“I’m using ChatGPT to write bedtime stories for my son Lukas now.
Defining the details and the morals that I want the stories to convey.”
Alex Fraim – 10/2/23
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Is AI Really that Monster in the Misty Mountains?
John Fraim
Today, towards the end of 2023, AI has become a scary word for many as many are worried that it will take over the world. What, though, if it has much gentler purposes such as taking over the creation of bedtime stories and fairytales that parents can tell their children to convey morals, ideas and feelings to them in new ways?
The below story titled “Lukas and the Monster of the Misty Mountains” is an attempt to do just this by my son Alex using the AI program ChatGPT to write a “bedtime” story for his six year old son Lukas. I copied the story words into the film program on my MacBook Pro, putting the words of the story on placards based around paragraphs of the story. The story stops as Lukas confronts the monster in paragraph 6 which starts with “Fear gripped Lukas …” with the note To be Continued.
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All of this so far is simply a quick test of the concept of writing modern bedtime fairytales using ChatGPT and a way to show others this idea for their input. There are several things that could be changed to make the story more exciting.
For one, I used Google image search to pull in the images (except for the two I have of Lukas and my son Chris reading to Lukas). Much more effective would be to use an AI program to pull in the images rather than Google image search. There are many of these programs today and the first place to look might be on the Top AI Tools website.
Another change might be in adding narration of the story rather than putting the words on placards. With words read on a voice-over, images can go with them, and the reader is not faced with slowing down the story by reading a number of words against a black space.
An additional change might be in asking AI programs to write the music for the story. Here, I used parts of Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev’s famous Peter and the Wolf. Peter and the Wolf Op. 67, is a “symphonic fairy tale for children,” written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The narrator tells a children’s story, while the orchestra illustrates it by using different instruments to play a “theme” that represents each character in the story. It is Prokofiev’s most frequently performed work and one of the most frequently performed works in the entire classical repertoire. However, in the above video, it is chopped up much more than I would want it to be but seems appropriate in many ways for background music of the story. AI music might do a much better job at this than me.
Just a few thoughts on a new type of use for that “scary monster with red eyes” most adults see today as AI. Maybe it somewhat like that monster that Lukas confronts when he goes on his brave journey to save his village.
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Right now, these are little more than thoughts started by the email from my oldest son Alex about a potential use for AI. Outside the destruction and rule of the world like the theme of the new film The Creator and it’s setting a few hundred years in the future. (After viewing review of film here).
The film offers the extremely negative result of the current AI revolution leading a new tech paradigm. A new field of technology related to learning and thinking. Who will be the new Elon Musk, Zuckerburg, Belos, Gates or Sergei Brin and Jeff Page. Of course, Steve Jobs always in the background and more of a medium than anything else. The subliminal connection to someone like Jobs and his computers and technology in my life. Like an ever-present soft elevator music everywhere like smells of strong night flowers in the wind. The smells of the flowers around my mother’s home in Palm Desert through the years.
The current leading technology firms in the world. All electronic communication is now controlled by the company that sells the leading AI system and has either bought all the competitors and knocked them out of the AI business. A ruthless new battle for the AI industry with the major tech companies of today somewhat like the other car companies around the time Henry Ford built his first car. They all merged. Somewhat like all the smaller railroads when Huntington created one great railroad that bought all the small lines up. In the same way all the media outlets are continually consolidated into fewer and fewer.
My guess what the theme of tomorrow’s blockbuster of the season (perhaps the year or decade). There are raves everywhere about its spectacular visual effects from The Hollywood Reporter or Variety. The script somewhat questionable but believable, since this far in the future leaves lots of questions the audience tends to give a pass to.
In this world, AI has taken over and a person called The Creator controls most all the AI on the planet. The Creator uses AI most effectively to increase power over the populace. A few decide to revolt against this.
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One should see that the medium the Hollywood elite see the future of AI as a method of control rather than of freedom. There has been a huge revolution and AI will take over the world someday. Such if the firm belief of those few who rule over the millions in the nation. Politicians and the grand media of the day. The Netflix Series philosophy of distributing television programming today offers the possibilities of extended programming over seasons and then years.
Congressmen, senators, governors and mayors. City school board members. The city council. Ultimately, the nation’s President.
Many elected officials promote and support the fatalistic Hollywood view of what the future of AI will look like. A film like The Creator is a excellent type of cinematic growing area, a fertile environment, for growing the minds of young people. And young artists. Always different from so many of the other kids in school.
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With the above thoughts in mind, I created the short video based on Alex’s email containing the AI text of the story he created. Or co-created with ChatGP. Alex’s short post and story makes all the sense in the world to me, and I am proud he is using it in a small personal, family, way for the benefit of his son. Not trying to change the world. Control global commerce. Here, the purpose is to turn away from Hollywood scenarios about the future of AI like The Creator. Turning away from means turning inward, for exploring the depths of personality is always more insightful than just exploring the surface areas.
It is significant that Alex finds a use for AI that offers the symbol of personal freedom by incorporating the power of AI into his family. Here, a use of AI suggested that focuses away from the media propaganda about AI (as in The Creator) and inward to one’s locality in life. That is, that moment called the Present. Be Here Now. As one book said.
Alex sparks an idea in my mind. An idea from Alex’s original idea about using AI to create bedtime fairy tale stories for young children today. Alex had discussed AI with me on the Mexican cruise in August. I was impressed how much he knew about it. It was ready to take over the world Alex was arguing.
