I had a funky idea while driving the other day and when I got home I gave it a shot. I started using ChatGPT 3.5 recently in lieu of Google to do some research, never really asked it to write something for me, although I toyed around with having it edit and condense my own writing. I'm starting to see the potential for developing a professional relationship with AI as a utility. I figured everyone has already tried getting it to write everything up to and including the Anarchist Cookbook.

So, I wondered what it would produce if I asked it to write a history textbook for a college class in the distant future examining the 20th and 21st Centuries as a really bad time for humankind to say the least. Below is my first attempt. I'm going to keep chipping away at this writing commentary while prompting AI to produce the textbook to completion. I will even have it create illustrations. This is gonna be fun!

Write the introduction to a text book for a history class taught at university in the year 3000. Refer to the socioeconomic mechanisms of the past as a regretful time in human history. Describe western, primarily Americanized, social and cultural norms like the 9 to 5 forty hour work week, rush hour, and the use of money and social credit as ridiculous practices which arose from the colonialization of the entire planet and the commoditization of humans' basic needs.

Welcome to the pages of "Chronicles of Humanity," a history textbook designed to unveil the intricate tapestry of human existence between the years 2000 and 2200. As we embark on this academic journey, it is crucial to approach the past with a discerning eye and an open mind, recognizing the societal norms of the time as both a reflection and a deviation from the values we hold in the enlightened era of the 31st century.

In the years preceding the dawn of the new millennium, humanity found itself entangled in a web of socioeconomic mechanisms that, in retrospect, elicit a sense of regret and disbelief. The period marked by the 9-to-5 forty-hour work week, the chaos of rush hour, and the utilization of archaic concepts such as money and social credit, stands as a testament to the consequences of global colonization and the commodification of fundamental human needs.

In the early 21st century, predominantly Western, and particularly Americanized, societies were driven by a paradigm that viewed the relentless pursuit of wealth as the pinnacle of success. The 40-hour work week, a grueling schedule enforced across various industries, dictated the lives of countless individuals, leaving little room for genuine human expression and connection. Rush hour, a daily ordeal that encapsulated the inefficiencies of a system obsessed with productivity, symbolized the unsustainable nature of a society bound by its own constructs.

Perhaps one of the most perplexing aspects of this bygone era was the reliance on money and social credit as tools for social interaction and resource allocation. The commoditization of basic human needs, from sustenance to shelter, fostered an environment in which the accumulation of wealth became a misguided measure of personal worth. The social credit system, an attempt to quantify one's societal contribution, further exacerbated the divide between individuals and communities.

As we delve into the annals of history, it is imperative to approach these practices with a critical eye, recognizing them not as inherent flaws in humanity but as reflections of a society grappling with the consequences of its past. The narratives that follow aim to shed light on the evolution of these practices, offering insights into the transformative journey that led humanity from the shadows of regrettable norms to the enlightened present. May the pages of "Chronicles of Humanity" serve as a guide, prompting contemplation on the path that brought us to the 31st century and the lessons we can draw from our collective past.