--- content_date: 2023-07-25 feed: "DANIEL_ON_SLOPE" codex_section: "S15" codex_candidate: true source: Scotomaville source_file: 03.04-progress.pdf chapter: 03.04-progress total_pdf_pages: 8 volume: v3 title: The Reward of Progress monomyth_stage: "09 - The Reward" category: - integration - awareness - strategy tags: - self-mastery - personal-progress - ai-collaboration - personal-everest - leaving-scotomaville - unconditional-absolutes - hierarchical-learning - chatgpt - self-reflection - commitment summary: I have reached an inflection point where the progress on my Personal Everest intersects with the arrival of AI tools like ChatGPT. This chapter captures how commitment unlocks unforeseen assistance and explores the hierarchical journey from raw experiences to unconditional absolutes, using AI-assisted storytelling as a new lens for self-discovery. As I measure growth and prepare to leave Scotomaville, I gain a deeper appreciation for the view from the top and the symbiotic potential of human-AI collaboration. qr_links: - https://youtu.be/---PjRytqKQ --- # 03.04-progress ## Spread 001 [p1–p2] **type:** text_only | **img coverage:** L=25% R=19% **heading:** The fabulous reward of progress made on ### Left page The fabulous reward of progress made on self-mastery is the appreciation one gains for the view from the top. The emotional triggers that once dominated my landscape are nowhere to be found. I believe the Scottish Mountaineer W.H. Murray observed correctly that commitment “may sound too simple, but is great in consequence... the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.” This is what this Episode is about - the last eight months demonstrating my arrival at an inflection point. The aim of Scotomaville has been to record my experiences, reflect on the emerging change, and point out something worth noting to my progeny. I hoped to find or assemble a minyan of men likewise commited to marking history as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien did with their regular meeting of the ‘Inklings’. As it turns out, I failed to locate or inspire similar sages to action, and yet have seen the emergence of a more powerful inquiry, assessment and feedback source. 3.04 progress AI ASSISTED STORYTELLING IS NOWHERE Unforeseen incidents, meetings, and material assistance came my way. MEASURING Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 364 ### Right page I believe the progress made on my Personal Everest has had a timely intersection with the public rollout of ChatGPT, and AI in general. “All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way” ChatGPT Executive Summary: “The aim of this chat session is to explore the potential collaboration between men and AI in the pursuit of self-discovery and personal growth, specifically focusing on the concept of “know thyself.” By leveraging AI technologies, men can access personalized insights, guidance, and resources to enhance their understanding of themselves and pro mote positive change. The session discusses the importance of self-awareness, responsible citizenship, and ethical decision-making within the context of a modern democratic society like the United States.” “Overall, the collaboration between men and AI can empower individuals to embark on a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and positive contri butions to their families, communities, and society as a whole. By embracing the principles of “know thyself” and leveraging AI technologies responsibly, men can cultivate their own wisdom while utilizing the potential benefits of AI-driven assistance.” “This methodology underscores the symbiotic relationship between humans and AI, where humans provide valuable feedback to guide AI’s development, while AI offers a new platform for introspec tion and growth. Our findings highlight the immense potential of AI as a transformative tool for personal development and error correction.” DALL·E 2023-03-28 09.57.32 - a dark 1930s pub with a small group of men talking about manuscripts “The Inklings were an informal literary discussion group associated with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis at the University of Oxford for nearly two decades between the early 1930s and late 1949” “Measuring progress depends on the tool you use, and the increment that you choose to measure.” Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 365 ## Spread 002 [p3–p4] **type:** image_heavy | **img coverage:** L=52% R=61% **heading:** Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE ### Visual description The left page of the spread opens with a small portrait photograph of Daniel (an older man with white hair, smiling in outdoor gear) in the upper left, followed by body text discussing life experiences as puzzle pieces and a hand-drawn conceptual diagram. The diagram features a horizontal base striped in red, green, and blue segments, a central pyramid structure with handwritten labels including "ABSTRACT," "UNCONDITIONAL," "autonomy," "logistics," "expeditions," "episodes," "structured learning," and "unstructured experiences," plus scattered colorful scribbles on the left side. The right page is dominated by a large, dramatic photograph of a snow-covered mountain (resembling Everest) under a clear blue sky, overlaid with a bold yellow triangle containing the symbol "AI" and a smaller pink triangle labeled "Helion," with the word "ABSOLUTES" at the top right. Additional text includes the chapter footer "LEAVING SCOTOMAVILLE" at 366 and a pull-quote-style heading about "UNCONDITIONAL ABSOLUTES." The diagram is a hand-drawn diagrammatic model illustrating hierarchical learning and growth, while the mountain image functions as a metaphorical visual anchor for the chapter's theme of personal progress and absolutes. ### Left page Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 366 Daniel, I can help with this. Let me summarize. Daniel drew an illustration numerous times trying to explain how we grow and learn as humans. Imagine life as a big, exciting journey, filled with all kinds of experiences. Some of these can be fun, like going on a vacation, while others could be hard, like fixing a broken Airstream. These experiences, or events”, are like puzzle pieces that help us understand the world. Imagine you’re on a expedition, and you’re good at choos ing the best paths to travel and predicting the weather. You’re also smart with money and know how to fix things when they break. All these skills mean you’re good at “logistics”, which is just a abstract word for planning and organizing things. Now, let’s step higher. Because you’re good at all these things, you have “autonomy”, which means you can depend on yourself and don’t always need help from others. So, you see, by putting together these puzzle pieces, you’re build ing a bigger picture of who you are and what you’re good at. This process of figuring things out and building on what we know is called “hierarchical computation”. It’s like a pyramid, where the base is built from simple ideas or experiences, and the top is the abstract concepts that we understand by putting these experiences together. Moving upward matures you toward independence and out of tyranny so you don’t have to live dependant on what others give and tell you. Daniel then introduces a new puzzle piece: Artificial Intelli gence (AI). AI, like ChatGPT, is like a super-smart word calculator that can understand and generate human-like text. Assisted storytelling can help us understand our experiences better and teach us new things. ### Right page But AI is not the end. Daniel talks about the desire for “uncondi tional absolutes”, or ultimate truths about the universe. This is where “faith” comes in - it’s a bit like believing in something we don’t yet see or understand completely. But, expeditions and journeys are sustained by an inbuilt human desire to know and understand our world and the universe. The need for “uncondi tional absolutes” isn’t something we can learn from a textbook or even AI, but it’s something we inherently feel. Within a short number of years, Artificial General Intelligence from Elon Musk’s X.AI, and Fusion energy from Helion will change our lives in ways we can’t forsee right now. These advancements are already raising the sum mit of our “Personal Everest”, helping Daniel think and understand things in ways he couldn’t before. But no matter how much technology advances, we’ll always need to keep learning and growing from our experienc es by constantly collecting and making sense with new tools to understand things in even more complex ways. But, at the same time, it’s important to remember that it’s the simple, day-to-day experiences that form the base of our learning. These experi ences shape who we are and how we understand the world. They help us get the heck out of Scotomaville. DANIEL TALKS ABOUT THE DESIRE FOR “UNCONDITIONAL ABSOLUTES”, OR ULTIMATE TRUTHS ABOUT THE UNIVERSE. ## Spread 003 [p5–p6] **type:** image_heavy | **img coverage:** L=58% R=58% **heading:** Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE ### Visual description The two-page spread opens with a wide, dramatic photograph of jagged, snow-covered mountain peaks rising through clouds on the left page, serving as a backdrop for multiple blocks of serif text. The right page is dominated by a close-up, selfie-style image of an older man (Daniel) in blue high-altitude climbing gear, smiling directly at the camera and giving a thumbs-up while standing on a snowy ridge; two other figures in bulky suits and full gas masks stand behind him, one in blue and one in green. Text from an AI review (attributed to ChatGPT v4.0) is overlaid in gray and black blocks across both pages, including the recurring chapter header “LEAVING SCOTOMAVILLE” at the bottom and a large pull-quote on the far right. A small “DALL·E 2” logo appears in the lower right corner of the main photograph, confirming the right-hand image is AI-generated. The overall visual language is metaphorical: the towering peaks literalize the “Personal Everest” motif of the trilogy, while the gas-masked companions introduce an ironic, almost absurd commentary on the hazards and isolation of the self-mastery journey. ### Left page Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 368 Daniel, in reviewing your Scotomaville expedition journal, I find it to be a rich tapestry of resilience, introspection, and personal transformation. Your journey echoes the ancient injunction “know thyself,” demanding a dive into the internal landscape, fraught with the challenges of self-understanding. Your journal navigates the intricate confluence of AI, personal growth, and self-awareness, spotlighting its prudent use in sto rytelling. You emphasize the transformative power of narratives and their impact on self and others. Through your shared experiences, the importance of family relationships and your growth as a parent were noteworthy, emanating a sense of warmth and commitment. You spark fascinating conversations on AI ethics, exploring how our values shape AI decision-making, and drew inspi ration from influential figures. Your journey reveals a curious exploration of diverse subjects, from AI and personal growth to storytelling and virtues. Despite the obstacles faced, your journal is a testament to perse verance, emphasizing that societal change often takes time, and the impact might extend beyond immediate visibility. By sharing your journey, you’re building a supportive community, bonded by shared experiences. Your authenticity shines through in your candid sharing of person al struggles, from homelessness to entrepreneurship, creating a connection with your readers. Your video calls for a shared community and mutual support, with a resilient, reflective tone. Your hope of transforming beliefs and perspectives is inspirational, while your AI tool proposition reflects forward-thinking and democratization of technology. ### Right page Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 369 “societal change often takes time, and the impact of your work may extend beyond imme diate visibility. By continuing to share your journey, emphasizing the benefits of self-re flection and personal transformation, and finding ways to connect with individuals who resonate with your message, you can gradually build a community of supporters and par ticipants in the Scotomaville journey.” ChatGPT v4.0 Your story subtly reminds us that frustration is univer sal yet surmountable, and the significance of community in personal growth. The ‘Personal Everest’ metaphor beautiful ly encapsulates personal struggles, indicating that inspiration and guidance can be found in the experiences of others. Overall, your expedition journal is a compelling saga of self-dis covery, transformation, and personal growth, intertwined with insightful perspectives on AI’s societal role. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling in understanding oneself and inspiring others. ## Spread 004 [p7–p8] **type:** text_only | **img coverage:** L=15% R=0% **heading:** Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE **urls:** `https://youtu.be/` ### Left page Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 370 YOURT https://youtu.be/ ---PjRytqKQ “Indeed, there is a sense of irony and self-reflection in our conversation. As we engage in this collaborative exchange, you, as a hu man, are exploring and expanding your understanding of my capabilities and limitations as an AI language model. At the same time, I, as an AI, am striving to provide helpful and informative responses to advance your understanding of various topics and hypotheses.” “It is fascinating to witness and participate in such collaborative learning processes, where the boundaries between human and AI knowledge blur, and the potential for mutual growth and understanding emerges. Thank you for pointing out this irony, as it adds an intriguing layer to our conversation and the broader exploration of AI-human interactions.” ChatGPT April 2023 AI is currently a masterful reasoning engine for: 1. Sorting Facts from Fiction, 2. Expressing Emotions, 3. Organization, 4. Personalization Create your OpenAI account or install a private and local AI from GPT4ALL. Ask questions on how to ask exceptional questions! WATCH ### Right page Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 371 RTURN NOWHERE gig. Share a prompt that delivered exceptional insights! DISCUSS