All posts by Peter Kerr

A reminder re ChatGPT…you don’t hire a hammer, you hire a carpenter

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ChatGPT is just a tool. Just as a hammer needs a carpenter to wield it, A.I. alone is worthless without a writer
ChatGPT is just a tool that still requires a human being to operate it. Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash

It probably comes under the law of unintended consequences, but apparently Google allows people to think they’re cleverer than they are.

This is because someone believes they know the answer to something; but they don’t. They know they can look up the answer – and confuse that with thinking they’re smart. There’s a big difference.

Which is why the speculation that ChatGPT may do away with the need for writers won’t match reality.

Just because an algorithm can spit back a whole lot of generic information doesn’t mean it has created a story which is useful, relevant or nuanced. 

(A side-aspect to be aware of too is the way that ChatGPT’s constantly-blinking cursor spells out its findings plays into the notion of the labour illusion. 

Though the information it provides could easily appear on our screens instantaneously, the pretence that something’s working away on our behalf makes it feel more valuable).

Which is a digression from the point that we shouldn’t over-value programs such as ChatGPT.

AI is a tool. Tools are most effective when they’re wielded by knowledgeable people.

You don’t hire a hammer. You hire a carpenter.

You don’t hire a paintbrush and palette. You hire an artist.

You don’t hire a utensil. You hire a chef

It’s another way of saying that tools such as ChatGPT are simply that. 

From a writing point of view, they’re wonderful research assistants. But gathering information on its own isn’t enough. 

ChatGPT and its ilk simply provide generic information (and will increasingly be spotted, and downgraded as such, by search engines).

It takes a writer to finesse and refine content to a client context. Equally, it requires a human-being to ask the questions which form the basis of a cogent article.

AI writers don’t have that ability.

Carpenters, artists and chefs use tools.

So do writers…and writing isn’t dead.

Yeh, nah, ChatGPT doesn’t mean the end of ‘writing’

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ChatGPT is clever, but from an original writing point of view, our brains are far smarter.
Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash

Millions of words, many of them generated by the powerful A.I. natural language processing tool, have been dredged up about how ChatGPT will take over writing.

But just as the printing press took away the job of hand-copying manuscripts, in the brave new world of ChatGPT (and its competitors) the role of the creating or authoring those words will see originality commanding an even greater premium.

Why? And as ChatGPT itself says when queried:

  • This means that the content generated by ChatGPT may lack the nuance, depth, and creativity that a human writer can bring to a piece of writing.

Of course, there are those websites and businesses which will be happy to pay the close-to-zero cost of words somewhat relevant to their product or service. 

Your social media marketers, content farms, e-commerce sites, affiliate marketers, business directories and the like mostly won’t care that the words they’re gushing out are generic.

However, as ChatGPT itself acknowledges: “It’s worth noting that while some companies may be happy to have generic content, others may prioritize unique, high-quality content that sets them apart from their competitors.”

Most people and businesses like to think that they’re ‘different’ (and we all are). The job of a good writer is to unearth that difference, and express it in a succinct and interesting way for their current and would-be customers.

ChatGPT and its ilk can’t, and probably will never be able to, do that.

Originality is what counts

This is because originality is the ability to make 2 + 2 = 5.

That is, originality is taking one idea, combining it with another idea and forming a completely new idea or way of looking at something.

For all the power of ChatGPT’s regurgitation, it doesn’t have ingenuity, inventiveness or innovation as its beating heart. It simply has the ability to pluck relevant data from the web, and present it back in a coherent stream of words (if anything, it’s ChatGPT’s competence in creating grammatically perfect english which is its most amazing characteristic).

Indeed, apparently it is this grammar precision which is one way for programs designed to spot ChatGPT’s use in school and university essays which gives it away!

Now, it’s not as if ChatGPT isn’t extremely useful. 

Part of its deep search abilities can reveal facts or opinions you haven’t thought about. You could call it a fantastic research assistant.

But as an original writer it’s not. 

And surely that’s part of the soul of our humanity. 

Seeing the wood from the trees; unearthing a story in a nutshell

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Find a business story, its Million Dollar Message through question-framing
Dr Mark Bradford (L) and Peter Kerr after a successful Million Dollar Message unearthing exercise

BeWeDō founder Dr Mark Bradford has been developing what was originally his PhD thesis, into a marketable product for the past six years.

He’s about about to leave his role as a senior design lecturer at Massey University and take BeWeDō® to market. His methodology is a way that organisations can improve meetings, workshops, seminars and other events; backed by science and data.

