Poetry is not in Vogue- It was never meant to be | Somrita Urni Ganguly | TEDxRPGIS Youth

Quick Overview

Somrita Urni Ganguly argues that poetry, unlike AI-generated content, possesses a visceral reality, profound emotional depth, and essential human vulnerability that technology cannot replicate, emphasizing that true art requires genuine feeling and sacrifice, not mere imitation.

Key Points: Ganguly recounts a personal story about receiving a phone call from an estranged mother and daughter who were crying and repeating the phrase, "How can you do this to me?" She notes that the letters she sent back, 61 of them, went unanswered, leading her to realize the futility of trying to force love or comfort onto those determined to leave. The speaker contrasts the authentic, messy reality of human experience—including the pain of betrayal and heartbreak—with AI's inability to genuinely feel or create art that stems from such depths. Ganguly states that poetry is not another job or a routine; it is a visceral, deeply felt process of purification and learning, which AI cannot replicate because it cannot feel. She challenges the audience to consider what AI is posing as—a substitute for genuine human connection and creativity, citing examples like AI writing poetry or doing laundry as superficial conveniences. The speaker concludes that the price of authentic art (like poetry or suffering) is high, involving real blood, skin, and bone, something AI cannot simulate. The talk contrasts the 'soul-sucking' nature of routine with the necessary rawness, vulnerability, and anger required for authentic artistic expression.

Context: Somrita Urni Ganguly delivers a TEDx talk titled, "Poetry is not in Vogue- It was never meant to be," presented at TEDxRPGIS Youth 2025 in Kolkata on October 31, 2025. Ganguly, identified as a Professor for Literary Translator, uses personal anecdotes about difficult relationships and the nature of artistic creation to argue for the irreplaceable value of genuine human emotion and vulnerability, especially within poetry, in an era increasingly dominated by Artificial Intelligence.