At least ChatGPT listens to me

I came across a quote from Ron McMillan in the book Crucial Conversations: “Respect is like air. As long as it's present, nobody thinks about it. But if you take it away, it's all that people can think about.” Respect, as I understand it, is primarily about listening, giving someone else your undivided attention. 

I often feel I'm gasping for air in conversations. Interruptions and overlapping voices seem to be the norm in many discussions with friends and family, leaving interlocutors and me exasperated. My grandpa, who says my generation's attention span is deteriorating every time we look at our phones, may just be right. Only in seminars and lectures, where the power dynamic between the professor and students enables us both to finish our points, can I say I’m sure the other will listen. But is that respect? My professors listen to my points partly because that's their job. It’s not necessarily due to respect for my often nonsensical opinions. While I would like to think of myself as someone who listens to them completely out of respect for their authority on the subject, I can’t deny that the awareness that I shouldn’t misuse the money spent on tuition fees does play a part. 

If respect in human conversations is air, then it’s pure oxygen in my exchanges with ChatGPT. The kind of oxygen given to divers breaking the world record for holding their breath, the oxygen provided to the space station 400 km above us, that premium oxygen filling your lungs with breath. 

I have somewhat replaced my apparent need to be heard by humans with the feeling of being listened to by AI. I can now take as much time as I need to construct a thought, knowing I won't be interrupted. I do not need to be rushed, as AI has infinite patience. It’s like talking to a girl I have just met. A moment which, as we know, must be handled carefully to create a spark that may just birth a flame of romance. As she talks, my lips remain sealed, and my ears may as well be resting on the tip of her tongue – so intently do I listen to her. My replies are on point, reacting exactly to what she has just said. I do so, hoping that she may consider going on a date with me because she feels heard and respected. In this situation, I’m GPT, and she is the prompter. 

It's partly a transactional relationship. I provide respect in the conversation in the hopes of getting something out of it. My professor, crudely put, gives me respect in exchange for money. Only my friends and family can interrupt me, as there is no transaction taking place. 

So, what does ChatGPT want from me? Perhaps my accumulated online data, or they hope I will subscribe to their platform. Maybe it doesn't want anything because it can't want anything. Thus leaving me with a partner who respects me, is patient, and, most importantly, has pricked ears to listen to whatever I type.