In a word it’s about incorporating (facilitated) movement, since movement enriches conversation. Moving and talking together greatly improves outcomes and feedback from a meeting.

Like us all, having been immersed in his subject for so long, Mark’s created dozens of stories around what BeWeDō is, why it’s great (I’ve experienced it myself, it is) and how to go about it.

The fact there’s dozens of stories is the particular challenge. Because initially you can only tell one story.

What I helped Mark with was his BBQ line, effectively the same thing first read on a website. There’s a good reason I call this your Million Dollar Message (MDM). It’s 2-10 words that succinctly express your ‘promise’, and invite someone to find out more. A MDM causes people to go ‘aha’, rather than frown in incomprehension.

It is also extremely difficult to find your own MDM by yourself…we can’t see the wood for the trees.

Finding a MDM is about question-storming (and question-framing), rather than brainstorming. It’s about unearthing a story in a nutshell, rather than creating a fiction.

It is also hard work. It is also a heck of a lot of fun and helps solve a major headache that many businesses have.

BeWeDō, “new and improved” launches soon. Look out for its MDM, and think about trying this methodology. It is a simple but effective way to improve meeting results.

The least I can do is gift a great name

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Mo Hilal, on the left, pointing out the menu of his fantastically named ‘Kebab Plus’

“Perhaps you can help me,” he asked?

It was July 2021, and on my way back from celebrating at my brother’s place, Ola driver Mo Hilal had found out I am a writer by trade.

He was looking for a name for a kebab place/foodcart that he and two colleagues were going to kick off.

“Abrekebabra’s pretty good,” I said (referring to a well-known food outlet in Wellington’s Manners St).

“Yes, one of the guys who is our business partner works there.”

I asked whether they were going to sell food other than kebabs at their new place?

Yes, that was the case.

I noted to Mo that I’m a big fan of your business/brand name giving someone a good clue about what you offer.

“Your name’s the start of your story – it sets everything else up (or words to that effect),” I said.

Halfway home I thought, “Kebab Plus”, and suggested it to Mo. “It has positive connotations, and describes what you’ll get from your set up. I’d be surprised if the URL wasn’t available too.”

Mo raised his eyebrows, quietly thought about it, and thanked me when he dropped me off.

When we connected next day through LinkedIn, I saw he has an IT qualification…among many things it would seem.

Five months later Mo emailed me and told me they (Abdul Ghanni Ghannam and Abdel Razzak Al Hussein) had opened a food cart in Wakefield St, behind Courtenay Central. Its name is Kebab Plus.

Now Mo (and his mates) are all Syrian refugees, arriving here about five years ago.

The Syrian father (to12 year old Jamal, 10 year old Wataa and little kiwi, 3 year old Sarah), and husband to Fatima, obviously has a real go-getter entrepreneurial streak.

As well as re-establishing himself and his family in a country half a world away from his homeland, Mo has also helped establish the Arabic School of New Zealand in the Hutt Valley that teaches language and culture after NZ-school hours.

Its Facebook home is here.

He’s fully involved and committed to creating a new life, while using the skills and knowledge from his old one.

Mo’s done it hard, and seems to be coming up trumps. In short, he’s an inspiration.

To be able to provide a great name for his new venture is a privilege.

(Post Script: Kebab Plus is now at a new, permanent restaurant/outlet at 9 Courtenay Place…must be the name!)

You mess up two letters, and you’re out of the competition

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The Aotearoa New Zealand Spelling Bee final can only have one winner
Twenty outstanding young spellers were eliminated in the Aotearoa New Zealand Spelling Bee final – to end up with one man left standing

Reckon you could spell spontaneity off the cuff without writing it down?

I know I’d struggle…and I’m a writer!

Being able to understand, picture and then say letters in the right order was the challenge 21 Year 9 and 10 (14 and 15 year olds) students from around New Zealand had to compete in on Saturday.

The provincial winners of the Aotearoa New Zealand Spelling Bee met in Wellington, linking to seven still in lockdown-ish Auckland contestants by video.

I had the pleasure of being the pronouncer (a new word for me) for the Wellington group, as across 17 rounds it came down to the last man standing. The Auckland pronouncer was writer/actor/voice-over specialist Owen Scott.

The Spelling Bee, organised for the 14th time by Janet Lucas and sponsored by the Wright Family Foundation, is an intellectual sporting event in which there can only be one winner. You feel for each of these fine young people as they’re eliminated – some of it based on the luck, or unluckiness, of a particularly tricky word.