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One of the key goals of this particular use of AI would be to make a family stronger. Closer together. More connected to members of the family through online family histories and biographies. At least this was an idea fermenting in my mind about this overwhelming AI info input today. Alex’s email to me with the story crystalized the idea and gave it life for me.
Here, starting out using a bedtime story Alex has created for his son Lukas using AI. A way of relaying a message to a child using the help of AI to create something new. Modeled to one’s child. Modern fairly tales using AI created for families? This seemed such a natural extension of what Alex had sent with his story. Most importantly, using the power of AI to create stronger human bonds between people.
Perhaps the little bedtime tale to Lukas is a start. Again, that red eyed monster that Lukas sees is the government’s propaganda about our collective future. Why not create it before it arrives by media images like The Creator? Then, there will be the greatest believers in it before it even arrives. The task will be much less great for those who intend to convert us into equality and conformities. Than the task for converting us into freedom and individualities. The two symbols in a huge opposition to each other. The extreme archetypes of Jungian symbols and symbolism chashing right now to bring into existence something new. Similar to the clashing of the atoms inside an atomic bomb. As strong in a psychological way as some physical way. But this is the perspective when one sees the cycles in the context of the Masculine and Feminine archetypes
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Perhaps one of the true family things elements of using AI for family means. What the email from my son Alex should evolve into. The use of AI by parents to tell bedside stories to their children using the latest in AI word content software. The use of AI to create a new type of personal and family biography. The celebration of individuals who are heroes in the present world. Meaning they’re media icons. Perhaps some parade of them to reinforce the great idea presented by Alex.
Such a wise use for AI in the midst of this Global scare tactic from films I’m about to see like The Creator. The idea that AI might be used as an internal, family device to increase family bonding as well as spousal bonding. Might AI be used to drastically drop down current divorce rates. As I suggested, teen suicides. Bring back the possibility of a celebration of life supplied mostly by AI technology. But a focus inward towards the smallest and powerful unit of the family.
In effect, harnessing the potential of AI to bring families and kinship groups closer together and more connected to ideas of others. The ideas of their peers. Simply a connection with one’s peers. Certainly ideas within one’s immediate family. Yet always branching out from this immediate family.
The next segment of this story – it seems to me – is simply some more work to add AI images to the production as well as AI music. A piece dedicated to using AI powers to unify families. Such as novel idea. In the end, creating freedom and individualism over the planned equality of a new world.
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Lukas and the Monster of the Misty Mountains
By Alex Fraim (Using ChatGPT)
“Lukas gazed at the towering Misty Mountains in the distance.”
Lukas had grown a bit older since his adventures with the Sunshine Gun and the friendly ghosts. He was now a courageous young boy known throughout the town for his bravery and compassion. One sunny morning, as Lukas gazed at the towering Misty Mountains in the distance, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.
Rumors had spread through the town of a menacing monster that dwelled deep within the Misty Mountains. It was said to be enormous, with eyes that glowed like fiery embers and a roar that shook the earth. This creature had been causing fear and chaos among the villagers for far too long, and Lukas knew it was time to put his bravery to the test.
“Rumors had spread through the town of a menacing monster.”
With determination in his heart, Lukas decided to set out on a journey to confront the monster. He didn’t have his Sunshine Gun this time, but he carried with him the lessons of compassion and bravery that he had learned from his previous adventures. Armed only with a lantern and his unwavering spirit, he ventured into the heart of the Misty Mountains.
The path was treacherous, filled with mist so thick it seemed to swallow everything in its path. Lukas’s lantern cut through the gloom, casting eerie shadows on the towering trees and jagged rocks. The air grew colder, and the forest grew still as he neared the heart of the mountains.
“Lukas decided to set out on a journey to confront the monster.”
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the trees, and the ground shook beneath Lukas’s feet. Emerging from the mist, the monstrous creature appeared. It was even more terrifying than the tales had described, with sharp claws, scales like armor, and those fiery eyes that glared at Lukas.
Fear gripped Lukas for a moment, but he remembered the lessons of compassion and bravery. He knew that violence was not the answer. Instead, he took a step forward, held out his lantern, and spoke with a firm but kind voice, “I know you’re scared and angry, but I won’t hurt you. What’s troubling you?”
To Lukas’s surprise, the monstrous creature paused, its fiery eyes filled with a mixture of anger and sadness. Slowly, it began to speak, revealing a story of loneliness and isolation. The creature had been misunderstood and feared by the villagers for years, and it had lashed out in anger as a result.
Lukas listened with compassion, and he understood that the monster’s actions were driven by pain. He knew that violence wouldn’t solve the problem. Instead, he extended a hand of friendship, inviting the monster to come out of the mountains and be part of the town’s community.
With time and patience, Lukas helped the monster integrate into the town, showing the villagers that compassion and understanding could overcome even the most fearsome of adversaries. The once-menacing creature became a gentle protector of the Misty Mountains, using its strength to keep the area safe.
Lukas’s bravery had not been in fighting the monster but in showing kindness and compassion when it was needed most. He had turned a fearsome adversary into a cherished friend, teaching the townsfolk that sometimes, understanding and empathy could conquer even the mightiest of challenges.
And so, the Misty Mountains were no longer a place of fear, but a symbol of the power of compassion, bravery, and friendship, all thanks to a courageous boy named Lukas.
The end.
Lukas’ Uncle Chris Reads to Him