#82 On the Harmony of Human Error

Today I forgot to set my alarm. Human error. But my body still got me up, I still hit the gym early, and it made me think that some mistakes actually work out. Literally for me this morning.

In this episode of Happy Human, I’m talking about the role of human error in creative work. And not the catastrophic kind because there are human errors that result in tragedy. Not those errors, I mean the kind that gives things soul, that tells the audience you are in the work. That “almost perfect but not quite” timing in music, that lived in look in clothes, that offbeat speech rhythm during public speaking that makes someone feel real.

I’ve been working on Logic Pro X lately, working on music. And when I’m playing with the MIDI keyboard, sometimes I hit the note a little early or a little late. There's this feature where you can quantize it, basically snapping the notes to perfect timing... but then it sounds too polished, too robotic. The human side disappears, I disappear. And it’s that small imperfection, that slightly off note, that gives it personality. That’s what makes it mine.

Same thing with design. With art. With voice. There’s a reason people still love VHS filters on Instagram lenses, distressed denim, and handmade not yet finished product. We’re not looking for perfection, we’re looking for proof of life. Think of the late Virgil Abloh's design of the iconic nike shoes by giving it a "not yet finished" look. Christie's has a complete collection of all the designs estimated to be worth between $60k - $90k... people love the look.

Even speeches... like TED Talks, podcast intros, all of it. You can tell when someone’s over polished. Three phrases, followed by the same pause, same cadence. Sounds good, but... not human. The real stuff has cracks in it. And that’s what connects.

I share a story in this episode about how Kid Cudi’s track “Day and Night” ended with a beat shift that happened by accident. The producer hit a wrong key/function on the software, and it slowed the track down. They kept it. And now it’s iconic. That’s human error becoming harmony.

I’ve had my own moments like that... Starting projects that didn’t pan out but somehow made room for the next block. That’s been the Happy Human journey: 13 years of imperfect steps that built something solid. With substance. With fingerprints on it.

I even talk about the Happy Monito character. How it came from a walk signal I saw on South Congress in Austin, just eating tacos outside at Guero’s. It reminded me how stick figures are this universal language... simple, imperfect, but powerful. The character’s evolved, my art has grown, but the heart of it is still the whole "you can make this too" message because at the end... it's just a stick figure... or is it? That’s the message. Create it. Be human in it.

So yeah, I’ve used AI tools. They’re fast. They help. But when it comes to voice, to expression... During the taping of the Happy Human podcast... I want you to hear the hesitation, the thinking, the tangents. I want it to feel lived in. Handmade. Because that’s the edge humans still have... we bring the mess. We bring the soul.

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Being happy makes you have a good day.Words by Bella.