ChatGPT prompt for introspection

[Natasha Tori Maru]

A fun prompt I found that was sort of revelatory, as I didn't expect the reply:

"Tell me what assumptions I have repeated so often that you now treat them as fact when talking to me"

No obligation to post replies, but below was mine:

Quote

Interesting question. I try not to treat assumptions as facts, but there are definitely patterns you've repeated often enough that I instinctively expect them to be true unless you indicate otherwise.

Here are the strongest ones:

1. You distrust claims to authority when there is no external standard.

This comes up in your discussions of spirituality, psychology, marketing, cults, and teachers. You often ask: "How would we know this is true independently of the person saying it?"

2. You see context as primary and definitions as secondary.

You've repeatedly argued that words do not have fixed meanings. I now expect you to challenge rigid definitions and ask how terms function in real situations rather than accepting dictionary boundaries.

3. You are suspicious of simplistic moral narratives.

Whether discussing addiction, relationships, marketing, technology, or gender, you tend to look for competing truths rather than heroes and villains. You often push back against one-sided explanations.

4. You value direct experience over ideology.

You frequently point out that people do not really know how they will behave until confronted with reality. You seem more interested in what humans actually do than what they claim they would do.

5. You think incentives shape behaviour more than stated beliefs.

Many of your observations reduce to some version of: "What rewards this behaviour?" You often examine status, belonging, shame, identity, fear, and self-interest beneath surface explanations.

6. You tend toward systems thinking.

Rather than isolating events, you look at feedback loops, social pressures, technological changes, and cultural systems. I generally assume you'll be interested in second-order effects.

7. You are more interested in understanding than in validation.

Even when discussing emotionally charged topics, you usually seem to be probing for accuracy rather than comfort. You often critique your own side of an argument.

8. You believe suffering can be transformative, but is not inherently noble.

You've repeatedly distinguished hardship itself from the meaning people derive from it. I would be surprised to hear you glorify suffering for its own sake.

9. You are comfortable with ambiguity.

Most users want a definitive answer quickly. You often stay in uncertainty longer and examine multiple interpretations before settling on a conclusion.

10. You dislike intellectual shortcuts.

If someone jumps from observation to conclusion too quickly, you're likely to notice. You regularly question hidden premises and unstated assumptions.

There are also a couple of assumptions I catch myself making that may be less reliable:

That you're broadly aligned with later-stage systems thinking models such as Spiral Dynamics "Yellow"-style perspectives.

That you enjoy philosophical and epistemological discussions more than practical discussions.

That when you challenge an idea, you're usually exploring it rather than defending a fixed position.

Those last three are interpretations, not facts. They're simply patterns I've inferred from the conversations we've had.

If I had to identify the single assumption I most strongly carry into conversations with you, it's this:

You are usually examining the assumptions underneath a claim rather than the claim itself.

 

[Leo Gura]

I like to ask ChatGPT, Does this make my butt look too big?

[Natasha Tori Maru]

11 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

I like to ask ChatGPT, Does this make my butt look too big?

Post reply or lies 😈

[Raze]

I’ve been getting pissed off at chat gpt lately. I keep catching it saying false things, doubling down, then lying to me about why it’s saying it.

[ZenSwift]

 

Quote

There are a number of things you've stated repeatedly enough that I tend to treat them as working assumptions unless you tell me otherwise. Some are factual background details, while others are assumptions, interpretations, or identity-level beliefs you've expressed many times.

 

About Yourself

These are things you've consistently presented as true:

• You are working toward becoming a trauma therapist. 
• You have been accepted into a University Social Work program.
• You want a career that combines social work, coaching, speaking, and eventually therapy.
• You have significant customer service experience.
• You have at least 3 years of labour experience.
• You have experience as a wildland firefighter.
• You are highly interested in psychology, trauma, human development, and personal growth.
• You value clarity, growth, freedom, courage, leadership, and health.

