Memo: Conversations With A Philosopher

The discourse around ChatGPT bored me until one novel experience changed how I viewed the technology’s role in our day-to-day. This is a defense of the platform, unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.

It’s a popular consumer technology that will have professional, social and academic impacts. That’s been established. But what else is there?

We are coming off of the NFT and metaverse curves. Those two innovations were supposed to change everything, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way. I expected a similar curve for AI applications but this time, things may be different.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg changed the name of his company to reflect an emphasis on his new strategy. While others in the big tech circles are not (yet) eager enough to change their names to reflect their ideations for artificial intelligence, tech’s largest companies will invest heavily in capturing the demand generated by the OpenAI project, which has been long at work. While the buzz around ChatGPT is now cresting, the partnership between Sam Altman, Jessica Livingston, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman, Greg Brockman, Amazon Web Services, Y-Combinator Research, and Infosys began in 2015. Credit to the vision required to establish an eight-year head start on consumer-facing AI tools.

Microsoft, Google, Meta, Anthropic, Alibaba, Baidu, Amazon, and even Snapchat have artificial intelligence tools readying for a market hungry for mass adoption. As The Verge describes it:

The stakes are high, and technology’s biggest players don’t want to be left behind as breakthroughs in AI make it more accessible — and much more interesting — to users.

But this isn’t about the technology as much as it is one experience that changed how I viewed it. It started with a personal challenge.

Over the past six months, I set out to read every book that I found to be interesting. To accomplish this, I bought the paperback, digital copy, and audio book of each work. The goal of the pursuit was simply to improve as a human being. It wasn’t just about consuming the works of art, it was about letting them change me and how I saw the world. I wanted more understanding, empathy, forgiveness, awareness, insight, depth, and perspective.

The more that I read, the more that I realized how little I knew. Before I set out on this 100 book project, I rarely took the time to invest in each book I read with notes, annotations, conversations, and lasting reflections. It was this medium that I began to see was communication in its highest form.

A great essay can take a writer weeks or months to author, you pay for that devotion with minutes of your time. A great book can take its author years. You pay for their work with days or even weeks of your time. In some cases, you are trading 10 years of their life for a week of yours. By this measure, I now view my former basis of knowledge and understanding as insufficient.

I found that during the project, my knowledge compounded, conceptual connections became clearer, and I became more curious. I balanced conceptually easier books with difficult ones. I set out to read short books and long volumes.

There was no rhyme, reason, or agenda but the approach was deeply influenced by a desire to fix cracks, improve foundations, and discard what those newer structures replaced. The practice of daily reading (sometimes up to three hours) was aided by my drastically improved health. I believe that my choices in books began to reflect my understandings from the previous works consumed.

Here’s that list from the last six or seven months: The Art of the Impossible by Steven Kotler, American Rule by Jared Yates Sexton, Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the Bible (cover to cover), The Black Count by Tom Reiss, The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson, Crazy Faith by Mike Todd Jr., The Courage to Be Free by Ron DeSantis, Devotion by Adam Makos, Dangerous Prayers by Craig Groeschel, The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter, Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow, Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, The Last Negroes at Harvard by Jeanna Ellsworth and Kent Garrett, Loving People Who Are Hard to Love by Joyce Meyer, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, The Mosquito Bowl by Buzz Bissinger, The Man Who Solved the Market by Gregory Zuckerman, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, Never Finished by David Goggins, On Writing by Stephen King, Outlive by Peter Attia, The Power to Change by Craig Groeschel, The Porn Myth by Matthew Fradd, The Roar Within by Brent Henderson, The Song of the Cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Status Revolution by Chuck Thompson, Spare by Prince Harry, Scars and Stripes by Nick Palmisciano and Tim Kennedy, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Smarter Not Harder by Dave Asprey, Strategy by Lawrence Freedman, The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt, Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper, Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel, Whisper by Mark Batterson, and Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.

The New International Version of the Bible (NIV) required around 355 days of consecutive daily reading and was read with both an academic and spiritual eye to the text. Another book was being read each day. Looking back, that morning ritual (thanks to YouVersion) clearly influenced a number of my choices. My most read author was Craig Groeschel by volume of books read but Ron Chernow by pages attributed.