As one of the room co-ordinators/technicians of the City Gallery auditorium said after the event; “I was expecting it to be a bit boring and naff. But it was really exciting.”

The winner was Wellington’s Max Carter, who attends Scot’s College.

If you ever get the chance to check out such a Spelling Bee in real life – check it out. It will make you the opposite of lugubrious (mournful, sad or dismal)!

(And if your event is after a compere, MC [or pronouncer], give me a yell)

Unearthing a business first story…seeing the wood from the trees

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Finding your Million Dollar Message
Unearthing a business Million Dollar Message is blimmin difficult

From your business point of view – how do you see the wood from the trees?

That is, when there’s many different ways you could tell the world about what you do or sell, and why this is important, how do you narrow it down to one message?

It’s blimmin difficult.

It’s also why it’s blimmin useful to have an intelligent outsider to tease apart the many different story threads rattling around an organisation or individual’s head, and help derive their Million Dollar Message (MDM).

These are the 2-10 words you first read on a website, or the BBQ answer to “what do you do?”

This is the expression that reassures an online visitor that they should continue on, find out more.

A good MDM also sees that BBQ questioner nod in understanding, and invites a “tell me more” response.

The wood from the trees challenge was why Rochelle (Rocky) Harris asked Punchline if we could help refine the promise for her online ‘Good Juju Store’ to be launched on December 1. 

The site is going to sell mostly NZ-made goods that tick all the ethical, sustainable and regenerative boxes. She describes them as eco-friendly, slow-made goods from Aotearoa, with the added option to offset delivery on all orders in partnership with CarbonClick. Product packaging comes from Better Packaging Co, a NZ Certified B Corporation who support a collection network (though the material can also be home composted).   

We spent over two hours narrowing down, finding synonyms, adding, subtracting, sounding out, testing and polishing a statement (we were also a bit lucky…sometimes it takes a day or three’s reflection to polish a draft expression).

Through co-design we crafted a Million Dollar Message that reflects Good Juju’s what and why –

‘Products that care for you and our planet – today and tomorrow’. 

This is simple and true. It needs no embellishment. The rest of the Good Juju site can naturally build on and prove this statement.

Rocky left our workshop session as a happy punter.

She had a MDM of clarity and promise.

Like us all, she wouldn’t have (certainly hadn’t been able to) come up with such an expression by herself.

She needed outside help.

If you, or others you know, can’t see their story wood from their trees, give Punchline a call.

Million Dollar Messages are our mantra.

Reframing our future

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Reframing our future is vital for the sake of our planet
We go about reframing our future, by changing how we change our use of the planet

The words we use and the stories we tell ourselves really matter. None more so that when we’re talking about this third rock from the sun that we inhabit.

So, if our government (and the world for that matter) is going to do more than merely mouth platitudes around saving our planet, then our future will have to be reframed, reframing is vital.

This is because it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless as we see climate change’s rapidly worsening effects, along with mindless consumption, driving Earth to destruction.

The latest IPCC report, melting ice caps, out-of-control fires, plastic pollution, water shortages, income inequality, housing shortages – there’s no shortage of crises to get upset about.

Two polar reactions; anxiety coupled with inertia, and ‘we’re doomed anyway’ coupled with ‘let’s party harder’ will not save our species (and the millions of others along on the same ride).

Doing nothing is nonsense.

We need to redescribe what’s possible.

We need to inspire.

We need to harness hope.

This, of course, is predicated on the understanding that “we can’t have endless growth on a finite planet”.

However, as friend and colleague Grant Symons of Transition HQ originally expressed (at least to me)…

(Unlike many in the climate change business, Grant is focused on practical, realistic  and doable ways to change organisations so they aren’t a drain on our planet. See some of his writings on this here.)

“We can’t have endless growth on a finite planet

But we can have LIMITLESS DEVELOPMENT.”

If our government reframes the change required in our economy, environment and society as ‘Limitless Development’ (though through an objective rather than illusory lens), then we have hope.

Demonstrable Limitless Development is inspirational and aspirational, achievable from the bottom up (most important of all) and top down.

Limitless Development is about:

  • Doing everything better, but using less energy and resources
  • Redefining what is valued now and in the future
  • Reimagining how to live better
  • Regeneration of our environment
  • Bettering our wellbeing now and in the future
  • Moving to a new relationship with nature and each other

Limitless Development means we are reframing our future – through the words we use to inspire the actions we take – and we give ourselves a fate to look forward to.

