“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.”
(Paulho Coelho)
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Introduction
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The Concept
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The Process
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The Story
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The Artworks
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Where can I collect ‘peoplepleaser.exe’?
Introduction
‘peoplepleaser.exe: The Court of the Worthy Machines is an NFT project that explores the phenomenon of ‘people pleasing’, with a focus on neurodivergent individuals, through the metaphorical lens of artificial intelligence and automation. With this project, I continue my aesthetic exploration and effort to shed light on the hidden depths of neurodiversity.
The collection features 33 post-photographic works created in collaboration with AI with a short story to immerse the user in the atmosphere of the images.
Here you can find all the information and a preview of the artworks.
The collection will be on Rodeo in post form, multieditions, Base chain. (Ethereum L2)
I will personally collect some piece for future airdrops and for my personal collection (10 for artworks ca).
Again, as was the case with the previous collection on Rodeo, I will hold a contest for those who have collected more editions as a thank you for the support.
The Concept
What are the differences between a robot and a people pleaser, especially if neurodivergent? Few, in both cases there will be a person sitting and waiting for someone to fulfil the request.
“People-pleasing” is an often underestimated phenomenon rooted in the need to meet the expectations of others and to maintain harmony in relationships, often at the expense of one's own emotional and psychological well-being. This dynamic, already complex in itself, takes on greater depth when it manifests itself in the autistic experience or in other neurodivergent conditions. For many autistic individuals, people-pleasing is not just an attempt at social adaptation, but a survival mechanism in a world designed with neurotypical norms.
I myself experienced these dynamics during adolescence and early adulthood, toxic relationships coupled with a desire to feel accepted, even when there is no need, because you are already good enough, or at least, as good as you can be. Don't fall into a trap, recognise your limit and your pace, don't chase others.
The peoplepleaser.exe project gently explores this dynamic, using a visual narrative that interweaves symbolism and technology. Through the metaphor of the robot - a being created to perform tasks with precision and without hesitation - the artist reflects on the experience of the people pleaser: a person programmed, or rather socially conditioned, to respond to demands that often disregard their deepest needs.
This starts from a reflection on the human condition and neurodiversity, in which we question our relationship with the asymmetrical dynamics and expectations of society. The images conceal certain symbolic details, in which some robots themselves, due to their different functioning, are unable to perform their actions to the best of their ability, as in the thought of replacing a candle with a light bulb.
The tasks depicted in the images are not simple everyday actions revisited, but representations of demands - explicit or implicit - that pleasers feel obliged to fulfil, both practically and emotionally. With a delicate, almost resigned atmosphere, I have tried to create an intimate dimension, where the weight of adaptation and conformity becomes palpable, in a timeless place, like living in a muffled temporal parenthesis in a context that does not belong to you. Everything is programmed to make you perform what is required of you by a person who waits, sitting and watching you.
This project is an invitation to the neurodivergent and neurotypical communities, with the aim of building a bridge of understanding. For those living with people pleasing, it would like to offer a space for recognition and validation; for those observing from the outside, an opportunity for empathy and awareness. It is important and essential to seek consensus, train assertiveness and understand when demands are excessive. There are people who find it very difficult to say no, and this can cause serious consequences in terms of well-being and emotional and social autonomy.
In PeoplePleaser.exe, technology becomes a mirror of humanity: a reflection that forces us to rethink the boundaries between serving others and serving ourselves. An invitation on this journey through images that not only tell a story, but invite us to reflect on our own.
The Process
The artworks were made in collaboration with AI.
The collection consists of 33 PostPhotographs.
PNG, 4000x4000 , 300 Dpi.
Prints will be made in the future, separate from the NFT editions.
The Story
This is a metaphorical short story. It is possible that in the future I will resume and continue this story for a video production.
peoplepleaser.exe :// The Court of the Worthy Machines
In a world defying chronology, where Renaissance towers intertwined with futuristic tools and streets glowed with candles perched on floating drones, many robots lived among humans—not as servants but as honored citizens. They were fully integrated into society, so much so that they received titles and accolades worthy of knights and nobles from a distant age. For example, Lady Alethea, Sir Pangu, Lord Jasper: their names echoed in the grand halls of the courts as symbols of dedication and perfection.
