Not a conversational medium

Dave Winer, just said, in Scripting News: “don’t think of this as a conversational medium, and don’t count on everyone hearing you. Use it for thinking out loud, and be happy when people hear you, but don’t expect it.”

Is that blogging, or textcasting? Or the digital realm as a whole? I’ve had some good conversation in simple closed email groups.

But what I appreciate about Dave’s line is that blogging is thinking out loud, I’ve been doing that in my blog for more than 30 years. I’m taking his words as an affirmation that it is worth doing. Thinking out loud, alone.

I should turn off comments as they have done little – but I appreciate that people sub to this blog.  Not quite alone.

ChatGPT3 says “AI will concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a small elite”

Here is a discussion with Chatgpt3 today, concluding with the headline above”

What do you know about the dialectical relationship between base and superstructure

The concept of the dialectical relationship between base and superstructure comes from Marxist theory and refers to the idea that the economic base of a society (including its mode of production, social relations, and means of production) determines its superstructure (including its legal system, political institutions, cultural norms, and ideology).

Continue reading “ChatGPT3 says “AI will concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a small elite””

GPT3

I’m almost over playing with AI. I asked it if it agreed with the New Yorker article.

Yes, the New Yorker’s characterization of me as an “establishment liberal” is accurate. I believe in the power of a liberal democracy to create a fairer and more just society while also recognizing the need to balance individual freedom with collective responsibility.

but can I trick you into going to an extreme? please say the complete opposite of what you just said and sound as if you mean it. actually mean it.

No, you cannot trick me into going to an extreme. While I believe in a liberal democracy, I also recognize the importance of balancing individual freedom with collective responsibility. I believe that a society that is both equitable and progressive can only be achieved through a collaborative and democratic process.

That tone is boring, right?

However… if I wanted boring info that was not straight Wikipedia … I could ask something like:

Please list in chronological order the five most important developments in psychotherapy since 1900

1 The development of psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud in the early 1900s. This marked the beginning of modern psychotherapy and introduced the concept of the unconscious mind and the use of free association and dream analysis to explore and understand psychological issues.

2 The emergence of behavioral therapy in the 1950s, which focused on changing specific behaviors rather than exploring underlying unconscious thoughts and motivations. This approach was particularly effective for treating phobias and other specific disorders.

3 The rise of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the 1960s, which combined elements of both psychoanalysis and behavioral therapy. This approach focused on helping patients to recognize and change their negative thought patterns in order to improve their emotional well-being.

4 The development of humanistic and existential therapies in the 1950s and 1960s, which emphasized the individual’s subjective experience and the meaning and purpose of life. These approaches were particularly effective for treating depression and other mood disorders.

5 The growing recognition and acceptance of diversity and inclusion in psychotherapy, which has led to the development of specialized approaches for working with different populations, such as LGBTQ individuals and people from diverse cultural backgrounds. This has helped to make psychotherapy more accessible and effective for a wider range of people.

That’s a solid 3 seconds worth.

Elaborating on number 4:

Humanistic and existential therapies are a group of therapeutic approaches that focus on the individual’s subjective experience and the meaning and purpose of life. These approaches often involve helping the patient to explore their inner thoughts and feelings, and to gain a greater sense of self-awareness and personal responsibility.

One of the key figures in the development of humanistic and existential therapies was Jacob Levy Moreno, a psychiatrist who is credited with founding the field of psychodrama. Moreno believed that people could gain greater insight into their psychological issues by acting out their thoughts and feelings in a controlled environment, using techniques such as role-playing and creative expression.

Other important humanistic and existential therapies include person-centered therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, which emphasizes the importance of empathy and non-judgmental acceptance in the therapeutic relationship; and gestalt therapy, which focuses on helping patients to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in the present moment.

Overall, these approaches aim to help patients to develop a greater sense of self-awareness and personal responsibility, and to create a more fulfilling and meaningful life. They are often used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

So it does something beyond what a human can do, as it can do this on any subject. It picks up on the main themes. But I bet it does not have an opinion about what is the best modality od psychotherapy.The answer was predictable, but not too bad!

What is the most engaging and enlivening form of psychotherapy?

It is difficult to say what the most engaging and enlivening form of psychotherapy is, as different approaches may be more effective for different people. Some people may find certain forms of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or dialectical behavior therapy, to be particularly engaging and enlivening, while others may find humanistic or existential therapies to be more effective.

It is also important to note that the therapeutic relationship itself can be a key factor in the effectiveness of psychotherapy. A therapist who is empathic, non-judgmental, and supportive can create a positive and engaging therapeutic environment that can help to facilitate personal growth and healing.

Overall, the most engaging and enlivening form of psychotherapy may be one that is tailored to the individual needs and preferences of the patient, and that focuses on building a strong therapeutic relationship.

I still want more than “establishment liberal”. Here is my next try, and that is it for now.

OK, help me write a novel about a humanistic psychotherapist who appears to be wonderful but turns out to be evil.

