I don’t mind ChatGPT’s assessment of my writing style: “Your writing style is reflective, intellectual, and often philosophical, exploring deep questions about art, culture, and human experience. You blend personal insight with broader commentary, using precise language and a contemplative tone. Your essays demonstrate a balance between academic rigor and accessible prose, often inviting readers to ponder alongside you. There’s a clear appreciation for both clarity and depth, making your pieces thoughtful yet approachable. The structure is well-organized, with a focus on thematic exploration.”
After asking ChatGPT to assess my writing style, I asked it to apply my style to a book review of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It wrote:
“In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig crafts a hybrid narrative, blending memoir with philosophical exploration. The journey follows a father and son’s motorcycle trip across America, but beneath this lies a deeper quest for understanding ‘Quality,’ a concept that transcends traditional divisions between classical and romantic thinking.
Pirsig’s style is meditative, mirroring the themes of Zen, and his prose shifts fluidly between technical descriptions of motorcycle maintenance and introspective philosophical musings. The narrative structure is non-linear, inviting readers to engage not just with the story but with the abstract concepts that underpin it. His exploration of the tension between rationality and intuition is central to the book’s intellectual core.
The brilliance of Pirsig’s work lies in its accessibility. While it delves into complex ideas about metaphysics and epistemology, the grounding in everyday experiences like travel and mechanical work makes it relatable. His tone is both analytical and deeply personal, evoking a sense of quiet contemplation. At times, the philosophical depth can feel heavy, yet Pirsig manages to bring readers along by using tangible metaphors and a conversational tone.
Ultimately, the book challenges readers to reconsider their relationship with technology, the world around them, and their own internal thought processes. It’s a journey not just of landscapes, but of the mind—a meditation on what it means to live a good, meaningful life, with all its messiness and contradictions. This is a book that requires patience, but rewards it with insights that resonate long after the final page.”
Based on paragraph, sentence, and word count alone, it mimicked my style. The reading level is also comparable. What would Pirsig think of my collaboration with ChatGPT? I found this quote, “The way to solve the conflict between human values and technology needs is not to run away from technology. That’s impossible. The way to resolve the conflict is to break down the barriers of dualistic thought that prevent a real understanding of what technology is–not an exploitation of nature, but a fusion of nature and the human spirit into a new kind of creation that transcends both.” ChatGPT also created the above image, using my prompts.
Last Updated on May 15, 2025 | Published: September 18, 2024