How We Differ from Robots
Today’s post begins with a line from Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day.” The original English felt far more powerful to me, so I will first give the English, then what it means to me: “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
It is a question deep enough to ask yourself again and again. It is also powerful enough to have persuaded Diana Nyad to swim from Cuba to Florida at the age of 60. Still, before facing the question myself, I wanted to do a bit of online research. When I asked ChatGPT this question, the answer I got was even more surprising. That was one of my aha moments. This is how ChatGPT answers it: “I don’t have a life the way humans do.”
Is this what sets us apart from robots, do you think? Bringing excitement, adrenaline, energy, passion and meaning to our lives? Truly, in this one-of-a-kind life that we may never live again, what have we done so far that was meaningful and wild? When did we push our limits? What did we keep running after, never giving up?
I’m not asking these questions with sighs and lamentations. I don’t like questions asked that way. Everyone has the right to a better life, and it isn’t our place to judge anyone. Nor is this an attitude like “Well, we’re not really living,” as in comedian Cem Yılmaz’s joke. It is simply an invitation, from here on, to take a breath, become aware and act…
Now pause and think. Lean back against a comfortable cushion. Take a good, deep breath. What was the last thing you dreamed of that was left unfinished? What have you given up on, thinking it was too late? And one last question: if you had only one year left to live, how would you make your one and only life precious and wild?
Would you like to talk about this topic as part of your own development journey?
AUTHOR
Azer Karabıyık
Career Transition Coach PCC, ACPC, ORSC
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