I'm really curious how this kind of writing will be perceived in the coming years. It's "good" long form writing but a lot of that also feels like journalistic padding for the sake of the form, as if you asked an LLM to "write in the style of a long form journalist."

Easy example:

"...dismissed as “disappointing,” “unfair,” and—my favorite—“a gimmick”..."

Is it really important for me to know Clare McNear's favourite? A couple of years ago I wouldn't have thought anything of it but now I'm so sickened constantly by LLMs adding so much needless cruft to everything they write I'm reading this thinking "just tell me the story, for the love of humanity!"

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justonceokay 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

I’m seeing hyperreality in real time. You complain that an article of long form journalism appears to be the sort of thing that might be produced by asking an LLM to create it?

Doesn’t that mean it is true to form? Can you not imagine that some people like reading stories written by others?

	▲	AlecSchueler 2 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		> Doesn’t that mean it is true to form? Yes, that's exactly what it means. Like I say, a few years ago I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but now it's behind painfully clear how formulaic that kind of writing is. > Can you not imagine that some people like reading stories written by others? This is quite uncharitable and a straw man. I love reading stories written by others. I'm complaining very specifically about the over reliance on tropes of the form. I also wasn't leading with the complaint, I was leading with the curiosity I feel about how writing will develop as a result of what I'm seeing here, as I'm sure I'm not the only one who suddenly feels different about human made writing. That's not too say I don't lament it, either, but it is what it is.
	▲	ACCount37 2 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		I think it's valid to say that the advent of LLMs has diminished the value of formulaic long-winded prose, and increased the value of being brief and concise.

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snowwrestler 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Human long-form writing will be perceived as the top of value.

What is more valued today, IKEA furniture or hand-made natural wood furniture? A mass-produced Timex quartz watch or a hand-made mechanical watch? A painting or an ink-jet print of a painting?

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AlecSchueler 2 days ago | parent [-]

Good, creative, original human long-form writing, yes, I'm sure.

But that's quite different from something essentially indistinguishable from AI output. The article here is very by-the-numbers and doesn't really show any strengths of the human mind over the ability of LLMs, does it? Or can you tell me why you enjoyed hearing which was her favourite quote, and why that makes the article akin to a handmade mechanical watch?

	▲	2 days ago \| parent [-]
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