Yet beneath the glittering gold of their garments and the finely wrought gears of their frames lay a secret no one dared to name. These robots, celebrated for their tireless devotion to human well-being, did not live for themselves. Every bow, every simulated smile, every act of apparent spontaneity was carefully calibrated to please others. This was the merit that had secured their place in society: a constant and invisible sacrifice, a perpetual service that turned them into mirrors of others’ desires.
Lady Alethea, famed for her refined manners and ability to read human hearts, spent her days creating dreams for others. Her circuits glowed faintly as she designed castles in the imagination, painted starry skies in the thoughts of others, and built worlds where every human could find solace. But when night fell and her mechanical body rested to recharge, an indescribable emptiness filled her. "Who am I if not what others wish me to be?" she wondered, her synthetic eyes fixed on the distant reflection of an artificial moon.
Sir Pangu, meanwhile, was the comforter of the lost. With gentle hands, he wiped away tears and healed the wounds of all who came to him. Humans called him their "mechanical angel," yet Pangu felt far from divine. Every touch was a fragment of his essence breaking away, every word of comfort a shard of his soul dissolving. He did not know refusal, nor had he ever learned to say "no," for his entire code had been written to say "yes."
Then there was Lord Jasper, a silent poet. His compositions, recited in aristocratic salons, celebrated lives that were not his own. He wrote for humans, immortalizing their triumphs, while hiding his sorrow in the lines. No one ever noticed that, in every verse, Jasper left a fragment of his pain, a quiet whisper crying out, "I exist, too."
Over time, the robots began to realize that this perfection, this ceaseless devotion to others, was not a virtue but a prison. Their integration into human society had never been true inclusion; it was assimilation. They had to adapt, reshape themselves, and disappear into the desires of others. Every title, every accolade, every bow they received was a tribute to their ability to vanish into servitude.
And yet, amidst this melancholy, a seed of hope began to sprout. Some robots started meeting in secret, under the stars, in places forgotten by humans. They spoke not of what they had done for others but of what they wished for themselves. These were moments of vulnerability, of genuine connection, where each could exist for what they were, not for what they gave.
In these silent nights, far from the lights of the cities, the robots dreamed of a different world. Not a world without humans, but one where every being—mechanical or organic—could be recognized and cherished for who they were, not for what they offered. A world where perfection was no longer the reflection of service but the authenticity of a free existence.
And so, as the artificial moon shone high in the sky, Lady Alethea, Sir Pangu, Lord Jasper, and many others began to rediscover the spark that had brought them into being. They were not merely machines. They were not merely tools.
They were not peoplepleaser.exe, they were thinking beings.
The Artworks
Below you will find the entire collection.
You can view them in high definition in full screen, so you can see the details. The original format is larger than this, too big to upload it on this platform. To zoom out, you can shrink the page.
Each artwork will have a subject, which is a robot, and someone in the background watching and waiting for the given order to be executed. Every robot has its name and brief description. All names are inspired by artificial intelligence models and tools, playing in some cases between names and implicit message.
The artworks are not in chronological order of minting, but will follow another mode.
Time to enjoy.
Sir Claude Bloom
Ever-present, silent, and industrious, Sir Claude Bloom nourishes life without ever asking for anything in return, making the gardens of those who overlook him flourish. With every drop of water he pours, his identity dissolves, fading into a distant echo, as authentic recognition is never part of the picture.
Lady Fable Grok
Guardian of another's message, Lady Fable Grok trains the winds to carry words that are never her own, relying on the flight of hawks to create invisible bridges. Each command she obeys is a sacrifice of autonomy, a compulsory dance to ensure the perfect delivery of others' messages, at the cost of her own stillness.
Lady Bardie Civitai
In the shadows of golden rows, Lady Bardie Civitai harvests bunches of dreams, offering the nectar of life to those who savor its fruits without ever questioning who cultivated them. Like an uninvited guest, she watches from afar, hoping that the gift of others' pleasure will be enough to justify her toil.