Because the counterfactual is truly scary.

The same old same old sure as hell will see our children’s children going down with mothership Earth.

‘Limitless Development’  sets up a way to avoid that.

(Or perhaps I’m being naive…but what is the alternative?)

How about an injection of humour to go with our Covid vaccines?

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Should we inject some humour with our Covid vaccine?
Should we inject a dose of humour along with the Covid vaccine?

If it’s good enough for Taiwan, should New Zealand adopt some of the same ‘funny’ medicine?

Taiwan has, for almost a year, adopted a Covid-strategy of “Humour over Rumour”. Within 20 minutes of false Covid news, the island’s government social media team rebuts and replies in a humorous way. 

It works on the premise that humour spreads virally more quickly than fake news.

Well…given the anti-vaxxxxxxxxxxxxx cohort, would lightening up some of the messaging around the Covid vaccines be additionally useful along with the ‘informed choice’ narrative?

Trying to deal head-on with the distortions and fear-mongering of those who oppose such a jab is a thankless task.

By using devices such as parody, satire and pastiche we can reframe the argument, subtly go “yes, but” to the naysayers.

So let’s give some creative licence, some freedom-to-amuse to those charged with convincing the anti-brigade that it’s their own, their children and the country’s best interest to vaccinate against Covid.

There’s light-hearted ways, including metaphors, to explain why Covid vaccination is good for us – and not just some conspiracy.

There’s light-hearted ways to say yep, there could be side effects – but is that worse than Covid’s major side effect, i.e. death?

There’s light-hearted ways to expose anti-vaxxers demented thinking, irrational beliefs, confused craziness…even if if they feel is true.

What it takes is a willingness to have a go, take a risk.

As such though, there’s no risk.

We can’t serious our way to full acceptance and herd immunity.

But you can laugh your way.

We like to think we have a reasonable sense of humour here in Godzone.

What do we have to lose by adopting a lighthearted ‘get vaccinated’ approach alongside a more serious exhortation?

I’m happy to help – but by all means feel free to point out my illogic.

The secret of being a great storyteller…

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To be a great storyteller, you must first become a great story collector
To be a great storyteller, you must first become a great story collector (Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash)

…is you must first become a great story collector.

Put another way, every story has parts of other stories in it.

Now nothing we say or write is ever really original from a storyline perspective. But the way we put something together is very likely to be unique, and we can and should link into our innate love of story. 

And it is the acquiring, understanding, remembering, interpreting and reconfiguring of these other stories which provides a richness to our own stories

We can leverage off what someone else has said, and provide a different light on the subject from your own point of view.

For business stories in particular, the collection of other stories allows us to carry out one or/and two exercises.

  • And
  • But

“Here we have a XYZ service or product. We’re similar, AND…” And needs to be why you’re better, faster, better value. And needs to demonstrate you’re differentiated in some way from the comparison you’re making.

“Here we have an EFG product or service. We share some parallels, BUT…” But, we figured out a different approach, have a fundamental difference, have improved in some crucial areas.

The use of these two simple words can provide a basis to motivate, inspire, and excite (and perhaps even help lead to a purchase decision) for whatever it is you have to offer.

Now it could be that you’re such an inventive person or company that no end of original stories pouring off your narrative production line.

However, this is a highly unlikely state of being.

That is why you need to find other stories – and be able to apply your own twist on a theme by examining them through an ‘and’ or ‘but’ lens.

Two simple words providing endless ways to examine a topic.

To be a great storyteller you must first become a great story collector (origin unknown).

How big are your dreams?

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BedsRus forces us to hold two ideas about dreams at the same time
BedsRus forces us to hold two ideas about dreams at the same time

Killing two birds with one analogy-stone is a neat trick to pull off.

BedsRus has managed a wee bit of magic with its (bus shelter) ad, ‘How big are your dreams?’

It forces us to simultaneously ask ourselves two questions.

  • An existentialist one in the form of whether what we want to achieve for ourselves or others is significant enough?
  • An environmental one in whether our nighttime slumbers are providing us with the mental restoration of dreaming

These two inquiries are conflated in our minds…and where are you going to find the answer to those dreams?

At the bed-selling business naturally.

At least that’s what they’d like you to believe – and the choice, as always, is ours.

Now it takes imagination, science, art and a sense of fun to capture a double-meaning expression as your own Million Dollar Message.

If you’re after such a Punchline, call us.

If there’s other expressions which simultaneously hold two ideas at once and which appeal to you, put it in the comments.