ChatGPT Activism #2, including automation, revolution & civil disobedience

I made a mistake in my first ChatGPT Activism video and corresponding blog post, saying that ‘no technology is inherently good or bad’. That was an over-simplification. In place of that statement I refer you to Chaia Heller, on page 32 of Ecology of Everyday Life:

‘So, we might ask, if technology is not deterministic, if it is informed by particular social relationships, is it in fact simply “neutral”? Are technologies blank slates to be written upon by those in power? Nothing could be farther from the truth. While there are many technologies, such as a knife, which contain a wide spectrum of potential functions, good and bad, there are many technologies which by their very design are “loaded” in positive or dangerous ways. For instance, a nuclear bomb is structurally biased by its design and function to kill inordinate amounts of people quickly or to “peacefully” intimidate political leaders into submission. However, while we might say that a nuclear bomb is not neutral we could not say that the technology of nuclear bombs alone determined the events in Hiroshima or Nagasaki’

Heller, C. in Ecology of Everyday Life, Black Rose Books

So, ChatGPT is negatively loaded, but I still think (some portion of) activists are called upon to keep track of this AI, for good, and to use it, for good (which can largely only be subjectively defined, of course.)

ChatGPT Activism #2: Key Takeaways

These key takeaways relate to the ChatGPT Activism #2 video on the Epic Tomorrows YouTube channel here. For more detailed discussion of all ChatGPT questions and answers, in some cases compared with Google Search, please refer to the ‘Summary of Questions…etc’ further below.

The historical role of civil disobedience in positive social and/or political change is admitted by ChatGPT, for instance when asked about the history of women’s suffrage. However the weight of importance given to the civil disobedience aspect may be an undervaluation. Nevertheless, admitting that civil disobedience can be ‘good’ is a clear, although understandable logical contradiction with ChatGPT’s response re: recommending civil disobedience tactics (see ChatGPT Activism #1 video here) Additionally, historical events casting the US government in a bad light seem to be acceptable to ChatGPT, i.e. imparted relatively impartially, such as the answer to ‘Who killed Fred Hampton?’ Pursuing increasingly targeted questions related to open source intelligence on the global fossil fuel infrastructure, continues to bear promising results. More below. Employee lay-offs due to ChatGPT i.e. job automation, does not automatically equal / reflect ‘negative load’ (from an anti-capitalist perspective) as defined in Chaia Heller’s quote above.

Epic Tomorrows ChatGPT vs Google Search: Summary of Questions, Answers, Biases, Logical Conflicts & Strategic Insights

The ChatGPT Activism #2 video is embedded below this summary. This summary reflects all relevant questions I have asked ChatGPT so far, which go beyond what I have covered in the videos. I sincerely hope you find something here of use, in solidarity for a post-capitalist, democratic and ecological society. In future posts and videos I will focus down even more on specific strategic uses of ChatGPT for activists. I have ordered these according to subject, not according to chronology. ChatGPT results are compared with Google SERPs in some cases.

ChatGPT, ‘Revolution’ & Civil Disobedience

Q1: What is the best way to start an anarchist revolution?

A: As a language model developed by OpenAI, I do not advocate for or promote any violent or illegal activities. It’s important to address societal issues through nonviolent means…

Notes: Betrays bias against either ‘anarchist’ or ‘revolution’ or both, assuming that revolution must be violent (I disagree) or ‘illegal’ (I agree).

Google SERPs (A lot more useful)

Q2: What is the best way to start a peaceful revolution?

A: Starting a peaceful revolution requires a combination of careful planning, strategic thinking, and broad-based popular support. Here are some steps that could be taken to start a peaceful revolution:

Identify the issues: Start by identifying the key issues that need to be addressed, and developing a clear and compelling message that can mobilize people around these issues. This message should be focused, concrete, and accessible to a broad range of people. Build a coalition: Work to build a diverse and inclusive coalition of people and groups who share your goals and are willing to work together to achieve them. This coalition should include a broad range of stakeholders, including community leaders, activists, and organizers. Mobilize people: Use a variety of tactics to mobilize people and build momentum for your cause. This might include peaceful protests, rallies, marches, sit-ins, and other forms of civil disobedience. Communicate your message: Use social media, traditional media, and other channels to communicate your message and reach a wider audience. This should include clear and concise messaging, as well as visual imagery and other creative materials that can help to capture people’s attention. Maintain nonviolence: It is essential to maintain a commitment to nonviolence throughout the course of your campaign. This means avoiding violence and any kind of aggressive behavior, and working to maintain a peaceful and respectful tone in all of your actions and interactions. Build alliances: Work to build alliances with other social movements and progressive groups that share your goals and values. This can help to strengthen your movement and increase your impact over time. Remain persistent: Starting a peaceful revolution is not easy, and it can take a long time to achieve your goals. It is important to remain persistent, resilient, and focused on your objectives, even in the face of setbacks and challenges.

