A sappy story I (sort of?) had a hand in writing...
I'm so curious to hear your thoughts on this one! Read first, then I'll share something shocking. Scroll for seasonal reflections, a local AVL event & the announcement of a few new writing retreats.
First, the story:
Once upon a time, in the deep heart of the forest, there lived a wise old wolf named Grayson. Grayson was known far and wide for his wisdom and gentle spirit. He spent his days roaming the woods, observing the delicate balance of nature and offering guidance to all who sought his counsel.
One day, as Grayson made his way through a meandering path lined with vibrant rhododendrons, he caught sight of a bear named Finnegan. Finnegan was a mighty creature, strong and courageous, but he had a heart burdened with sadness. His beloved cubs had fallen ill, and he had exhausted all efforts to find a remedy.
Grayson approached Finnegan, his eyes filled with compassion. He spoke softly, "Dear Finnegan, I sense your worries. Within these woods, there lies a potent remedy for your cubs. Seek the elderberries that grow in abundance near the babbling brook. Their healing properties are unmatched."
Grateful for Grayson's guidance, Finnegan followed his advice and ventured towards the babbling brook. The sunlight danced through the ancient trees, casting a golden glow upon the forest floor. Finnegan's eyes widened in awe as he discovered the elderberry bushes, laden with clusters of deep purple berries.
With utmost care, Finnegan gathered the ripe elderberries, knowing they held the power to heal his precious cubs. He returned to his den and fed them the nourishing fruit. In no time, their strength began to return, and their playful spirit rekindled.
Filled with joy and gratitude, Finnegan sought out Grayson once more. The wise wolf listened as Finnegan shared his tale of healing and restoration. Grayson nodded, acknowledging the profound interconnectedness of all living beings in the forest.
"You see, dear Finnegan," Grayson whispered, "the rhododendrons that grace these woods, with their vibrant blooms, serve as protectors. They shield the delicate balance of life within their embrace, reminding us of the importance of unity and harmony."
Finnegan marveled at Grayson's wisdom and marinated in the beauty of the moment. Together, they gazed at the rhododendrons, their petals unfurling like a tapestry of color. Finnegan understood that just as the forest thrived on diversity, so did the creatures within it.
From that day forward, Grayson and Finnegan formed an unbreakable bond, an alliance between the wisdom of the wolf and the strength of the bear. They roamed the woods, sharing their stories and teachings, ensuring that the delicate balance of nature remained undisturbed.
And so, the wise old wolf, the mighty bear, the healing elderberries, and the resplendent rhododendrons became guardians of the forest, nurturing its inhabitants and reminding all who passed through that harmony and unity were the keys to the eternal dance of life.
A bit stilted, a bit cliched, right? It kind of lacks nuance. But its certainly not terrible….
That, my friends, is the result of my friend Annie asking ChatGPT to write a story including a wolf, a bear, elderberries and rhododendrons in the voice of Maia Toll.
When she first told me of the request, I laughed. There were so many layers of surreal in the idea of a friend telling AI to write a story in my voice, I couldn’t sort through them all. Then she came over for tea and we read the story together. It wasn’t my voice. Not really. And it was a bit too on the nose to be truly good. But it was the right direction. It was fairytalesque and rooted in an inter-connected worldview I definitely recognized. There was something both chilling and exhilarating in knowing AI could glean so much from the blog posts and articles I had written and published online.
A few month later, I was scrolling Instagram and saw a post from another author announcing that her book had been pirated to train the AI behind ChatGPT. I posted a response and she quickly replied that my book, The Illustrated Herbiary, had been used as well.
After doing all the practical things—alerting my agent and publisher, reading guidelines for authors whose works was stolen (and I say stolen because OpenAI did not purchase a copy of The Herbiary but instead pirated it off the internet)—after doing all those necessary logistical things, I sat down and tried to digest what it meant to be a creator at this particular junction of time and space. Then I remembered the tale of the wolf, the bear, the elderberries and the rhododendrons. Knowing that my book had trained ChatGPT laid another layer of questions on top of those already spinning in my mind.
Who owns that story? What is my role in its creation? What am I owed for its creation?
