Transcript: ChatGPT with DALL-E

In which I ask DALL-E to draw a picture after some hard times.

User: I would like a 1950's themed image that captures the essential quality of the following paragraphs: Apologies for the delay of this email. Originally this email was going to be a couple of days late because of the holiday of Sukkot spanned the end of September and start of October. But then as the holiday ended and news from Israel started flooding in, I (like many of you) got into a spiral of watching my phone constantly and trying to find out how family and friends were doing and what developments were being reported.

Then as the days passed, I kept pushing off writing this email because I wasn't sure what to write. Most of my thoughts have been articulated better by others. I almost wanted to email a blank sheet of paper in the style of that Russian political joke-- everyone knows what the paper is supposed to say.

Except that it would appear that, no, one cannot assume such things at all. It's as if the chattering classes actually need kindergarten lessons such as: "Why Capricious Murder is Evil"; "Strong Convictions Don't Imply Correctness"; and "Less Power Doesn't Mean More Moral". Some folks have woken up to the reality of the situation on the ground while others seem blithely clueless about the implications for the larger Western world.

The real cost in lives; the high tensions with real stakes; the twittersphere of non-stop commentary of various and dubious quality; the absurdist knee-jerk reactions-- it's all overwhelming. I guess I figured out what I should write.

Hope you're all safe and doing well.

ChatGPT: Given the provided paragraphs, we can infer several key themes and emotions:

Delay and Distraction: The writer had to delay sending the email due to personal commitments and the troubling events unfolding.
Concern and Anxiety: The writer was deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of family and friends in Israel.
Uncertainty: There was hesitation about what to write and how to convey emotions.
Awareness vs. Ignorance: The writer notes the disparity in understanding and awareness about the situation.
The Overwhelming Nature of Media: The non-stop flow of information, much of which might be of questionable quality or reactionary.
Wish for Well-being: A desire for safety and well-being for the recipients.

With these themes in mind, let's create a set of image descriptions to capture the essence of the paragraphs with a 1950's theme:

Photo of a 1950's desk: On it, an old-fashioned typewriter with a blank sheet of paper, symbolizing the struggle to find words. A desk lamp illuminates an open envelope and a calendar showing the end of September and start of October. Nearby, a vintage radio broadcasts news, with a small family photo next to it, capturing the concern for loved ones.
Illustration in a 1950's cartoon style: A classroom with "chattering classes" as adults sitting on small kindergarten chairs. The chalkboard displays lessons like "Why Capricious Murder is Evil". The teacher, looking exasperated, tries to explain while some students eagerly listen and others are distracted, capturing the disparity in understanding.
Photo of a 1950's living room: A family sits anxiously around a vintage television broadcasting news about Israel. The room's ambiance is tense, with a clock ticking loudly, representing the passing time and the writer's delay in composing the email.
Illustration of a 1950's city street: People are walking around, some holding newspapers with headlines about the situation in Israel, while others seem clueless and are laughing or chatting. Above, the sky is filled with thought bubbles containing tweets, comments, and reactions, representing the overwhelming nature of media.

Now, let's generate these images.

DALL-E Image 1 — Photo of a 1950's desk: An old-fashioned typewriter sits with a blank sheet of paper, symbolizing the challenge to find words. A desk lamp casts light on an open envelope and a calendar displaying the end of September and start of October. Nearby, a vintage radio broadcasts news, with a small family photo placed beside it, emphasizing concern for loved ones.

DALL-E Image 2 — Photo of a 1950's living room: A family gathers around an old television set broadcasting news about Israel. The atmosphere in the room is palpable with tension. A prominently audible clock ticks in the background, hinting at the passage of time and the delay in communication.

DALL-E Image 3 — Illustration of a 1950's city street: Pedestrians walk about, some holding newspapers with bold headlines about Israel, while others seem blissfully unaware, laughing or chatting. Above them, the sky is crowded with thought bubbles filled with tweets, comments, and various reactions, capturing the overwhelming nature of media and public opinion.

I apologize, but one of the images based on the descriptions provided couldn't be generated due to our content policy. However, the other images that align with the 1950's theme and capture the essence of the paragraphs you provided are now displayed. Please let me know if there are any modifications or additional requests you'd like to make.

User: I like the idea of the typewriter with a blank page. Drop the calendar and photo on the desk.

ChatGPT: Understood. I'll modify the image description to focus on the typewriter with a blank page, removing the calendar and family photo elements. Here's the revised description:

Photo of a 1950's desk: An old-fashioned typewriter sits with a blank sheet of paper, symbolizing the challenge to find words. A desk lamp casts light on the scene, and nearby, a vintage radio broadcasts news, highlighting the backdrop of unfolding events.

Let's generate this image.

DALL-E Image 4 — Photo of a 1950's desk: An old-fashioned typewriter with a blank sheet of paper, symbolizing the struggle to find words. A desk lamp illuminates the scene, and a vintage radio nearby broadcasts news, capturing the backdrop of current events.

User: Remove the radio on the right and the mouse. Make the pencil more pencil-like.

ChatGPT: Got it. I'll make the following adjustments to the image description:

Photo of a 1950's desk: An old-fashioned typewriter sits with a blank sheet of paper, symbolizing the challenge to find words. A desk lamp casts light on the scene. Nearby, a distinctly pencil-like pencil rests on the desk, emphasizing the traditional tools of writing.

Let's generate this revised image.

DALL-E Image 5 — Photo of a 1950's desk: An old-fashioned typewriter with a blank sheet of paper, representing the challenge to find words. A desk lamp shines over the scene. A distinct, traditional pencil rests on the desk, emphasizing classic writing tools.