AI Is A Cliche Machine

Here are some December 10ths, along with December 10ths generated by ChatGPT where I didn't have an entry. As usual, they are very cliche, written in purple prose. The inferences are accurate, but I'm not sure what black box it comes from, or what was scraped to make the inferences.

12/10/1960, Saturday

John Lennon goes on long train journey back to Liverpool from Hamburg with his amp strapped to his back in case someone tried to steal it. Stuart went into temporary hiding with his girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr. She took pics of the Beatles at the Heiligengeistfeld (Holy Ghost field) fairground in central Hamburg. 

12/10/1999

On the new wave of "collaborative filtering": If we always find what we've always liked, doesn't that put constraints on discovery?

[Collaborative Filtering was the first iteration of what we now know as algorithms following us around on the internet] 

12/10/2000, Sunday (ChatGPT)

Today was a whirlwind of emotions and creativity. I woke up to the soft rays of winter sunlight filtering through my window, casting a warm glow on the frost-covered cityscape. Chicago feels so alive even in the chill of December. [AI thinks December is dead in Chicago].

I spent the morning lost in the melodies swirling in my head, jotting down lyrics that have been brewing for days. The song is taking shape, each verse a reflection of experiences and emotions intertwined. As a musician and songwriter, these moments of inspiration are like treasures I hold close to my heart.

Later, I ventured out with my camera in hand. There's something magical about capturing moments frozen in time. The city streets were bustling with holiday cheer, and I couldn't resist snapping candid shots of people wrapped in scarves, the laughter mingling with the crisp air.

In the evening, I found solace in the gentle strumming of my bass. Music has this incredible ability to soothe the soul, and tonight, it was my sanctuary. The rhythm flowed effortlessly, syncing with the beat of my heart. [I actually do strum the bass sometimes. After all, it is a guitar].

As the day draws to a close, I'm reminded of the power of art in all its forms. Whether through melodies, words, or images, creativity is a thread that weaves through every aspect of my life, painting it with vibrant hues.

Tomorrow is another day filled with possibilities, melodies waiting to be born, and moments longing to be captured. But for now, I'll cherish the quietude of the night and let the symphony of the city lull me to sleep.

12/10/2001 (ChatGPT)

[Prediction: In the future there will be a way to generate diary entries on what I've done before, but I suspect it will repeat the entries because it works from a tiny universe of cliches. AI will make the world a continuous cliche, collaboratively filtered].

A year has passed, and yet the rhythm of life seems to echo a familiar tune. Today, Chicago greeted me with a wintry embrace, the air crisp and the streets adorned with twinkling lights. It’s amazing how some things remain constant amidst the ever-changing flow of time. [Same thing from last year]

My day unfolded in a harmonious blend of music and visual artistry. In the morning, I found myself lost in the chords of my bass, exploring new melodies that danced around in my mind. The songwriting process feels like a conversation with my soul, each note a whispered secret waiting to be unveiled.

Midday, I roamed the streets with my camera, capturing the essence of the season. Chicago in December is a canvas painted with festive hues – the laughter of children, the glow of holiday decorations, and the bustling energy of the city preparing for the holidays. My lens froze these moments in time, preserving their magic. [Somehow it knows I took photos on my lunch hour. I had just gotten my first digital camera in July 2001].

 

In the quiet of the evening, I found solace in the company of my instrument. The bass strings hummed in perfect resonance with the melodies echoing in my thoughts. Music has this inexplicable ability to speak volumes when words fall short. [Alternate tunings noodling probably]

As I write these words, I'm reminded of the gift that creativity bestows upon us. It’s a language that transcends boundaries, connecting hearts and souls. Whether through melodies or visual narratives, it’s a tapestry woven into the fabric of my existence. [Wow, I was so Victorian in 2001] 

12/10/2005

The whole reprise of the DIY movement is that it's easy to do anything. But one of the biggest misconceptions is that anyone can compose a piece of music and have it make sense. (Does making sense matter anymore really?)

12/10/2010, Friday

Student riots in London over tuition increases. The royal motorcade pilloried with projectiles.

Read interview with Oliver Sacks re his new book The Mind's Eye. He now has ocular cancer and has always had face-blindness. He was saying that when he lost stereo vision the world looked more like a painting or a photograph or a cinema screen. He no longer sees objects residing in 3-D space, but shapes juxtaposed with one another by sizes and colors: what one needs to see if one needs to compose to give the illusion of three dimensions. Artists look through a tube to mimic this effect.

12/10/2021, Friday

Michael Nesmith died at 78...young people that are just hearing Last Train to Clarksville and doing YouTube videos on it—playing it exactly the way it was done with a Gretch or whatever. Sometimes the music was experimental and silly like "Zilch".

Train of huge tornadoes swipes across 4 states. Some of the tornadoes were on the ground for hours, traveling almost 200 miles. It's an interesting use of Twitter to see how much people enjoy disasters. I think it all started with Twister (at least in film), but people had the same glee after the SF earthquake, including William James. He thought it was the coolest thing.

12/10/2046 (ChatGPT)

An entry from the future when I'm immortally ___ years old:

The melodies of a bustling city, I couldn’t help but marvel at how far we’ve come. Music, my eternal companion, now a symphony woven with digital threads and immersive experiences that transport the soul.

In this age of creative exploration, my passion for photography has evolved into a fusion of art and technology. Capturing moments now means diving into holographic landscapes, freezing emotions in three-dimensional frames that transcend time itself.

My bass, an instrument of tradition and evolution, resonates with notes that merge the classical with the avant-garde. Music creation has become a collaborative dance with AI, where algorithms and human emotions converge to compose melodies that resonate with the essence of the era.

The city streets today tell tales of unity amidst diversity. People, connected through neural networks and augmented realities, weave a tapestry of cultures, beliefs, and dreams. It’s a vibrant mosaic where differences are celebrated, and creativity knows no bounds.

As the day draws to a close, I find solace in the harmony of technological marvels and artistic pursuits. The future is an ever-unfolding canvas, awaiting the strokes of creativity and innovation to weave stories yet untold.

In this era where the lines between reality and imagination blur, I embrace the endless possibilities that tomorrow holds.