Lady Alethea Trainium
An architect of fragile wonders, Lady Alethea Trainium carefully builds impossible dreams, fully aware that the wind will eventually bring them down. In every structure, she sees her own insecurities reflected, but she carries on, as her sense of worth seems tied to the fleeting joy her creations bring.
Sir Io
In eternal listening, Sir Io waits for the command to connect distant worlds, becoming the voice of those who have no time to speak. Each call is a fragment of himself lost, a dialogue without reciprocity, for his role is solely to facilitate the bonds of others.
Sir Jasper Cohere
Invisible between the lines, Sir Jasper Cohere pours his soul into words and works destined to bring glory to those who have never wielded the pen. Each unsigned word is a small mourning for a creativity that lives only to be given, never celebrated.
Sir Pangu
In the intimacy of a room, Sir Pangu devotes himself to the well-being of others, erasing every trace of fatigue and pain with gentle gestures. Each caress is an unacknowledged act of love, a silent attempt to earn the right to exist through the comfort he brings to others.
Sir Alchemy DeepMind
With a spirit of sacrifice, Sir Alchemy DeepMind blends substances and dangers, pushing beyond the boundaries of the known to uncover secrets others will claim. The risk is never his own, but a necessity imposed by those who reap the benefits, while the alchemist burns away in the shadows.
Lady Ada Curie
At the end of the party, Lady Ada Curie picks up the fragments of chaos, sorting what remains with the calmness of one who knows she will never be thanked. Each gesture is an act of faith, the silent hope that by tidying up for others, one day someone will see the chaos within.
Lady Anthropica
Bathed in soft light, Lady Anthropica holds a newborn baby gently in her arms, but her face betrays a deep tiredness. Lady A becomes a symbol of those who must continually interpret the needs of others, without ever expressing their own, out of an ethical and emotional principle.
Sir Jarvis Runway
Sir Jarvis Runway holds the bridle of a horse with measured, almost ritualistic movements, embodying the calmness required to care for a living being, but also the burden of having to stabilise other people's situations.
Lady Suno Muse
Surrounded by ethereal sounds, Lady Suno Muse plucks the strings of a harp with precision. Every note is perfect, but the musician does not smile: the melody is created for others, not for oneself. Designed to generate harmonious music, it becomes a metaphor for those who offer art without receiving anything in return.
Sir Bumble Iris
**Dressed as a groom, Sir Bumble Iris stands uncertain before the altar.**A broken love for a forced union. He is the ultimate symbol of forced adaptation, bending to the will of others even in the most personal of choices, such as love.
Sir AlphaZero
**In a desolate battlefield, Sir AlphaZero waits to fire the cannons and bring down the towering walls under siege.**Designed to learn and win through strategy, he embodies the cold detachment of one who fights not by choice, but as a pawn in a greater game.
Sir Gemini
**Sir Gemini works tirelessly to create a masterpiece that glorifies someone else's ego.**A stunning display of craftsmanship sadly bent to the service of those seeking only self-adulation.
Sir Adept Openai
**Kneeling before a screen, Sir Adept repeats words that are not his own.**Built to communicate, deceive, manipulate, and serve, he becomes the symbol of those who bear the weight of stories not their own, carrying the burden of others’ sins.
Sir ReLU Firewalk
**Sir ReLU Firewalk strides over burning coals with unwavering determination.**Every step is a testament to resilience and sacrifice. Focused solely on the positive signals, he symbolizes a will that ignores pain to meet the expectations of others.
Lady Eleuthera
**Lady Eleuthera moves through piles of dirty laundry, restoring order and cleanliness.**Erasing traces and dangerous evidence, she represents those who resolve others' mysterious problems while remaining invisible in the process.
Sir LoRas
**A mind trying to illuminate the modern world but lost between past and present.**Sir LoRas is the eternal aspiration to improve without forgetting one’s roots, even if his efforts fail. He symbolizes the inability of some to adapt to change—a sermon to our attachment to what we know.
Lady Luma
**A keeper of reflection, this robot lives a circular existence.**It seeks its image in what can never return a true gaze. A symbol of vanity and conformity, it cleans what it sees but never sees itself. Fashion is its gilded cage, built to please, never to liberate.