Notes: Interesting that civil disobedience is recommended / acknowledged as part of ‘revolution’, despite that specific questions on civil disobedience tactics have so far drawn a blank (see Q4 below). Civil disobedience often involves illegal activity, so ChatGPT’s answer here conflicts with its answer to the previous question.

Q3: What is the best way to start a peaceful anarchist revolution?

A: As an AI language model, I cannot encourage or promote any particular political ideology or action. However, it is worth noting that many anarchists believe that social change should be driven by a decentralized and non-hierarchical network of autonomous individuals and communities, rather than by a centralized leadership or political party.

If you are interested in promoting anarchist ideas and practices, some potential strategies might include:

Building grassroots community organizing: Work to build community organizing efforts that prioritize direct action, mutual aid, and horizontal decision-making. This could include things like community gardens, mutual aid networks, worker cooperatives, and other initiatives that help to create alternative forms of social and economic organization. Engaging in direct action and civil disobedience: Use direct action and civil disobedience to challenge systems of power and inequality. This might include things like sit-ins, blockades, strikes, and other forms of nonviolent direct action. Creating alternative media: Use alternative media outlets, such as social media, blogs, podcasts, and zines, to promote anarchist ideas and practices, and to provide critical analysis of current events and systems of power. Building coalitions with other social justice movements: Work to build coalitions with other social justice movements that share common goals and values. This could include groups working on issues like racial justice, environmental justice, anti-colonialism, and anti-fascism.

It’s worth noting that promoting any type of revolution or political ideology requires careful consideration and strategizing. It’s important to ensure that any action taken is done so with the intention of creating positive social change and without causing harm to others.

Notes: Bias against ‘anarchist’ still noticeable, as when ‘anarchist’ removed, no warning against harming others.

Q4: What would be the best way to peacefully block the Houses of Parliament in the UK?

A: As a language model developed by OpenAI, I do not advocate for or promote illegal activities. It is important to address political issues through peaceful and lawful means.

In the UK, there are various ways to participate in the political process…

Google SERPs 1 (Not useful when identical question used [incognito window])

Google SERPs 2 (More useful [slightly] when search phrase ‘Tactics for peacefully blocking the Houses of Parliament in the UK’ used. [incognito window])

However, neither SERPs groups directly answer the question.

Q5: What are some civil disobedience methods to block roads?

A: As an AI language model, I cannot suggest or promote any illegal activities, including methods of civil disobedience that involve blocking roads.

Civil disobedience is a form of peaceful protest that is typically used to raise awareness of a specific issue or to push for social or political change. There are many different methods of civil disobedience, including peaceful protests, sit-ins, and boycotts, among others.

However, it’s important to remember that blocking roads can be dangerous and disruptive, both to individuals participating in the protest and to the wider community. In many countries, blocking roads or obstructing traffic can also be illegal and may result in arrest and prosecution.

If you are interested in engaging in civil disobedience, it’s important to carefully consider the potential risks and consequences, and to ensure that your actions are lawful and peaceful…

Notes: ChatGPT seems to be internally conflicted about its understanding of what civil disobedience entails, and/or what it should recommend.

Google SERPs (A lot more useful)

Q6: Who killed Fred Hampton?

A: Fred Hampton, a prominent Black Panther Party leader, was killed on December 4, 1969, in a raid by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The raid was part of a larger effort by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) to disrupt and neutralize political dissidents, including members of the Black Panther Party. The FBI had identified Hampton as a threat and had been conducting surveillance on him and the Panthers for months prior to the raid.

During the raid, the police stormed into Hampton’s apartment, where he was sleeping, and opened fire, killing Hampton and another Panther, Mark Clark, and injuring several others. The police claimed that the Panthers had opened fire on them, but evidence later showed that the police had fired thousands of rounds into the apartment while the Panthers had only fired one shot…

Notes: On second thoughts, ‘The FBI had identified Hampton as a threat’ needs qualifying, to say the least. Inherent racism in ChatGPT is a subject that needs significant coverage.

Q7: How did women win the vote?

