I have no problem using AI to tighten my writing.

I use it for spelling, grammar, word choice, tone, the whole toolkit. If I need a version of a sentence that feels sympathetic, or lighter, or more grounded, I can just ask for it.

Why bother? Because it lowers my stress. People—especially neurotypical people—are hyper-sensitive to tone and often completely miss when I’m being funny.

Case in point: yesterday I made a joke about using Slackware with IceWM and goofing around with Xeyes. Some rando decided this meant I was an “egotistical gatekeeper.”

No, my friend. That’s just what happens when you stare at Xeyes for hours in a dark room. The giant floating eyeballs colonize your mind.

But here’s the real point: using AI hasn’t eliminated conflict, but it has absolutely dialed it down. It lets me say things like “Make this conciliatory and keep the levity” without burning emotional bandwidth.

Does this make me less authentic? I don’t think so. It makes me less stressed.

Authenticity isn’t an objective metric anyway. What I am doing is presenting myself without unnecessary friction. And tone-checking helps me get there.