Creating A Pointless Business Book(*) with Chat-GPT

(* But I repeat myself)

At several points during my prior life in a big corporation, we were “encouraged” to read some sappy business book and then have group discussions on it. At some point I had the idea of trying to come up with the worst title/idea that could conceivably sell as a business book, and spent a few hours fleshing out the joke.

The book’s title is “Today, We Are Ducks!”

Recently, a coworker (still at the same company) suggested that I have Chat-GPT write it. And so I give to you the pre-amble and chapters for my magnum opus.

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Once upon a time, in a peaceful pond, lived a group of ducks. They spent their days swimming and playing in the water, and their nights huddled together on the shore. They were content with their simple routine and never gave much thought to the world outside of their pond.

One day, a new duck named Drake arrived on the scene. Drake was different from the other ducks. He had a burning desire to explore the world beyond the pond. He would often speak to the other ducks about his dreams of flying over the mountains and seeing new horizons.

The other ducks laughed at Drake, thinking he was foolish for wanting more than what they had in the pond. But Drake was determined and he continued to share his vision with the other ducks.

As time passed, the pond began to dry up and the ducks realized that they needed to adapt to the changing environment or risk losing everything. They looked to Drake for guidance, and he reminded them of his vision for exploring the world beyond the pond. With Drake leading the way, the ducks spread their wings and flew off into the unknown. They discovered new ponds, new friends, and new adventures. They had finally found the courage to leave their comfort zone and embrace the change.

Like the ducks, we must be willing to adapt to change and take risks in order to grow and succeed in the business world. “Today, We are Ducks” will inspire you to embrace change and achieve your full potential.

–Today, We Are Ducks, by ChatGPT (lightly edited)

And the Chapter List:

1. “Drake’s Vision” – Learn about the power of having a clear vision for your future and how it can guide you towards success.
2. “Stepping out of the Pond” – Understand the importance of leaving your comfort zone and taking the first step towards growth.
3. “Adapting to the Drying Pond” – Learn how to be flexible and adapt to new situations in order to thrive in a constantly changing business environment.
4. “Ducks in Formation” – Understand the importance of teamwork and how it can lead to achieving common goals.
5. “The Drake’s leadership” – Learn how to become an effective leader and inspire others to reach their full potential.
6. “Navigating the Unknown” – Discover strategies for overcoming obstacles and challenges on the journey towards success.
7. “Falling like a Duck” – Learn how to use failure as a learning opportunity and turn it into a stepping stone towards success.
8. “The Duck’s Journey” – Understand that growth and success is a lifelong journey and that there is always room for improvement.
9. “Making a Splash” – Learn how to use your success to make a positive impact in the world and leave a legacy.
10. “Flying to new Horizons” – Take the lessons learned and apply them to your life and business to reach new heights and achieve your wildest dreams.

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I never actually got around to writing TWaD (for the obvious reason that how much time do I want to spend on something I think is worthless) but with ChatGPT now you can spam out worthless business books (and political bios, and others) at the cost of only a few hours of your time.

Still not worth it.

But as for ChatGPT — It is impressive, although it does not like to aggregate data (It will tell you the first, second, third, fourth, etc Senator from Maryland, but would not answer “How many Senators has Maryland had?). Also, I didn’t actually tell it to use the name “Drake” for the opening parable. (I did suggest that the chapter titles be “more related to ducks or the parable” after the first attempt. And I have to admit, they are pretty damn good).

Update — The TaoLing asked Dall-E to make a book cover. As he said “Dall-E has some trouble understanding what a book cover is, but I do enjoy how soulless the eyes are….“