Daffodils, Relaxing Research, and ChatGPT-4

Why read the blog article when you can watch it on YouTube?

        For today’s blog, I will use daffodils as the subject to share my rabbit hole research method for writing. And I encourage you to pick a stress-free topic and try my technique. You do not need to write something. Just do it to relax. Better yet, let this activity replace doom-scrolling. I started down the daffodil research rabbit hole using ChatGPT-4 this time instead of Google search. I have no love for AI, but I need to understand how it can help or threaten my future in writing. FYI – The AI-generated essays were not immediately usable, so my writing is safe for now.

I provided Chat GPT-4 with several prompts to generate essays:

History and Symbolism of Daffodils in 800 words.

The Symbolism of Daffodils in 800 words.

and

Daffodil festivals around the world in 800 words.

        I first used Microsoft Bing, which has ChatGPT-4 as its base, and later signed up at OpenAI.com to use the actual ChatGPT-4. Both AI platforms spit out similarly worded essays, except Bing had a habit of not finishing the work. Both also hallucinated many details, including substituting daffodils for other flower names associated with stories, places, and events. Hallucination is the term techies use for the inaccuracies generated by AI.

        But the essays provided information in an organized format I could quickly delve deeper into as individual topics. I prefer this presentation of data to the search engine list we are all accustomed to. Combining AI-written essays and fact-checking with a traditional search engine saves time and makes creating a rough draft more relaxing. I’ll buy printed materials or visit a library for more nuanced information.

And now for a daffodil essay in 280 words of my writing:

Daffodils are happy flowers with a sad origin.

        Daffodils are one of my favorite flowers and a sign that spring has arrived. The sight of a group of daffodils makes me smile. With their megaphone-shaped center, the bright yellow flowers seem ready to shout the arrival of warmer weather. Daffodil varieties range from 6 to 30 inches tall. Though to me, the petite flowers have the most kinetic sound potential. Because daffodils are global garden darlings, it is easy to be unaware of their origin.

        Daffodils are native to Europe and North Africa, and their name refers specifically to the wild daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus. The term daffodil is derived from addodell, a variant of the Greek word asphodel.

        In Greek Mythology, the demigod Narcissus, obsessed with his reflection in a pool of water, drowned and was transformed into a daffodil. Or maybe he resembled a daffodil before he fell into the water – golden head bowed to admire his reflection. Whatever the story, he dies, and daffodils get stuck with the name Narcissus.

        Daffodil flowers resemble Asphodel, a plant believed to grow in the Elysian Fields, a Greek afterlife paradise for the heroic and virtuous. Not to be confused with the Fields of Asphodel, or Asphodel Meadow, a Greek afterlife location where basic souls go. The mythological use and differentiation of daffodil vs. asphodel can get murky.

        In general, daffodils symbolize hope, rebirth, and prosperity. Their joyful color is a match for positivity and optimism. As daffodils spread worldwide, their symbolism gained adjacent terms like friendship and loyalty. But I don’t need origin stories, symbology, or vocabulary to understand why I love daffodils. When I see daffodils, I feel happy.

The end.

        In February 2023, news about generative AI exploded. Despite conciliatory statements by technology leaders, the gold rush to gain an advantage with this technology is outpacing the concern for consequences. On March 23, 2023, NBC Tech News reported that employers want people who can integrate AI into the workplace. Unfortunately, I am middle-aged and have experienced a hiring bias that favors the digital generation. Inevitably, employers will prioritize hiring people born using AI. Whatever the future, I will always write. The news provides me with information trends, and the topic of artificial intelligence is just getting started. However, my priorities place people ahead of learning language skills to use AI. So, use my rabbit hole research method to distract you from the negative news feed. Find your happy topic, and if you share your information adventure, spread facts, not fertilizer.