Chat GPT: It’s an aging woman
If you’ve spent a few decades on this planet, chances are you find yourself fighting a few unpleasant things. No, I don’t mean #dementia and arthritis.
The perception that people with gray hair are irrelevant, that we somehow deserve to be separated from the society of young, vibrant, impulsive people who love the bright lights and noise of cities. Those who believe this would rather we just move into Sun City with the other #50+ folks, play dominoes, golf, and stay away from the restaurants and bars they like to play in.
This idea that if we MUST be old, than we should strive daily to look like we aren’t. Erase those #wrinkles! Fight that flab! Cover those #age spots and smooth that crepey skin! (There’s an informercial on a cable channel right now that goes on for at least two full minutes about a miraculous creme in a jar that will make your arms look 20 years younger. Thought about linking to it here, but that would defeat the whole purpose of this post, now wouldn’t it?)
Youngsters’ beliefs that we aren’t as sharp as we used to be. Even The Economist spouted a story about how people over 50 don’t innovate using a single indicator (the number of patents filed by age group) to support its claim that older folks just don’t come up with new ideas. Wish I had the energy and time to research this and self-importantly show how wrong the author was; there are a few well-known older researchers and artists and singers and technologists I can recall, but not an exhaustive list. And there’s the reality that many patents aren’t for real innovation; the pharmaceutical industry, for one, tends to reconfigure medications so as to keep patents on brand names and charge more for their products. So, #Economist, maybe have older people write about older people, for a change.
Now I’m getting off-topic, because what I want to showcase is a story ChatGPT wrote for me this morning when I asked it to write something about an older woman feeling useless and worthless because she is old.
Here’s its story:
Once upon a time, in a bustling city called Evermore, there lived a woman named Evelyn. She was a remarkable individual who had just celebrated her 60th birthday. Evelyn possessed a radiant charm that captivated everyone she met. Her laughter echoed through the streets, and her sparkling blue eyes were full of life. Despite her enchanting presence, Evelyn struggled with one thing she couldn’t quite embrace: the natural process of aging.
Evelyn had achieved immense success throughout her life. As a young woman, she had ventured into the world of fashion, where her talent for design flourished. Her creations graced the runways of Paris, Milan, and New York, earning her accolades and admiration from the industry’s elite. She became a symbol of elegance and style, and her name became synonymous with fashion-forward innovation.
As the years went by, Evelyn’s reputation only grew. She established her own fashion empire, leading a team of talented designers and transforming her label into a global phenomenon. Despite her professional accomplishments, Evelyn couldn’t help but notice the subtle signs of aging — fine lines etching across her face and a few strands of silver mingling with her golden tresses.
Evelyn despised the mirror, for it reflected a truth she was unwilling to accept. She saw wrinkles and age spots, reminders that time was passing relentlessly. Society’s obsession with youth added to her frustrations. Everywhere she turned, she encountered images of young models and messages promoting the pursuit of eternal youth. It seemed as if the world around her celebrated youth while overlooking the wisdom and beauty that come with age.
One day, while attending a fashion event, Evelyn met a wise old woman named Grace. Grace was known for her remarkable gracefulness and serene demeanor. Intrigued by Evelyn’s vibrant energy, Grace struck up a conversation. As they spoke, Evelyn shared her struggles with aging, expressing her frustration and discontent.
Grace listened attentively, her eyes sparkling with understanding. She spoke gently, her voice carrying the wisdom of years. “Dear Evelyn,” she said, “aging is a gift, not a curse. It’s a testament to the experiences we’ve had, the battles we’ve fought, and the lessons we’ve learned. It’s a reminder that life is a precious journey, and each wrinkle tells a story.”
Her words struck a chord within Evelyn. She began to see aging from a new perspective, realizing that her worth and beauty extended far beyond external appearances. With Grace’s guidance, Evelyn embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery.
She started embracing her age with pride, celebrating the wisdom and grace it brought. Evelyn became a role model for women of all generations, advocating for self-acceptance and encouraging others to cherish their unique journeys. She launched a campaign called “Ageless Elegance,” showcasing mature models and shattering the narrow perception of beauty perpetuated by the fashion industry.
Through her campaign and her own radiant presence, Evelyn inspired countless women to love themselves as they were, at any age. Her message spread far and wide, empowering women to redefine society’s standards and embrace the beauty that comes with the passage of time.
As the years went by, Evelyn’s fashion empire continued to thrive. She dedicated her resources and influence to supporting causes that uplifted women and promoted inclusivity. Evelyn’s impact on the world was immeasurable, and her legacy as a beautiful, successful woman who defied societal expectations remained etched in the hearts of many.
And so, Evelyn’s story serves as a reminder that true beauty transcends age. It resides in the depth of our experiences, the compassion we share, and the love we extend to ourselves and others.
OK, so a writer of literature would say this is a bit bland, pedantic even; that’s how folks who love writing and reading can tell ChatGPT-written pieces from those of living humans. And its assumption that this woman would be white, blond (if graying), and blue-eyed reveals a lot about the LLM tendency to reflect what we say and read in general online.
But in its simplistic way, the AI got to the heart of what it feels like to age in #America. Watch any commercial TV broadcast; unless you’re on a cable channel known for its older demo, you’ll see a lot of people who could be your kids or grandkids using products you buy every week, but not that many grey-haired folks moving, playing, dancing, laughing in any context other than for one of the aforementioned pharmaceutical products for something gastroenterological. Or an anti-depressant, which is SO on-brand.
Read any mainstream media outlet, like the New York Times or Washington Post; do a Google image search for someone in your profession; most importantly, look up jobs in your field. What you’ll find is a propensity for focusing on Gen X or Gen Z or Millennials, almost all of whom talk about “age” in the context of being 30, or 40, and feeling sluggish, achy, tired.
We just don’t celebrate age. Hell, we don’t even take care of people as they age. No one complains about that until they get old and become irrelevant, of course, and then the rest of the country stops listening to us (unless we’re a certain Presidential candidate who shall remain nameless — actually, two of them).
Some cultures do respect, value, and appreciate their older citizens. HuffPo writes about Greece, Korea, China and India having cultures that look up to those of use who’ve been around and seen some things, and points out that certain cultures right here within America have a history of venerating their elders; Native Americans do so, as does the Black community. (These are generalizations, of course.)
Science has shown older folks are better strategic thinkers, too, likely because we’ve been in society and on earth so long we see the patterns, the likely results of behavior that may seem to bring short-term gains but has likely long-term risks. And our vocabularies grow as our verbal reasoning strength does, too.
Still, here I sit (bad for me) writing about my own aging (self-referential, not objective, social desirability bias and confirmation bias extant) and not feeling all that much better for bitching about something none of us can stop: the invariable deterioration of the body as the years accumulate.
Happy Wednesday.