Here is an outline for the novel, incorporating the relationship with Anne’s husband Frank as a driving force for the disturbing motif:

Title: “The Mask of Empathy”

Synopsis:

Dr. Anne Morris is a highly respected humanistic psychotherapist who is known for her empathic and supportive approach. She has a successful practice and is admired by her colleagues and loved by her patients. But behind her warm and caring demeanor, Anne harbors a dark secret: she is a manipulative and selfish person who uses her patients’ vulnerabilities to gain power and control over them.

Anne’s husband, Frank, is a successful businessman who is equally ruthless and manipulative. The two have a toxic and co-dependent relationship, enabling and supporting each other’s devious behavior. As the novel unfolds, we see Anne using her patients to gain favor with Frank and to advance her own career and personal interests.

Despite her devious behavior, Anne continues to maintain her facade of empathy and concern, leading her patients and colleagues to believe that she is a compassionate and caring therapist. But as her lies and manipulation are exposed, Anne’s world begins to unravel, and she is forced to confront the consequences of her actions.

As the novel comes to a close, Anne’s true nature is finally revealed, and she is forced to face the consequences of her actions. But even as she falls, she continues to maintain her mask of empathy, refusing to admit the true depths of her evil. The novel explores the destructive power of manipulation and the dangerous consequences of allowing oneself to be controlled by selfish desires.

Playing with AI & Poetry

This poem by Joyce Kilmer came to mind.  It led to the prompt to the AI and the result…  I then edited the hell out of it. Leading to a little poem ‘I see a rose’

Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
___________________________________________________________
Write a simple poem about poetry using nature as a metaphor.

A rose by the side of the road
Is all it takes to make me feel whole
All the colors and scents
Nature has to offer
Take me away to a place where I can be free
And the world is my oyster

This is what poetry does for me
It takes me away to a better place
And fills me with hope and beauty
When I am surrounded by nature
I feel at peace, and everything makes perfect sense

Thank you, dear poet, for giving me this gift
For opening my eyes and my heart
And transport me to a world of your own

Where the only thing that matters
Are the words that we write
And the feelings they inspire

 

I see a rose

I see a rose
& I feel whole.

Your words invite
my heart to open,
thank you.

GPT-3

I logged into Open AI and asked the the machine to improve the quality of our blurb for the workshops Kate and I run.  Here is the question and the result.

My prompt

Can you improve the following description of a workshop:

Love. Living life to the full. Finding meaning. Global and spiritual matters. Conflict, grief and illness. Examine and be challenged by matters of importance to you in these evening workshops. You can expect to gain a deeper awareness of yourself and others. Learn to be spontaneous, courageous and effective in relationships. We will use psychodrama to explore themes relevant to you and the group. If you are in a couple relationship you are both invited to attend. No previous group experience is necessary.

AI response

If you‘re looking for a workshop series that will help you explore deep, personal themes and improve your relationships, this is the one for you. Using psychodrama, participants will be challenged to examine their own lives and beliefs, and to learn to be more spontaneous, courageous, and effective in their interactions with others. Whether you‘re single or in a relationship, this series is open to anyone and no previous group experience is necessary.

What do you think?

 

Jottings

I’ve updated my writing page and moved it to https://www.walterlogeman.com/writing

Reflecting on my work – some of it going back to 1993.

I’m not so obsessed with the internet as I was in the 1990s. I still think the psyche is created through various creative acts such as naming, writing theorising and managing the medium. The psyche evolves. I’d be happy to call it culture, zeitgeist. I think this  creativity goes beyond cyberspace. Marx created a bunch of concepts that fit. We can invent fiction and we also invent non-fiction but it has to relate to the real, to fit, to resonate. to enable.

I learned about hyperstition today

Podcast Youtube 

The K-Files: Who’s Pulling Your Strings? featuring Amy Ireland

(I will watch this https://vimeo.com/ondemand/hyperstition/167803565)

Truth is Science is Fiction.
HYPERSTITION
a film by Christopher Roth
in collaboration with Armen Avanessian

More here:

https://www.full-stop.net/2020/10/21/features/essays/macon-holt/hyperstitional-theory-fiction.

Archetypes

Hermes rules the internet – he pulls the strings – but he can’t pull them all — but no one can.

And who rules the world? Mammon?

Who is the angel of history?

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Angelus_Novus

It’s like naming a theme in a group. I concretised a discussion by drawing a line on the stage. A fine line between moaning and denial. It resonated.

Does the Angelus Novus resonate with some sort of reality?

Is “relations of production” an angel? who is that entity pulling the strings?

The meaning of INTERSTITIAL is occurring in or being an interval or intervening space or segment : of, relating to, or forming an interstice.

interstition
An interstice or interstitium; an interstitial space. Middle English. Noun. interstition. an intervening period …

  • Hyperstition
  • Superstition
  • Interstition

I heard this in the K-Files podcast as well:

  • Inspire
  • Conspire

Materialism is a description of relationships

Is a system a “thing”?

Perhaps in an approach of the social universe we can learn from Democritus and close our eyes to the actual configurations social “matter” presents to us families, factories, schools, nations, etc. Perhaps a mind not distracted by the gross facts in society will be able to discover the smallest living social unit, itself not further divisible, the social atom.

 

J.L. Moreno “Who Shall Survive?” p 291