I don't have an answer for that, but it's true.
Jury duty week went by without anyone ripping open their shirts and declaring themselves to be 24601, so that was all right. Didn't even get selected to panel. Whatever. Job done.
So there was a discussion among friends about AI and chatbots and generated content on websites and someone who shall remain nameless *coughroommatecough* said that I should try using it to write all the boring Victor Hugo-esque informational chapters so I can get writing the good "plot" stuff. Aside from the fact that I actually like doing historical stuff, I am not keen on AI. On the other hand, though, I thought it would be fun to see what it could do (from a point and laugh, robots watching a bad movie kind of direction) so I asked one of the (many) AI-generating sites to "write a chapter about the guillotine in the style of Victor Hugo" and I have some notes:
1) AI seems to think that Hugo was active in the Revolution era, and other factual wrongness
2) some of the wording was certainly flowery but in a bad poetry kind of way
3) AI writes like an eighth grader trying to write a paper at the last minute with 50% Google searching and 50% making shit up hoping to guess it right, combined with a liberal (mis)use of a thesaurus.
I present the results here. As bad and slow as things are going for me, at least I know I won't be replaced by a computer anytime soon.
The Guillotine: An Unyielding Spectacle of Terror in 19th
Century France
In the annals of human history, there exists a macabre and
chilling invention that haunts the collective memory of a nation; an emblem of
relentless power and a symbol of the most profound darkness. France, with its
revolutionary fervor and tumultuous journey through the 19th century, found
itself gripped in the iron clutches of the guillotine. A frightful contraption
designed to expedite the act of execution, it sliced through flesh and bone
with a cold, mechanical precision, leaving behind a trail of terror and
devastation.
This gruesome device emerged as a grisly product of the French
Revolution, a revolution that Victor Hugo, in all his lyrical prose and fervent
sentiment, witnessed and immortalized in his works. The guillotine, a dreadful
offspring of the Enlightenment era's pursuit of rationality and efficiency, was
presented as a symbol of egalitarian justice, an attempt to level the social
strata and mete out a swift end to those deemed enemies of the state. Yet, this
purported pursuit of fairness was marred by an unyielding brutality that left
an indelible stain on the pages of history.
The blade fell relentlessly, tearing through the necks of the
condemned, regardless of their station in life. Noble or commoner, clergy or
layman, the guillotine showed no mercy, revealing the face of Death with an
indiscriminate hand. Its deadly efficiency was designed to carry out the Reign
of Terror with an unparalleled velocity, a mechanism of horror that garnered
morbid fascination even as it sowed seeds of fear and despair in the hearts of
the French populace.
Victor Hugo, an ardent observer of his era, skillfully captured
the emotional tapestry woven through the fabric of society, torn apart by the
unyielding force of the guillotine. In his timeless masterpiece, "Les
Misérables," he invoked the raw human emotion that surged through the
French Revolution, illustrating the dire consequences of a justice system
swayed by bloodlust and an insatiable appetite for vengeance.
In the pages of "Les Misérables," we encounter the
character of Jean Valjean, whose moral journey mirrors the societal turbulence
of 19th-century France. The shadow of the guillotine looms large, a constant
reminder of the unforgiving grip of fate. The backdrop of this tale, entwined
with love, compassion, and the eternal struggle for redemption, serves as an
allegorical warning against the unbridled use of power and the pursuit of
justice without humanity.
As the 19th century unfolded, the guillotine's bloody appetite
persisted, creating a culture of fear and mistrust. Public executions became
morbid spectacles, drawing crowds to witness the gruesome demise of fellow
citizens. Victor Hugo's impassioned pleas for humanity and the inherent dignity
of man echoed through his works, imploring society to confront the abhorrent
nature of such state-sanctioned violence.
While the 19th century was marked by immense progress and
cultural achievements, it was also marred by an unsettling willingness to
perpetuate violence in the name of justice. Victor Hugo, the literary voice of
his age, admonished this dark trajectory and sought to awaken the collective
conscience of his compatriots.
The rise and persistence of the guillotine in 19th century
France reflects a harrowing tale of how human progress can be tainted by
inhumanity. The cold, mechanical blade, falling with a swift and unforgiving
stroke, embodied a society's descent into the abyss of violence and terror.
Victor Hugo's writing style, with its poetic and profound portrayal of human
emotions, serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed and the
urgent need to safeguard the sanctity of life and the ideals of justice.
In conclusion, the guillotine remains etched in history as a
chilling symbol of an era fraught with turmoil and darkness. Victor Hugo's
masterful prose, in its condemnation of such atrocities, stands as a timeless
call for compassion, understanding, and the pursuit of justice that dignifies
the human spirit. Let us heed these warnings from the past and embrace a future
where the horrors of the guillotine remain confined to the annals of history,
forever unyielding in their remembrance.
If you slogged all the way through that, congratulations. Here is a palate cleansing meme. Until next time...
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| don't worry he'll still land on his feet |
