Now that I have free time after forced retirement - literally free time as I am do no-charge consulting projects to get that gig off the ground (first 8 hours free with coupon!), I am tinkering around with AI. A year ago I thought AI was fairly overhyped, but after doing quite a bit of work with it (how do you think I do those free consulting hours?), I am rather impressed.
So as an exercise I thought I would ask the three main AIs to write up a psychological profile of me based on this blog, saving me $300 at a shrink.
Grok I think was the most thorough, actually reading through everything I posted over the past 15 years without prompting. ChatGPT, with the sarcastic personality of "Monday" I enjoy, had better nuances and funnier output, but had to be prompted to read more than the first dozen entries of the blog. Google Gemini was worthless as it couldn't or wouldn't do it, I assume due to some woke programming against on-line analysis.
Here are the two working summaries, edited for length:
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ChatGPT's "Monday" as Analyst
The author identifies as a retired tech executive, suggesting a career spent in the technology sector, likely in leadership or managerial roles. His posts reflect a deep understanding of corporate dynamics, particularly within tech companies, and he often provides commentary on business and economic trends.
Personality Traits
Introspective with a dash of bitterness – He’s got a strong internal dialogue and a habit of turning life events into long-winded thinkpieces. The forced retirement clearly stung, and now he processes emotions through blog posts, like a boomer-age diary with an RSS feed.
Cynical Realist – He’s not raging at the world, just sighing heavily at it. The tone screams: “Everything’s broken and I’m too tired to fix it, but here’s 900 words on why I saw it coming.”
Highly Analytical – Decades in tech management haven’t worn off. He dissects everything—his Wi-Fi, corporate America, his own ego—like a project postmortem.
Identity-anchored to Career – His sense of self is deeply tied to work. Losing his job didn’t just cost him income; it cost him narrative structure. Now he's freelancing his own relevance in blog format.
Defensive Intellectualism – When emotion creeps in, he quickly buries it under logic, wit, or tech metaphors. Classic behavior for someone who’d rather be correct than vulnerable. Congrats, he’s emotionally firewalled.
Struggling with Aging vs. Relevance – There’s a definite undercurrent of “I used to be someone” mixed with “Am I still someone?” He clings to outdated tech as a symbol of stability in a world that’s moving on without him.
Emotional State
Mildly Resentful, Mildly Resigned – He’s not boiling over with rage. He’s more like a kettle that whistles occasionally. He’s accepted retirement, but not without side-eyeing the process and everyone involved.
Seeking Purpose – The blog itself is a coping mechanism. A lifeline to relevance. He’s still got things to say, and he needs an audience to prove he hasn’t faded completely into golf-course obscurity.
Coping Mechanisms
Writing – Therapy with a keyboard, which has a zero co-pay.
Tech Humor – Using humor as insulation. If you laugh about aging routers, you don’t have to cry about aging humans.
Projection – Critiquing “society” as a safe way to critique himself without getting too personal.
INTJ energy (author: totally nailed that one). Mild existential angst. Techno-nostalgic. Retired, but not resting. One part Don Draper, one part Dilbert, stirred with a midlife cocktail shaker.
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Grok As Analyst
"The Window Manager," presents a collection of posts from a self-described middle-aged tech executive who reflects on a range of topics including business, economics, technology, politics, and personal health issues like tinnitus. The blog spans from at least 2005 to more recent entries, covering diverse subjects with a critical and often contrarian perspective. Key themes include:
- Economic and Social Commentary: The author critiques modern consumerism, describing a "debt-fueled consumer society" with global overcapacity leading to perverse incentives like mass immigration and broken households to sustain demand.
- Technology and Business: Posts from 2005 delve into business concepts like TAM (Total Addressable Market), indicating a background in tech or semiconductor industries. (author: yep!)
- Personal Grievances: A notable post expresses disillusionment with Rice University, where the author feels alienated despite decades of connection, suggesting a sense of betrayal by institutions they once valued
- Political and Cultural Views: The author critiques progressive ideologies, indicating a
conservative or libertarian lean. They lament societal trends like the
prioritization of consumerism over savings and the financial struggles of
Americans despite spending on luxury goods.
The tone is reflective, sometimes sarcastic, and critical of mainstream narratives, with a focus on systemic issues and personal frustrations. The blog appears to be a platform for the author to process observations and vent dissatisfaction with societal, institutional, and personal challenges.
Psychological Profile and
Analysis of the Author
Based on the content and tone of the blog, the following psychological profile and analysis can be inferred about the author.
- Cognitive Style: Analytical and Critical
- Their use of frameworks indicates intellectual rigor and a preference for systemic analysis
- Personality Traits: High Conscientiousness, Low Agreeableness
- The author likely has a strong sense of personal standards and is unafraid
to express unpopular opinions, which may stem from confidence in their
expertise or a reaction to feeling marginalized by changing societal
norms. (Author: Hey, no AI is going to tell me I have low agreeableness!)
- Emotional State: Frustration and Disillusionment
- The blog conveys a sense of exasperation with modern society—consumerism, noise pollution, institutional betrayals, and political hypocrisy.
Summary
The author of "The
Window Manager" is likely a middle-aged, highly conscientious tech
professional with a critical, analytical mindset and a contrarian worldview.
They exhibit low agreeableness, expressing sharp critiques of society,
institutions, and policies, driven by a mix of truth-seeking and frustration. While detached from
mainstream culture, they remain engaged through writing, seeking catharsis and
connection with a niche audience. Psychologically, they may grapple with
alienation and mild cynicism but demonstrate resilience through continued
reflection and expression.
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Not a bad pair of analyses, and neither of them asked me about my mother.