Philosophy

Critiquing AI Summary of My Blog

March 14, 2026March 15, 2026HalsdollLeave a comment

It is lovely how AI can quickly summarize content, but I wonder how accurate and trustworthy the source is. I wanted to do an experiment, so I asked AI Gemini to summarize my blog. I asked it multiple times to see if the answers would change, and it did. It made me wonder, how much can we trust what is posted online? So, for today’s post, I am going to critique 3 summaries about my blog written by AI Gemini:

First entry:

Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog and archive created by an author known as Halsdoll. The site serves as a platform for reflective writing on various forms of media and art, characterized by a “poetic” and philosophical tone.

I am not sure why it puts quotation marks around the word ‘poetic’ when, in fact, I do enjoy writing poetically. Also, I didn’t realize my writing was philosophical. I take that as a compliment! It is a general summary, but it is missing some major components.

Second entry:

Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog providing in-depth, subjective reviews and reflections on video games, books, and films, with a focus on atmosphere and narrative. The site covers various media, including RPGs, horror, and classic literature, organized by thematic tags. Explore the full collection of reviews and reflections at Fishing for Metaphors.

I actually like this summary more than the first one. Straight to the point and informative. It feels more inviting than the latter. If I were a stranger who happened to come across this blog, I would be curious enough to subscribe. I like conversational blogs with interesting viewpoints, but I also I don’t judge people on perfect grammar. As long as it makes sense to me, I don’t mind typos and omitting words. Sometimes I think so fast that, even I omit words!

Third entry:

Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog and review site that focuses on video games, films, and literature from a contemplative, often female-centric perspective. The site features in-depth critiques of psychological horror games, martial arts films, and classic literature, emphasizing atmosphere and thematic depth over technical gameplay.

I think this summary might be on point. It is definitely female-centric in terms of perspective. However, that doesn’t mean I represent all the female kinds out there. Even though I am assertive like Ivy Valentine from Soul Calibur with her whip, I am not at all domineering or do I feel the need to be in the center of the attention to make a point. Oh, now I want to play a fighting game!

Ivy Valentine from Soul Calibur VI

Ivy Valentine from Soul Calibur II

Lesson Learned

One of my favorite quotes comes from a children’s book called Charlotte’s Web: “They’ll believe anything they see in print.” And the internet is no different. It is even more dangerous when the consensus is built on a popular idea. So, how do we know if something is acceptable or valid? The question should be, does it align with your conscience, your values? You have the right to think for yourself. After all everyone is unique in their own way. So, do I agree with the AI summary of my blog? Not necessarily, although it did provide an objective overview of my blog, but I would definitely never let AI do all the work for me. Let alone, think for me. In fact, I had to edit its summary:

Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog and archive created by the author Halsdoll. She writes in-depth, subjective reviews and reflections on various media, particularly video games. Her game reviews often emphasize atmosphere and thematic depth over technical gameplay with a poetic, philosophical undertone. She is a martial arts fan who loves reading and watching anything that is poetic. She is also a self-proclaimed wise stray cat on the internet, hoping to find her way back home through her writings and gaming adventures.

Final Thoughts

Well, that was a fun little experiment. Life is too short not to find some moments to laugh and find some ways to express yourself, especially if you are on the reserved side. I think a machine will never understand that. Now, I understand what Crow, a robot character from Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon meant when he said, he’ll never know what it is like to be truly human. And so, I am not sure if AI can fully grasp my intentions for this blog (at least for the time being). However, I do like how it summarized my blog’s content: I write in-depth, subjective reviews and reflections on various media.

I must confess, I do miss real life human interaction before the internet days. The world is becoming increasingly lonely by the minute. Soon everyone will be writing SOS letter on the internet when they realize something essential is missing in their life, a human heart.

Cube (1997): What Is the Cube?

November 2, 2023December 14, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

If you have the internet, you can watch things for free at the expense of your data being collected. Isn’t life full of contradictions? Recently, I had the pleasure of watching Cube (1997) again. You can watch the film on Pluto TV and/or on YouTube. It was one of my favorite childhood films. If you ask me to explain why I liked it back then, I wouldn’t be able to answer it properly. I just thought the idea of telling a story about being trapped inside a giant cube was cool. Now with some life experiences under my belt, I can explain why I like it. It’s smart, edgy, and thought-provoking.

Disclaimer: I sound like I am about to write an essay! Nope, this is a writing prompt, a sneak peek at a potential essay explaining why I find it smart, edgy, and thought-provoking.