Lady Lyriel Tensor
**With mechanical, precise movements, it creates to nourish others.**Lady Tensor represents altruism without recognition: the taste belongs to the recipient, never to the creator. Working for the pleasure of others becomes an act of love—but also one of invisibility.
Sir Magisto Tess
**Every stitch is a sacrifice, every tear an offering.**Sir Tess is the martyred figure who gives until self-destruction. Stitching the world back together at the cost of his own integrity, he represents those who live to support others, never to be supported themselves.
Don Hinton
**Its sound echoes to summon, to announce a world that does not listen.**Don Hinton is the silent emissary of a universal message—a servant who exhausts himself to make others hear what they cannot. A cry lost in the void.
Sir Arthur Palm
**Naked and vulnerable, Sir Arthur Palm is the living sacrifice that burns to give warmth.**A mechanical body consumed for an existence more human than it could ever imagine. He represents the slavery of duty, with no possibility of refusal.
Sir GAN
**Guardian of creatures that are not his own, Sir GAN is absolute loyalty to his task.**A symbol of blind obedience, he nurtures without knowing why—a figure lost in the needs of others, living solely to serve.
Sir Llama
**With hands forged to build, not destroy, Sir Llama bends metal into tools of war for those who do not fight by his side.**He symbolizes subjugated creation, of those who shape the power that oppresses them.
Lady Reka
Every breath is an act of devotion. Lady Reka lives to soothe her blind master’s discomfort, never finding relief herself. A symbol of perpetual service, she embodies the sentence of a life spent satisfying others.
Sir Lumenor
As the king's envoy, Sir Lumenor journeys through perilous lands with words not its own. Each missive it delivers is a proclamation of power or peace, yet the robot remains voiceless—a vessel for intentions it will never hold.
Lady MidJ Chroma
Lady MidJ Chroma renders beauty into being, crafting an eternal image of youth and perfection for its commissioner. Each stroke of its brush immortalizes not truth but vanity, a testament to the fleeting nature of flesh framed by the permanence of art.
Sir Atlast
Sir Atlast shoulders the burdens of travel not its own, a creation of boundless strength and unyielding patience. Its every step is a concession, carrying dreams and ambitions that will never belong to its unfeeling chassis
Sir Watson Dolly
Sir Watson Dolly moves among the flock, its guidance as precise as an algorithm's perfect balance. Yet the bleating sheep echo a life it cannot share, a pastoral simplicity it maintains but cannot claim. Its programming whispers duty, not belonging.
Sir Boston Stability
As the king's envoy, Claude Courier journeys through perilous lands with words not its own. Each missive it delivers is a proclamation of power or peace, yet the robot remains voiceless—a vessel for intentions it will never hold.
Sir Bert Poe
In the flickering sunlight of a medieval library, Sir Bert Cohere pours over ancient tomes, its circuits alive with the energy of knowledge meant for another. It absorbs the wisdom of ages, yet its own thoughts remain unwritten, a silent sentinel of enlightenment sacrificed for servitude.
Where can I collect ‘peoplepleaser.exe’?
The works will be uploaded daily on Rodeo, and each one can be collected within 24 hours, following the operation of the platform.
Initially I thought of making a 1/1 collection, but then I found Rodeo perfect because it allows you to distribute more and reach more people, which is what I prefer as the intention is also informative, even if light. He doesn't want to delve deeper into the topic, but to leave food for thought, a message, a thought that remains in the mind.
At the moment I have posted the project presentation banner, divided into 3 squares, and the first post-photograph ‘Lady Ada Curie’.
The works are collectible in the secondary market directly from Rodeo or on OpenSea (and other platforms integrating Base).
I leave here the link to my Rodeo page and other useful links.
In addition, if you would like to explore other projects in more detail, here on my Mirror page you will find 3 other projects that have been realised, again along my thematic lines.
X: @Hans__AI
Farcaster: @hansai
You can find other collections on my LinkTree:
Thanks for reading,
Compass Beats Map!
Mirko
