Elizabeth Tai

Blog: https://elizabethtai.com/
Profile: https://elizabethtai.com/author/firediarist/
Homepage: http://firediarist.wordpress.com

Pangram in Substack? I’m so excited for the AI witch hunts

Substack’s new feature for detecting AI-generated content has sparked support and frustration among its users. Critics argue that detection tools are unreliable, unfairly singling out neurodivergent and ESL writers. My biggest concern is that it will spark an AI witch hunt, and significantly worsen the uptick in bullying and harassment since Substack’s introduction of social…
On the matter of Greek erasure in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

Nolan’s Odyssey isn’t just a movie—it’s the latest act in a 200-year-old tradition of appropriating Greek culture while denying that Greeks should have control of their own heritage.
July 2026: Lestat, OpenCode and the art of resting

Reflecting on my medical leave and how I’m catching up on dramas, learning how to use OpenCode, and catching up with personal writing projects despite my body’s demands that I do nothing.
The Last Generation of ‘Bananas’? How Malaysian Chinese Identity Is Transforming

More Malaysian Chinese are leaning towards their Chinese roots, and that includes having an education in Chinese.
The key to my successful weekly planning system: Time blocking with Google Calendar and Google Tasks

My weekly productivity routine is anchored by Google Tasks, Calendar, and Google Workspace tools.
Substack writers, you need a website!

Substack is convenient, but treat it as a distribution tool for your content. Your content should live on an independently owned website, which has a domain name you control and own. This way, you can secure long-term visibility and control over your digital presence on the Internet.
Linkblog: Dwelling on the Internet

My compendium of links to stuff that I found interesting on the web. This week the focus is about “Being on the Internet”.
Why the global south is grateful for Deepseek

Deepseek is pretty amazing. I made 22 API calls yesterday and I have spent….$0.005. Granted my use case is extremely simple, just some simple data work, extracting and shuffling data from a csv file to create a directory page on a website. But what would’ve taken me 2x longer copy and pasting, with lots of…
Of abandoning mother tongues and shame

A reaction to a fascinating essay on Substack about the cultural pressure of “leaving the mother tongue” and adopting other languages for class mobility. I reflect on the dynamics of language use among Malaysian Chinese, where the shame is about not mastering more languages or being slow at learning languages.
Writing with AI isn’t always generating entire novels with a prompt

I’m often frustrated by the writing community’s misconceptions about AI in writing. I wish more writers were more open to AI’s potential in writing and stop crucifying those who dare to say they use AI.