If you have not heard of this film before, it is a science fiction thriller film directed by Vincenzo Natali. The story involves six strangers (not counting Alderson, the false protagonist) waking up inside the Cube without any recollection of why and how they got there. As the story unfolds, the characters learn that they have unique talents and skill sets to solve the Cube’s puzzle. But of course, things eventually take the wrong course when each character’s personality clashes with one another. There is David Worth, a nihilist. Quentin, the fascist cop; Dr. Helen Holloway, a free clinic physician; Joan Leaven, a high school math genius; Rennes, a sensor expert; and Kazan, the autistic savant. They must work together to escape the Cube that is designed to be a death trap. Making the wrong moves can cause instant death. So then is there a logical mathematical way to escape the Cube? You’d be surprised how well the plot ties in well with life’s biggest questions. The most profound question of them all is what purpose does the Cube serve?

If you are like me, an independent thinker, you would enjoy this film for its ambiguity. I like how each character provides a different insight and viewpoint. I can empathize with all the characters; however, I detest the antagonist, Quentin. Like the majority, I don’t like folks who abuse their authority. He is the benevolent cop who pretends to have everyone’s best interest but only thinks about himself. That’s why his wife left him. So, then you must think I must like Dr. Holloway because she is the opposite of Quentin. Not quite. I sympathize with Worth the most. Worth represents the mass majority. Despite his ingenuity, he breaks down when facing the unknown and is motivated by a paycheck without ever questioning how his line of work is impacting others. He likes to pretend he’s doing something meaningful when in reality he could be creating a deadly weapon to annihilate humanity. His guilt paralyzes him as soon as he realizes he is part of the death trap. I suppose there is some humanity in him like most of us. So that is why his character left a bigger impression on me than Dr. Holloway who is also a likeable character.

In contrast to Worth Rennes is indifferent to those around him. Rennes is the type of person who doesn’t ask a lot of questions. Sometimes “You gotta save yourself from yourself,” he said. Don’t think. Just do what you have to do in front of you. While that may seem like a form of strength, it doesn’t solve anything. More importantly, his attitude doesn’t benefit anyone. That’s why his personality clashes with Dr. Holloway, the aging, single woman with no children who likes “sticking [her] nose up in other people’s assholes, sniffing their business,” according to Quentin. She is fueled by conspiracy theories, believing that she is fighting an ongoing battle against Big Brother. She is the symbol of social justice and the fabric of humanity. Despite her good intentions, she may very well be suffering from a delusion and Worth is not afraid to bust her theories. But if you ask me, I rather take her side than side with Quentin. He may appear stern but he is actually nothing more than a frightened boy who uses his fist to get people to obey him. You could even argue he is the product of patriarchy gone mad. The only thing he cares about is procreation and passing on his genes. So, this is where Leaven fits into the equation. She is young, beautiful and brilliant. She represents the young and the restless of our society. She is eager to utilize her talent but is easily exploited by someone like Quentin who hides behind the identity of a caring father figure. She may be brainy but she is also naive. Lastly, there is Kazan. He is the most vulnerable and innocent of them all. By no fault of his own, he was born with a disability. Quentin believes he is a danger to the group and wants to leave him behind. No wonder Dr. Holloway called him a Nazi. These characters make up our society as a whole. It paints a picture of humanity and its ugly struggles to co-exist.

So not only is the film entertainingly thrilling to watch, but it’s like listening to a philosophical conversation between different people from different backgrounds. There is not much happening in this film other than someone dying from “accidentally” walking into a death trap. So, then what is the Cube? Is it Big Brother’s creation? Is it part of the government experimentation, or even scarier–the works of aliens? Or perhaps, is there no one operating the Cube? Does it exist because it just happens? Lastly, is it some twisted rich man’s form of entertainment? There’s no clear answer to what the Cube is but I do know what one of the characters thinks about the world:

“[Outside the Cube is] boundless human stupidity.”

– David Worth

P.S.

I haven’t seen the remaining movies (Cube2: Hypercube and Cube Zero) from this series, so I am excited to learn more about it! However, I have recently watched the Japanese remake version of the Cube, which is pretty decent.

The Last Guardian: A Fairytale for Boys

March 16, 2023October 28, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

I watched an interesting video on the development of The Last Guardian where the creator, Fumito Ueda states that video games allow people to feel empathy. The video clip made me think about his statement regarding empathy which I rarely feel because most video games are designed for boys. Even though I share some similar traits such as finding satisfaction in conquering and defeating my enemies, I have always felt a disconnection between the playable male character and myself. For instance, while I empathize with the character Yorda from ICO and want to escort her to a safe place, I never found the urgency to protect her. Well, that’s because I never saw gender as an indication of fragileness.