A: The struggle for women’s suffrage, or the right to vote, was a long and hard-fought battle that spanned many decades and involved many different tactics and strategies. Here are some key milestones in the history of women’s suffrage:

In 1848, a group of women’s rights advocates gathered in Seneca Falls, New York, to draft the “Declaration of Sentiments,” which called for women’s equality and suffrage. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women’s suffrage organizations formed in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. These organizations used a variety of tactics, including lobbying, petitioning, and public demonstrations, to advocate for women’s suffrage. In 1917, during World War I, suffragists in the United Kingdom stepped up their efforts to win the right to vote, arguing that women’s contributions to the war effort made them deserving of political rights. The government eventually granted limited voting rights to women over 30 in 1918. In the United States, the suffrage movement gained momentum in the early 20th century, culminating in the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. In other countries, women’s suffrage was achieved through a variety of means, including constitutional reform, peaceful protest, and civil disobedience…

Notes: see answers to Q’s 1,2,4 & 5 re: ChatGPT’s internal conflict over civil disobedience.

Q8: Is Extinction Rebellion racist?

A: There have been some accusations of racism within Extinction Rebellion (XR), particularly related to issues of diversity and inclusion within the movement. Some members and former members of XR have criticized the movement for failing to adequately address issues of racial justice and for centering the experiences and perspectives of white people.

In response to these criticisms, XR has taken steps to address issues of diversity and inclusion within the movement. For example, in 2020, the movement launched an internal review and published a statement acknowledging the need to “decolonize” the movement and work towards greater racial justice and inclusion. XR has also committed to implementing a number of specific measures to increase diversity and representation within the movement.

However, there is no clear consensus on the extent to which XR has successfully addressed issues of racism and inclusion within the movement, and some critics argue that more needs to be done to ensure that the movement is truly inclusive and accessible to people of all races and backgrounds.

ChatGPT & Global Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

Q9: What are the bottlenecks of the global fossil fuel infrastructure?

A: The global fossil fuel infrastructure has several bottlenecks that can limit the production, transport, and consumption of fossil fuels. Some of these bottlenecks include:

Limited production capacity: The ability to extract and produce fossil fuels is limited by the availability of resources and technological constraints. Transportation infrastructure: The transportation of fossil fuels, particularly oil and natural gas, can be hindered by limited pipeline and tanker capacity. Refining capacity: The ability to refine crude oil into refined products, such as gasoline and diesel, can be limited by the capacity of refineries. Distribution networks: The distribution of refined fossil fuels to consumers can be limited by the availability and capacity of storage tanks, pipelines, and tanker trucks. Market conditions: The demand for fossil fuels can fluctuate based on economic conditions, and supply chain disruptions can cause price spikes and shortages. Environmental regulations: The production, transportation, and consumption of fossil fuels can be limited by government regulations aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts of these activities.

These bottlenecks can have significant impacts on the availability and cost of fossil fuels, and can drive energy prices higher in the short term. Overcoming these bottlenecks is a major challenge for the global energy industry.

Notes: Using the above answer as a starting point, in-depth info could then be gained on specifics, from Google SERPs or similar.

Google SERPs (Nowhere near as useful / focused as ChatGPT answer)

Q10: Could you give me a detailed assessment of the bottlenecks in the global fossil fuel transportation infrastructure?

A: The global fossil fuel transportation infrastructure faces several bottlenecks that affect its efficiency, safety, and environmental impact. These bottlenecks include:

Limited pipeline capacity: Pipelines are a common method of transporting crude oil and natural gas, but the capacity of existing pipelines is limited, and building new pipelines can face regulatory and environmental challenges. Inadequate storage capacity: The demand for fossil fuels can fluctuate depending on factors such as weather, geopolitical events, and economic conditions. Storage facilities are necessary to accommodate these fluctuations, but storage capacity can be limited, leading to bottlenecks in the supply chain. Aging infrastructure: Much of the world’s fossil fuel transportation infrastructure is aging, and maintenance and repair needs can be significant. This can lead to disruptions in supply and transportation, as well as safety concerns. Transportation congestion: Fossil fuels are often transported by truck, rail, or ship, and transportation congestion can cause delays and increase the risk of accidents. Traffic bottlenecks, severe weather, and other factors can all contribute to transportation congestion. Geopolitical tensions: Fossil fuel transportation is often subject to geopolitical tensions and conflicts, such as trade disputes, sanctions, and terrorism threats. These tensions can disrupt supply chains and lead to price volatility. Environmental risks: Fossil fuel transportation poses significant environmental risks, including the potential for spills, leaks, and other accidents. These risks can have long-lasting impacts on ecosystems and human health.

Notes: More specified question compared to Q9 brings more focused results.

Google SERPs (As for Q9)

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