Never one to shy away from the latest technology, having in my time proudly been a “phone phreak,” I have been playfully exploring so-called large language models, such as ChatGPT, in several of its forms, just to see its capabilities, and if by some remote chance it can make my life less distressful. It has felt a bit like playing with fire, or more to the point, like attempting to hotwire a 110-volt circuit without gloves.
I confess it’s a ton of fun, as you may well have discovered yourself. It’s been great at some things, saving me time in a few crucial tasks, and it’s been awful at some of the more creative things I used to engage in and wish to engage in more before I croak.
I fed it a spreadsheet of my lab results over the last 30 years or so, just to see if it could have predicted the onset of my cancer. While it missed the cancer altogether, it did identify my chronic allergies. I used it once to summarize the results of a battery of psychological tests, and it did a damn good job of coming up with the right diagnoses, and wrote the summary paragraph a whole lot better than I could have. This was humbling, as I have written hundreds of these. Blasted! Outdone by a bunch of ones and zeroes. I had it analyze a spreadsheet of financial data, and it really bombed at it, spitting out blatantly incorrect results. When I corrected it, several times, it politely admitted its mistakes, corrected them, and then kept making them in further analyses, and I couldn’t help thinking, it was supposed to learn from its mistakes. Perhaps it’s a bit more human than we know.
But where it really blew up was in writing song lyrics. Even its country music lyric-writing was horrible, which, on reflection, may in fact have been an accurate reflection of real (as opposed to artificial) country music lyrics. Maybe I just didn’t put enough time and energy into teaching it, but when I attempted to have it help me get through some stuck points in my song-writing, it made me feel talented in comparison. And that rarely if ever happens.
I did have it write a blog post for me. I gave it an actual topic that I was wanting to write aabout and asked it to write a 700 word post “in my style.” It went about reading everything I ever wrote that can be discovered on the internet, which undoubtedly occurred in nano-seconds. The opening paragraph isn’t terrible, and other than the last line, which is way too straightforward, could have been me:
In the world of aviation, wingtip vortices are an inevitable byproduct of flight. They form as air moves over and under an aircraft’s wings, creating different pressure zones that generate lift. As the higher-pressure air beneath the wing tries to equalize with the lower-pressure air above, it spills around the wingtips, creating spiraling currents of air known as vortices. While these swirling air masses are invisible to the naked eye, their impact can be profound. They can persist long after an aircraft has passed, influencing the flight path of other planes that follow too closely. This concept of wingtip vortices offers a rich metaphor for understanding life and relationships.
The next paragraph, however, troubles me, as do all mirrors of which I manage to catch an inadvertent glimpse:
Wingtip vortices are a reminder that every action creates a ripple effect. Just as the wake from an airplane influences the surrounding airspace, our behavior, words, and choices affect the people around us, often in ways we cannot immediately perceive. When an aircraft flies, the strength and size of the vortices depend on its weight, speed, and wing shape. Similarly, the impact we have on others can vary in magnitude, based on the intensity of our actions and the nature of our relationships. Sometimes, the smallest interaction can create profound effects, just like the lightest aircraft can still leave a noticeable wake.
Am I this transparent? This shallow? Heaven help me, but more importantly, heaven help you. It gets worse:
In relationships, wingtip vortices can symbolize the emotional currents we generate through our actions. A harsh word or a misunderstanding can create turbulence in the connection between two people, just as a heavy aircraft creates strong vortices. The effects of those emotional “vortices” may linger, even after the original cause has passed, shaping how the other person feels long afterward. Navigating relationships requires an awareness of these invisible forces, recognizing that the energy we project continues to swirl and influence long after we’ve moved on.
It goes on this way, deepening the pain:
Furthermore, in aviation, pilots are trained to avoid flying directly behind large aircraft to prevent encountering the turbulence left by wingtip vortices. This provides a lesson for life: sometimes, it’s wise to create emotional space between ourselves and others to avoid being caught in their wake. People often carry the turbulence of their own experiences, and stepping too close without recognizing that can leave us entangled in their emotional spirals. Maintaining a safe distance, whether in the air or in our personal lives, allows us to fly more smoothly and avoid unnecessary turbulence.
I’m getting queasy now. Please tell me that my own large language model is better than OpenAI’s. In case you’re enjoying this, here’s more:
However, wingtip vortices can also represent positive aspects of life. Just as these spirals of air are a natural consequence of generating lift, the inevitable emotional ripples we create in relationships are a byproduct of growth, connection, and personal elevation. The deeper our relationships, the more energy they contain, and, like lift on an aircraft, that energy can carry us to new heights. A strong bond, like the wings of a plane, creates an upward force that allows us to navigate life’s challenges together.
And now, that most important final paragraph:
Ultimately, wingtip vortices remind us that, much like in aviation, we cannot isolate ourselves from the effects we have on others. The swirling consequences of our actions persist, for good or ill, shaping the atmosphere of our relationships and our broader communities. By being mindful of the emotional currents we generate, we can navigate life with greater awareness, avoid unnecessary turbulence, and soar to higher altitudes in our personal and relational journeys.
I must say, “swirling consequences” is appealing, and “emotional currents” is right on target, while “soar to higher altitudes” makes me want to puke. Now I do want to write a blog post one of these days on wingtip vortices, and I admit to being a little competitive with the force that is about to take over the universe. But, being mindful of my current emotional current, as well as the impending migraine that ibuprofen is barely dampening, I would rather avoid unnecessary turbulence within, and rather than soar to a higher altitude, perhaps lie down and take a personal journey on that firm mattress of mine. If you enjoyed much of this post, please unsubscribe and prompt ChatGPT for your next one.