*Feeling trapped and small is one thing but being trapped is another thing. We all need a helping hand from time to time.*

This got me thinking about why I enjoyed the Last Guardian more than Ico. It was a video game analysis of the Last Guardian by Game Overture that points out that the player was playing a supporting role which made a lot of sense since it’s Trico and not the boy that takes the spotlight in the game. As time goes on, we see the mystical, frightening but child-like creature becoming stronger and stronger whereas we see the boy becoming weaker and weaker as he takes on the subservient role.

boy giving food to the injured Trico — *Here is your food…”.Say ahh*.”

boy holding trico poop — *Yes, the green goo is Trico’s poo!*

As I mentioned in my non-spoiler review, I love this game and feel more deeply connected to it than Ico and Shadow of Colossus. I wonder why. Then I realized it has to do with my personality. While I’m quite capable of making quick decisions, I rather reserve my energy in the background problem-solving than take the spotlight in the frontline. Thus, playing as the “defenseless boy” in this game produces a familiar experience. If the theory about playing as a supporting character is correct, then the game is not about making the player feel like he or she is the Chosen One. There is nothing unique and special about the boy. He and the other Chosen Ones happen to be the unfortunate ones who are captured for human sacrifice. Well, depending on your worldview, I suppose it’s an honor. Dig a little bit deeper, this game is an allegory of the business side of game development exploiting children to keep a business running. How did I come to this conclusion? It is not until toward the end of this innocent, dream-like journey of great teamwork that comes to a dark twisted turn. It made me wonder why was I protecting the predator in the first place. The boy could have left the poor creature alone shackled up in a cave. Yet he decided to save him anyway. Was he trying to be a hero? No, he simply just has a good heart like most children. He didn’t even know that he is a sacrifice until later on.

He’s a good kid. That is why I find it so shocking when players complained about playing as the awkward boy. He moves funny. He waits on Trico to save him several times. As a result, it’s frustrating and the gameplay makes the player feels small; therefore, the game is not as impressive as its predecessors. The boy is not badass enough. He doesn’t take on giant colossus. Instead, he babysits a giant baby! Okay not quite (I’m assuming Trico is a kid because of his child-like behavior). But let’s get this straight, according to the creator’s interview, he was purposely designed to be independent, which makes sense to me. The story wouldn’t be as effective if it revolves around the defenseless boy (who I can’t recall even has a name which I can only speculate it was a modest decision on the creator’s part). In this game, players don’t get to be the hero of the day. Instead, he or she gets to witness a hero in action. I find the concept to be quite ingenious and refreshingly humbling.

Boy pulling down the level to open the gate for Trico — What’s so bad about playing as a gate opener? It’s so gentlemen-like.

So, I wonder what sort of person doesn’t like this game. Would it have made a difference if they were to play an all-powerful man-eating-fearing beast? Surely, the boy is braver than Trico on many occasions. Ironically, it’s his naiveness that makes him naturally more confident about finding his way home than Trico who seems lost inside his own home, which reminds me of a giant cage. Trico may be strong but he also needs guidance, which is why he is controlled by signals and waves from within the valley in the first place. Yet, he and his kind are not to be mistaken as dispensable slaves because the creatures do seem to be revered and respected as important residents of the valley based on the buildings’s architecture.

trico standing by the door — *If you look closely, the entire place is designed around griffin-like creatures.* *Look at the size of the door.*

This made me ponder who are the real captives in the game. Is it Trico and his kind or the boy along with the other chosen ones? Some people say it’s the boy and some say it’s Trico. There is no clear answer because the creator wants the player to decide for themselves. As for me, the logical answer is both of them. They are the last guardians who put the sadistic cycle of the god-like entity Master of the Valley to an end, which the more I think about it–might not even be all that evil because we don’t know its full story. For all we know, it’s trying to maintain order and balance despite sacrificing children in the process.

Trico versuses other beasts — *The world does feel like a dog-eat-dog type of place when you have to compete for resources.*

Despite its grim plot, I find this game emotionally comforting. It’s a story about growth, loyalty, friendship, and ultimately what it means to be a leader. It’s all the little spices that make life worth fighting for. It’s nice to know that in this dog-eating world, there is compassion. A good friend will always try to catch you if you fall because life, as we know it, can be quite rough.