Over this past weekend, Andrew and I watched a movie called The Imitation Game (which I highly recommend) about the invention of the first computer which was used to crack the encrypted war codes of the Nazis. This computer ultimately allowed the Allies to win World War II.
What will AI allow us to do? Will we solve global warming? Eradicate world hunger? End war?
What will be the cost? And will it, in the end, be worth it?
There’s a scene at the movie’s end of The Imitation Game where Turing, the computer’s inventor, asks these same questions. The answer is as murky now as it was then. The only thing I can say for certain is that it will take both the wisdom of the wolf and the strength of the bear to figure it out.
Announcements!
February 19, 6PM join me at Malaprop’s in Asheville for the Magic & Karma book tour with Jennifer Moorman and Love Hudson Maggio. It’s gonna be so much fun! *
Two new writing retreats, both with Steph Jagger on Bainbridge Island, WA:
September 6-9 (one space left)
&
FEBRUARY | Seasons Reflection
This month began with the ancient Celtic celebration of Imbolc. The word Imbolc means “in the belly.” It is a celebration of the year conceived but not yet born.
Imbolc is dedicated to the goddess Brighid, who is patroness of the forge, poetry, and healing. In modern times, working metal would not seem to be an art that would need its own goddess. But in ancient cultures, metalsmithing was revered not only for the implements it creates, but also as an alchemical process that uses all four elements to create something new.
While February feels like deep winter, we are moving surely toward spring.
Most of the signs are still hidden from human eyes—little seeds stretching underground and tree dreams starting the slow shift upward (in late autumn, the trees dream into their roots, but as we turn toward spring, they once again contemplate touching the sky).
February begins with the first creakings of cracking ice and ends with Witch Hazel’s optimistic flowering and with Snowdrops adding their tiny green to our winter white.
Imbolc, the ancient Celtic holiday that rejoices in these first signs of spring, is celebrated on February 2. The first of the ancient fire festivals, Imbolc marks the rebirth of the Earth, symbolically moving from the Crone of winter to the Maiden of spring: a movement from death to rebirth to new life.
Celebrate the First Stirrings of Spring
Order seeds (or plant them if you have an indoor set-up)
Write a song or poem or story
Paint or draw in fiery colors
Wear a red scarf
Eat by candlelight
Figure out a new recipe (then make it! Oven = fire)
Use mirrors to reflect greater sunlight into your home
Give birth to an idea, a new business, a new way of being in the world
Stretch and wriggle – like the seeds beneath the frozen ground
Notice the quickening and slow awakening of the world around you
Even though I don’t have a personal practice of working with a particular goddess, I like to explore each of them as an archetype. Since this time of year is associated with Brighid, look to her traditional symbols as you think about symbols of the season:
FIRE
HERBS WITH YELLOW FLOWERS (like a flame), especially dandelions
MILK, which would begin to flow again at this time of year, as the cows and sheep give birth
THE SERPENT, who is coming out of hibernation (remember that St. Patrick chased the snakes out from Ireland? There is rich symbolism there!)
ANY CREATIVE ACT (the generative beginnings of something new)
Share your celebratory ideas here, then make them happen in the world!
xx Maia
Not sure how I feel about AI - similar to other comments. I think there is great value in the ability to analyze large amounts of data and provide some insights. For example, in my world of rare diseases, using AI to comb through massive amounts of all kinds of data to find the needle in the haystack is beneficial. On the other hand, grabbing others work to "train" AI to me is just wrong. If the AI people are interested in training their apps they need to seek permission as well as provide proper remuneration to the owner of the work as well as acknowledgement, We have a long way to go sadly in crafting the container to hold AI to its highest good. I fear, as others have said, those who are predisposed to taking the easy way and using others work for their own good/profit tend to sometimes lead the way before the rest of us have a chance to catch our breath and create proper boundaries and guidelines.
Omg! The reveal was indeed surprising and shocking 🤣 mostly what I’m feeling in response is your capacity to make art in response to AI… the way you positioned the story and revealed its origin and then shared how it knew you… there’s something in there, the art making up against the harm of it. That feels like keeping the soul centered.