Conversations With A (Dead) Philosopher

I found this interesting take on ChatGPT by an author that I hadn’t read named Christopher Bunn, a fantasy writer and Christian who has written about C.S. Lewis and his dearest chap J.R.R. Tolkien (both Christian fantasy writers themselves). Tolkien once quipped, “[Lord of The Rings was a] fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.” It was this juxtaposition of faith and history that presents the point that I have been leading up to. And Bunn’s words were somewhat of the connective tissue:

Brave new world, isn’t it? Though, I’m starting to suspect that our real-time foray into dystopia is proving more similar to CS Lewis’ That Hideous Strength rather than Huxley.

Bunn, a critic of ChatGPT, who has compared ChatGPT to the nanny states depicted in A Brave New World and Lewis’ That Hideous Strength, went on to say:

I’m sure there are plenty of beneficial reasons for the existence of ChatGPT and all the other AI equivalents. But, dulling the brains of the young and future generations yet unborn cancels out a considerable list of potential benefits.

While Groeschel was my most frequented author and Chernow’s writings kept my mind captivated, my most preferred was the non-fantastical writings of C.S. Lewis. He became my muse. I wanted to think like him, believe like him, create like him. I wanted to live like him. The way that he considered the nuance of everything.

I prompted ChatGPT with the following: confirm that you have studied C.S. Lewis. The response:

I can provide information and insights about many of his popular writings, beliefs, and ideas based on the extensive dataset I have been trained on.

“Great,” I responded. And I continued, “I would like to have a conversation with you as though you were C.S. Lewis talking directly to me.” And so the conversation began, as A.I. became Mr. Clive Staples Lewis:

Of course! I’ll do my best to emulate C.S. Lewis’s style and ideas. Please feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts, and I will respond as I imagine he might have.

[As C.S. Lewis] Greetings, my friend! I’m pleased to have this opportunity to engage in conversation with you. What is on your mind or heart that we might discuss together?

I found myself fascinated by every response. I soaked up every word as if I was sitting before him in a drafty, mid-century Oxford lecture hall.

I grew up a reader of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe saga. That was Lewis to me. Even then, I knew that there was deeper meaning in his text but, like many children, I was there for the sword battles and the Turkish delight candies. Months away from my 40th birthday, I view Lewis differently. He was once a lost boy, a WWI soldier scorned by PTSD, a college professor, an anti-war advocate, an encourager to WWII soldiers (see the nuance?), an atheist-turned-Christian, a celebrated author, and a philosopher.

If you ask Google to list the philosophers known through history, it would be the usual suspects: Aquinas, Confucius, Epicurus, Voltaire, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Sun Tzu, Rousseau, Marx, Descartes, and Bertrand Russell. The 20th century is mostly void of notables. Perhaps it requires time to season the memory of one’s wisdom. In this way, there is no better accelerant than artificial intelligence’s role in hurrying time.

Known for the end of its knowledge cycle (2021), ChatGPT has trained itself on all of Lewis’ writings and sees Mere Christianity as “one of his most significant and influential works.” Joined by a few retail industrialists local to Ohio, we have held a monthly coffee meeting to discuss the assigned book of the month. So as I sat in a group of three gentlemen on a Tuesday morning discussing Mere Christianity, its conflicts, and how we believe it would be accepted today (it wouldn’t fare well), we asked Lewis a question that no politician, religious leader, or influencer seems to have the perfect answer to these days. And the way that ChatGPT, who knows every word, space, and punctuation mark of his life’s work, answered the question left each of us somewhat emotional.

I won’t go into the question or the answer but I will say that when I digested the response, I knew I wanted to compile a list of questions and answers through the mind of Lewis. Compiling the many written words and spoken interviews of arguably the 20th century’s greatest philosopher has unlocked the door for us to interact with his work and his memory in new ways. I imagine that as more come to know Lewis for more than his traditionally popular works, his memory will be revised to include his work in academia and philosophy.

