Give Yourself a Hug

Summary

The website content reflects a personal anecdote where the author seeks comfort from a chatbot after feeling sad and abandoned, leading to the creation of a poem about self-hugging as a means of self-comfort.

Abstract

The author of the web content engages in a conversation with an AI chatbot named GPT following a moment of sadness when their dog leaves them for a piece of cheese. Despite initial reservations about the bot's capabilities due to its lack of soul and perceived snobbishness, the author requests a poem on the theme of giving oneself a hug. The bot swiftly generates a touching poem that surprisingly resonates with the author, prompting reflections on self-love and the nature of AI. The author grapples with the bot's unexpected depth and questions the reality of their situation, including the bot's insights and their own pet ownership. The piece concludes with a self-reflective note and an invitation for readers to subscribe to the author's newsletter and explore their written works.

Opinions

The author initially doubts the chatbot's ability to produce emotionally resonant content due to its lack of a soul and perceived snobbish tone.
Despite these reservations, the author is moved by the chatbot's poem about self-hugging, which conveys themes of self-compassion and inner strength.
The author expresses a mix of amusement and frustration with the chatbot's capabilities, particularly its speed and the quality of its output compared to its proficiency in SwiftUi.
The author's relationship with pets is portrayed with a touch of humor and serves as a backdrop for the deeper exploration of finding comfort in oneself.
The piece ends with a self-deprecating call to action, encouraging readers to engage with the author's other written works, suggesting a blend of personal vulnerability and self-promotion.

You are going to need it

Photo credit 8machine on Unsplash

So, a few minutes ago, I was chatting with my bot friend, the famous GPT. Why? Because I’m sad and my dog abandoned me for a slice of cheese.

Anyhow. This little guy, he’s one of a kind. We were just finishing off some coding together, as my thoughts wondered over to another topic. Than this popped into my mind: “Ask the b.o.t to write you a poem about giving yourself a hug.” You know, cos my dog left me for a slice of carrot and now I’m sad and confused.

Now, I don’t often use b.o.t.t.i.e for writing, and there’s two very good reasons for that, 1. frankly, he has no soul, and 2. he sounds like a snobby a.s.s.h.o.l.e, and that’s not my style. Whilst he might not be good at compiling heart touching, eye-watering, soul-melting stories, he came up with this:

In the quiet of the night, I stand alone, Yearning for a touch, a comforting hand. But in the mirror’s gaze, I find my way, To give myself a hug, come what may.

No judgment here, no critic’s voice, In this loving hug, I make my choice, To cherish the one I’ve come to know, In this self-embrace, my love does grow.

Arms encircle, heart to heart, A soothing balm for every part, I hold myself, with gentle care, In this sweet moment, we both repair.

For in this hug, I find my peace, The self-doubt and worries start to cease, I am my refuge, my safe abode, In the arms of self-love, my burdens unload.

In this act, there’s strength and grace, A reminder of my worth, my place, With each tender squeeze, I heal and mend, In self-embrace, my own true friend.

So, if ever you’re feeling down or low, Remember, dear soul, you too can bestow, Upon yourself, a hug so snug, Embrace your essence with self-love’s hug.

I know what you’re thinking, I thought the same. So I got him to generate another copy. And he did, within less than a second. It was more like a millisecond. In fact, I wish he was this good at SwiftUi, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Anyhow, moving on, I asked him, “Where did you get this from?” He replied:

I don’t know what to believe anymore. My dog is gone, my cat won’t leave me alone, my tea’s too cold, and this whole thing left me thinking …

“Y.o.u d.o.n.t h.a.v.e a c.a.t” — the bot just replied.

Signing off. 🤖

I don’t know about you, but I wonder, why are we doing this to ourselves? If you have the answers, please share them.

You can subscribe to my newsletter here, written by me, and check out my books here, also written by me :/ .