These days, it feels like a lot of people are more focused on figuring out whether something online is written by a human or a machine.
They look at the punctuation, the perfect sentences, the use of quotes, and immediately judge it.
If it’s too smooth, people say, “Looks like AI.”
If it’s too rough, they say, “Unclear writing.”
Somewhere in between all this, the actual message gets ignored.
Of course, there’s a lot of noise online. Repeated thoughts, recycled jargon, copied posts.
But sometimes, a piece of writing comes from a real place.
From a moment someone lived through.
From a feeling that couldn’t stay silent.
From an unexpected thought after a long conversation or a tough day.
That kind of writing may be clear or clumsy. But it’s honest.
Still, people judge.
And the ones who aren’t full-time content creators or influencers are hit the hardest.
They don’t post for reach. They share something that mattered to them.
And when others start picking apart the grammar or guessing whether it’s “too polished,” it becomes discouraging.
Meanwhile, the influencer world is full of staged authenticity.
Perfectly lit sadness. Filtered opinions.
But it gets shared, liked, and copied. Because people have learned to follow the shine, even if everything behind it is fake.
So here’s a simple thought:
Instead of asking, “Who wrote this?”
Maybe ask, “Why did they write this?”
If the words make you feel something or help you pause, maybe that’s enough.
Maybe we don’t need to dissect the source, as long as we can sense the truth.
Not everything written well is fake.
And not everything raw is real.
What matters is whether the words carry a heartbeat.
There are still some pieces of writing real or AI-assisted that come not from prompt engineering, but from life.
A late-night walk after bad news.
A roadside cup of tea that reminded you of your father.
A factory conversation that made you rethink leadership.
A single sentence from a quiet person in a meeting that stayed in your head for weeks.
These don’t come from templates.
They come from living.
So yes, keep your eyes open. Be critical.
But don’t be so focused on spotting the “machine” that you miss the message.
Sometimes, the realest things are right there.
You just have to stop judging the polish and start listening for the pulse.