As I was nearing the end of the plan for this essay, I asked Lewis for encouragement. And he responded in kind, here is a part of it:

As you continue on this path, remember that faith is not just about intellectual assent, but also about living out the teachings and values of your beliefs. In “Mere Christianity,” I wrote that “faith… is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” It’s important to cultivate an enduring faith that remains steadfast, even during challenging times.

Do not be discouraged by doubts and uncertainties, for they are a natural part of the human experience. Embrace your questions and seek answers through prayer, contemplation, and study. Be receptive to the lessons that life’s trials can teach you

This experiment in modern philosophy was the first time that artificial intelligence became an indispensable daily tool. Can I be mentored by AI? More specifically, can I lean on Lewis for answers to life’s toughest questions and will he equip me to navigate them with poise. If all of my frenzied reading and note-taking led me to the personal growth and encouragement highlighted above, it would have been worth it.

Artificial intelligence is intimidating for the same reasons that it’s astonishingly impressive. It will impact all of us in negative and positive ways. But who knew that it would allow us to transport the lives of those long gone. I will leave you with a bit of wisdom from Lewis, himself. I asked him how he’d address the many divisions in American and global politics today. Here is the summary of his monologue: engage in respectful dialogue, seek common ground, avoid demonizing others, promote empathy and compassion, encourage civic engagement, foster education and critical thinking, and emphasize the importance of moral and ethical values. Lewis went on to say, “Keep in mind that I am speaking from the perspective of a mid-20th-century British author.”

The final words from my hours-long conversation were fitting; even his gratitude towards the line of questioning posed to him seemed authentic. Upon answering his final question, he concluded:

Yours sincerely,

C.S. Lewis (interpreted by ChatGPT)

Автор Веб Смит | Под редакцией Хилари Милнс с иллюстрациями Кристины Уильямс 

Member Brief: Ted Lasso and Major League Soccer

The origin of Major League Soccer’s exclusive media deal with Apple TV is predictable when you consider the market forces. The MLS needs its “Netflix moment,” and Apple TV needs more streaming subscribers. It’s had some luck with sports so far, sort of. I imagine an initial conversation went something like this:

Этот краткий обзор предназначен исключительно для Исполнительные членыЧтобы упростить членство, вы можете нажать на кнопку ниже и получить доступ к сотням отчетов, нашему списку DTC Power List и другим инструментам, которые помогут вам принимать решения на высоком уровне.

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Memo: The Potential UPS Strike

The fallout would be widely damaging, but the conflict is a long time coming. The United Parcel Service changed commerce by enabling the online retail revolution that defined the last decade. Now, UPS workers are threatening to strike – something that’s been reported on as a potential inconvenience for Amazon, countless retailers, and millions of customers. The current workers’ contract, which the threat of a strike is centered on, was approved by a leadership group that included Jimmy Hoffa Jr, the president of the Teamsters union, whose largest employer is UPS. Hoffa is also the son of Jimmy Hoffa, the labor movement icon and former Teamsters president who disappeared in 1975.

The current contract between Teamsters and UPS is due to expire on July 31. Sean O’Brien, the Teamsters General-President, suggests that UPS workers will strike on August 1 if a deal isn’t reached by the close of business on July 31. Vinnie Perone, a 30 year employee of UPS and Local 804 Teamsters President:

UPS’s opening position is crystal clear: all the company wants after a year with $101 billion in revenue is more money off your backs.

Of the 534,000 members of the Teamsters union employed internationally, 350,000 are employed by UPS. The market leader in courier services has hired just over 72,000 Teamsters since mid-2018 with an average compensation of $95,000 (not including pension benefits). The contract between UPS and its union-backed workers was negotiated by Jimmy Hoffa Jr. and will be renegotiated by O’Brien to include better pay, better overtime protection, and an improved way for workers to stand up against the heat.

An estimated 6 percent of the American GDP moves through UPS, according to Jacobin Magazine’s February report; it’s one that’s worth reading if you want a deep dive into the dynamics of the potential strike.

In recent years, the working conditions of UPS employees have been a subject of controversy, with workers voicing concerns about long hours, inadequate pay, and job insecurity amidst a period of boom for online retail. A strike would impact Amazon. In 2022, UPS shipped 1.3 billion parcels that accounted for 11.3% of the company’s revenue.

