AI CURIOUS Lunch ’n Learn

CMD-X: From Outrage to Insight with LLMs and Digital Gardens

Andy Gayton

@ndyg

Outline

About me

  • Grew up in Australia, born in ’75: old man river
  • Started programming when I was 7
  • But more seriously since age 12
  • Moved to the States (California) in 2005
  • Met my wife; we have two girls
  • At the end of 2021, we moved the family to Toronto
  • These days, I’m interested in how we can use these (information) tools to make things better, and in understanding what “better” even looks like.

disillusionment with heroes

“Strangers passing in the street
By chance two separate glances meet
And I am you and what I see is me.”

(Pink Floyd, “Echoes”, 1971, Roger Waters)

“Tibet is part of China. It has been absolutely accepted by the whole of the international community since 1948. If you don’t know that, you’re not reading enough.”

(CNN interview, 2022, Roger Waters)

prompt>

roger waters seems like complex character. focusing on his politics can you respond with two, terse paragraphs:

the first should be as generous as possible,
and the 2nd as critical as possible

Things are pretty rough right now.

We’ve got existential human-made climate change, inequality.

But it seems like we can’t even begin to tackle these challenges for the lack of the ability to have a civil conversation.

Today, I hope to persuade you to try out two things:

  • Next time you’re furious online, hit CMD-X (cut), pause, and paste your reaction into an LLM. (Ask yourself: What would actually help?)

  • Plant your thoughts in a Digital Garden: grow ideas, share thoughtfully, and cultivate better conversations.

The Garden and the Stream

by Mike Caulfield

The majority of our current online platforms are optimized for the stream

The majority of our current online platforms are optimized for the stream:

  • Immediate reactions
  • Amplified outrage
  • Quick dismissal and dunking
  • Attention, not understanding

In contrast to the garden:

  • Slow, thoughtful reflection
  • Nuanced growth of ideas
  • Iteration and deeper engagement
  • Cultivation of genuine understanding

CMD-X

Capture your outrage. Before posting an angry reply, hit CMD-X.

Paste it into an LLM along with the provoking message. Ask for two paragraphs:

  1. A generous interpretation—what could they mean?
  2. A skeptical view—why are you triggered?

Break the cycle, reflect deeply, and discover perspectives you’d otherwise miss.

CMD-X in Action, Interrupting the Stream

There’s no time line. Did all this happen in one day or 10 years? Is it real or fabricated?

“What are you talking about! Does it matter? What’s happening here isn’t okay!”

Some thoughts on the original message:

Cycling Professor’s tone

  • “So, how is it going with that…”, and the exclamation mark
  • “Let’s watch one zebra crossing to find out!”

are deeply inappropiate, and unhelpful.

So what would help?

What Do You Do with All These Ideas?

Plant them in a Digital Garden

  • Your personal space for thoughtful reflection
  • Cultivate your ideas slowly, openly, and iteratively
  • Share intentionally, seek feedback, and deepen understanding

Next time you’re furious online…

Hit CMD-X.

Reflect with an LLM, then plant your insights in a Digital Garden.

It’s a cycle: Garden → LLM → Garden.

References

Digital Gardens:

Tools for thought: