ChatGPT as a Straussian Writing Tool

A joint effort with ChatGPT

Sometimes writers want to be as clear as possible, but sometimes they want to be more oblique. Instead of writing ordinary prose, they may write poetry so that the message is stylistically obscured. Or they write a dialog so that their actual beliefs are unknown. Or they may write metaphorically so that the actual message is left unstated.

Poetry is difficult to write but now you can just ask ChatGPT to generate it for you from your notes. If you give it a detailed enough prompt it will produce a poem mostly as intended. And readers won’t know exactly which details were from you, as long as you don’t reveal your prompt.

In the realm where verses are tough to sow, seek ChatGPT's aid and let your notions grow. Offer it a prompt, rich in detail's sheen, it crafts a poem as if from a dream. No mortal knows what seeds of thought you gave, a secret adds allure to the verses brave. Yet hidden in obscurity's dance, each word embodies your veiled advance. Fear not to unleash your silent song, for in this dance, you truly belong.

Many people would find it difficult to present both views of a dialog convincingly, but ChatGPT can provide feedback on the actual arguments. This can help you obscure who in your dialog you side with, if anyone. And since writing helps refine your ideas, better to get feedback before you even publish them.

Person A: You know, presenting different viewpoints convincingly in writing is tough. I've been exploring this AI model, ChatGPT, to help with that. It can provide feedback on your arguments, helping to refine them before publication.

Person B: Interesting. But wouldn't an AI just dilute the human element?

Person A: Not exactly. Think of it as a bias-free test reader. It's useful when you're unsure of your stance in a debate or when you need to mask your own viewpoint for the integrity of the story or article.

Person B: Ah, so it aids in separating our beliefs from our characters. That could be a valuable tool for writers.

ChatGPT isn’t great at generating original analogies or in subtly implying ideas within a story. This may require a level of abstract understanding that doesn’t easily emerge from a text prediction system. But it’s still useful as a brainstorming tool - encounter enough mediocre suggestions and you may think of an actually good analogy. Analogies themselves are often a key tool for new ideas and it is truly original ideas that may need to be left unstated.

Using ChatGPT is like panning for gold in a river of sand. At times, it might feel tedious and overwhelming, like you're sifting through countless grains of unremarkable sediment. Most of what you find might not seem immediately valuable. But the more you sift, the better your chances of unearthing a few precious flakes of gold. Even if the river isn't rich with nuggets, the process of searching and examining can hone your keen eye, inspire you to think in different ways, and eventually lead you to the treasure you seek.