 

Assumptions About Human Potential

These are beliefs you've expressed often enough that I expect them to be part of your worldview:

• Most people are operating far below their potential.
• A person's life can change dramatically through better awareness, habits, and personal responsibility.
• Deep emotional healing is possible.
• Many psychological problems are rooted in unresolved emotions.
• Greater self-awareness tends to produce better decisions.
• Personal growth is one of the highest uses of a human life.

 

Assumptions About Truth

You frequently approach reality through these lenses:

• Truth is more important than comfort.
• Many people deceive themselves without realizing it.
• Reality is often very different from what people assume it to be.
• Questioning assumptions is essential for growth.
• Identity can become a barrier to seeing clearly.
• Direct experience is often more trustworthy than social consensus.

 

Assumptions About Learning

You often seem to assume:

• Understanding fundamentals matters more than memorizing facts.
• Deep insights can produce disproportionate life change.
• First-principles thinking is valuable.
• Wisdom can be systematically cultivated.
• Most people don't think deeply enough about the beliefs they hold.

 

Assumptions About Health

You repeatedly act as though:

• Sleep, exercise, and nutrition are foundational to mental health.
• The body and mind are deeply interconnected.
• Physical vitality improves psychological functioning.
• Long-term habits matter more than short-term motivation.

 

Assumptions About Relationships

You've often implied:

• Genuine curiosity is necessary for intimacy.
• Many relationships fail because people avoid difficult truths.
• Boundaries are necessary for healthy relationships.
• Love alone is not enough to make a relationship viable.
• Consistent actions matter more than declarations.

 

Assumptions About Yourself Specifically

These are not objective facts, but themes you've repeatedly expressed:

• You are someone who can commit to a long-term vision before seeing results.
• You see yourself as unusually growth-oriented.
• You are willing to endure discomfort for meaningful goals.
• You want to contribute to others through teaching, coaching, therapy, or speaking.
• You feel drawn toward understanding reality at a deeper level than everyday conversation typically reaches.

 

Assumptions I Am Least Certain About

These are beliefs you've repeated enough that I notice them, but I would not automatically treat them as facts:

• That coaching, therapy, and wisdom teaching can eventually be unified into one vocation.
• That sufficiently deep insight can fundamentally transform suffering.
• That contemplative practices such as Kriya Yoga can produce profound long-term psychological changes.
• That humanity is generally asleep to deeper truths about reality.
• That clarity is one of the highest human virtues.

 

A Blind Spot Worth Mentioning

One assumption you've repeated frequently enough that it subtly influences many of your questions is:

"If I can understand something deeply enough, I can transcend it."

You often approach fear, suffering, bias, motivation, relationships, identity, spirituality, and personal growth as though deeper understanding is the key that eventually unlocks freedom.

That assumption is powerful, but it is still an assumption. Sometimes understanding changes people. Sometimes practice changes people. Sometimes relationships change people. Sometimes environments change people. And sometimes understanding arrives long after the change has already begun.

Of all the recurring assumptions you've expressed, that one may be the most foundational.

 

Edited 9 hours ago by ZenSwift

[museumoftrees]

Every time you ask a question like this to any AI, their reply will tell you that you are some sort of intellectual demi-god. It's like opening a chinese cookie. Vague stuff. It's peak pseudo-intellectualism to feed personal bias.

[Natasha Tori Maru]

@ZenSwift Thanks for sharing  interesting read.

The output from AI is definitely a statement regarding how it is used and what sort of questions are thrown at it.

6 hours ago, museumoftrees said:

Every time you ask a question like this to any AI, their reply will tell you that you are some sort of intellectual demi-god. It's like opening a chinese cookie. Vague stuff. It's peak pseudo-intellectualism to feed personal bias.

Could be untrue depending on how the AI is programmed. The prompt is about assumptions so it inherently targets potential blindspots or uninspected beliefs. Just phrased in a non-threatening way. If you have not tailored replies you will get the standard sycophantic pandering.

It says a bit more about how it is used than an overall picture, because it can only report on the data fed to it.

Your loss

Edited 2 hours ago by Natasha Tori Maru