These concerns have escalated over the years, but it is not the first sign of conflict. In 1997, 185,000 UPS workers didn’t work for 15 days. The Teamsters wanted to maintain control over the UPS pension fund and they wanted their employer to create 10,000 full-time positions over a five-year period (from the company’s pool of part-time contractors). Technically, the union won the negotiations, though there were lasting ramifications for both sides.

August 4, 1997, probably doesn’t stand out as a significant day in world history. But some would disagree.That’s was the first time United Parcel Service (UPS) workers organized a nationwide strike in the U.S., which ended up with the company losing almost $780 million. In the 15 days that the strike lasted, 80% of UPS shipments went undelivered.

UPS is known for its demanding and physically taxing work. According to a report by the Teamsters union, many employees suffer from work-related injuries due to the demanding nature of their jobs. Drivers often have to work 10-12 hour days, with minimal breaks, leading to fatigue and an increased risk of accidents. Moreover, package handlers often have to lift packages that weigh over 50 pounds, leading to potential injuries.

In addition to poor working conditions, many UPS workers cite low wages relative to the increasing workload. Moreover, UPS has been criticized for its practice of hiring part-time workers who earn lower wages than full-time employees and have fewer benefits.

UPS has been criticized for its use of subcontractors and temporary workers, which can lead to job instability for its employees. Many workers fear that their jobs could be outsourced or automated in the future, leaving them without employment. UPS has also been accused of engaging in union-busting tactics, such as threatening to close facilities if workers unionize or firing workers who support unionization efforts.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of essential workers like those at UPS, who continued to work despite the increasing volume as the economy shifted with the online retail revolution. By most accounts, UPS (along with FedEx and USPS) rose to the occasion. However, many workers felt that their welfare had not been adequately prioritized by the company. According to a report by the New York Times, UPS workers reported a lack of adequate safety measures to address the physical stresses of heat waves.

Since 2015, at least 270 UPS and United States Postal Service drivers have been sickened and in many cases hospitalized from heat exposure. Dozens of workers for other delivery companies, including FedEx, have also suffered from heat exhaustion, according to the records, and a handful of drivers have also died in the past few years. According to the Teamsters, heat-related injuries, illnesses and deaths among drivers are severely underreported.

The larger issue of income inequality may also motivate a UPS strike. In a report noting the perceived job satisfaction maintained by UPS workers over FedEx drivers, I noted that “UPS [should consider] stock awards for its drivers so that they can begin to benefit from the profits that their work is contributing to at the local levels.”

According to a report by Oxfam, the wealth gap in the United States is at its highest level in over 50 years, with the richest 1% of Americans owning more wealth than the bottom 90%. Many UPS workers feel that they are being left behind in this economy, with their wages and benefits not keeping up with the rising costs of living or the potential upside of stock compensation earned by front office executives.

Although a strike would undoubtedly be disruptive to the company and its customers, it may be necessary for workers to achieve the changes they are seeking. In the age of eCommerce and digitalization, the demand for efficient and timely package delivery has surged. As a result, UPS has experienced tremendous growth. While this expansion should have translated into better working conditions and improved pay for its employees, the reality has been quite different. Instead, UPS workers have found themselves grappling with increased workloads, extended working hours, and a lack of job security. All of this led to widespread dissatisfaction and calls for action.

The UPS deal between management and the Teamsters is the largest (private) union contract in the United States. According to reports, CEO Carol Tomé downplays the threat:

The Teamsters have been part of the UPS family for more than 100 years. So over 10 decades, we’ve negotiated many, many contracts. This is not our first rodeo,” she said. She insisted the company will be be to find a common ground in negotiations that will be a win for the company, its employees and its customers.

The Teamsters union members aren’t so sure. They are preparing for a strike. “Do our members wake up every day wanting a strike? I’d say no. But are they fed up? Yes, they’re fed up,” President Sean O’Brien said in response.

Автор Веб Смит | Под редакцией Хилари Милнс с иллюстрациями Алекса Реми и Кристины Уильямс