmented Reality was from a dystopian future, one in which targeted ads followed us around whether we wanted them to or not. My perceptions about AR mostly came from this video, HYPER-REALITY, that depicts a dystopian AR future not too far away from our current one:

https://youtu.be/YJg02ivYzSs

I resisted experimenting with Augmented Reality for as long as I possibly could, but finally caved in by accident when I started making videos with the Tik Tok app. I really have no idea why I downloaded Tik Tok. I’m not a teenager. But I like to tinker with new things and I guess I was bored when I decided to download it.

“Boredom was my bedmate and it was hogging the sheets.”

― Andrew Davidson, The Gargoyle

Little did I know after downloading the Tik Tok app that it contained my new favorite and highly addictive drug, Augmented Reality filters. After messing around with several AR filters, I was hooked, and I mean completely hooked in ways that even I don’t understand. The main reason it’s so addictive is that Tik Tok constantly adds new AR filters, so I really don’t have the chance to get bored with the existing filters. One of the filters is so good that I have already created an entirely new character around it, complete with a unibrow, freckles and gargantuan lips, as you can see below:

Still image from this video on Tik Tok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@hellopepepix/video/6720807326439312646?langCountry=en

I guess my main reason for writing this is to drill down this core message: it doesn’t matter how old you are, creativity has no age limit. Give yourself permission to experiment with new technology and make a fool of yourself. Everyone is too busy caring about themselves to notice, anyway.

Follow me on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellopepepix