Uncommon Content: August 2024

Friday, August 30, 2024

Birth of a Legend

Snoopy typing "It was a dark and stormy night."

Snoopy's unvarying opening line harkens back to 1830 when the English writer and politician novelist, Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton penned the now-cliched sentence to open his novel, Paul Clifford. Like the fairytale opening of "Once upon a time," this formula ended up copied by many others over the years influencing Snoopy in his style of writing much like generative AI is trained by the models of writing it ingests as its training.

In fact, it is now influencing the title of a collection of works that predate 1830. A Dark and Stormy Night is the title of a collection of ghost stories told by Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Mary Wollstonecraft, who would later become Mary Shelley.

It references what was in fact a possibly dark and stormy afternoon in the spring of 1816 when the group that had traveled to Geneva told ghost stories to passed the time while stuck inside. Mary's story was one that has taken on a life of its own, and the standard flat-headed, green-tinted image of the monster Victor Frankenstein created popularized by countless film adaptations is more familiar to people today than stanzas of Romantic poetry.

Two years after her oral telling, Mary Shelley published her novel under the title Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, bringing to light the downside of the Prometheus impulse that her husband celebrated in his epic poem, Prometheus Unbound.

Most people who have read the novel have not read the 1818 version. Mary Shelley revised the novel, which was published anew in an 1831 edition. You can read about the changes entailed here.

While the legend of the Frankenstein monster was was born in 1816 in Geneva, Mary Wollstonecraft herself was born in 1797 in London, Her parents were the feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft, who died just 10 days after her daughter's birth, and William Godwin. Her birthday is August 30th, the date of this post.

Happy (early) birthday, Shakespeare

What Do Cynthia Ozick and Snoopy have in common?

En)gendering Romanticism: A Study of Charlotte Bronte's Novels

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Uncommon Marketing Content

Mammoth Cave Park image https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=just%20another%20cave%20park

What does it take for a post to go viral? Something that impresses people for its originality and relatability. Mammoth Cave National Park pulled that off by veering off the well-worn path of describing attractions like that.

While this is more marketing-centered than what I usually post on this blog, the theme of uncommon content made me decide to place it her rather than on my WriteWayPro blog.

This post is not about knocking generative AI. As I said in An Apology to Generative AI , the hackneyed that we see in ChatGPT output originated with humans who parrot each other instead of aspiring to fresher expressions. Ask generative AI to write up a paragraph meant to encourage people to visit Mammoth Cave National Park and you get nearly interchangeable results:

From Google Gemini

Descend into the depths of history at Mammoth Cave National Park. With over 400 miles of mapped passages, this underground wonderland is the longest known cave system in the world. Explore ancient formations, marvel at the beauty of nature's hidden wonders, and experience the thrill of adventure. Whether you're a seasoned explorer or a curious novice, Mammoth Cave offers unforgettable experiences for all ages.

From ChatGPT

Discover the hidden wonders beneath the surface at Mammoth Cave National Park, where adventure and natural beauty converge in a breathtaking underground labyrinth. With the world's longest known cave system stretching over 400 miles, this UNESCO World Heritage site offers an array of guided tours showcasing stunning stalactites, stalagmites, and ancient cave formations. Beyond the caves, the park's diverse landscapes beckon with lush forests, scenic trails, and tranquil rivers perfect for hiking, kayaking, and wildlife spotting. Whether you're a thrill-seeker eager to explore deep caverns or a nature lover seeking serene outdoor experiences, Mammoth Cave National Park promises an unforgettable escape into one of America's most remarkable natural wonders.

From Claude

Discover the awe-inspiring wonders of Mammoth Cave National Park, home to the world's longest known cave system. Explore over 400 miles of surveyed passageways, from vast chambers to narrow tunnels, each telling a unique geological story. Above ground, hike through lush forests, paddle scenic rivers, and spot diverse wildlife. Whether you're an adventure seeker, nature lover, or history buff, Mammoth Cave offers unforgettable experiences for all ages. Come uncover the hidden treasures beneath Kentucky's rolling hills and create memories that will last a lifetime.

From Copilot

Discover the wonders of Mammoth Cave National Park, home to the world’s longest known cave system with over 400 miles of explored passageways. Located in the rolling hills of south-central Kentucky, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers more than just breathtaking underground tours. Visitors can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, and canoeing along the Green and Nolin Rivers. With its rich history, diverse wildlife, and stunning landscapes, Mammoth Cave National Park is a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. Plan your trip today and experience the natural beauty and hidden treasures of this remarkable park

Delivering an unexpected message

The social media content manager for this particular park decided to take a completely different approach. Likely this text was informed by the common experience of visiting a place that is touted as awesome and find that it just doesn't live up to the hype. This breath-of-fresh-air honesty proved so memorable that over 100K liked it, over 9K commented, nad 30K shared the post, giving it an impressive amount of reach at no cost.

Here's the text:
Come experience what has disappointed millions of people for over 225 years!
Mammoth Cave National Park recently rated as one of the “most disappointing U.S. tourist attractions”! While we think the world’s longest cave system and over 4,000 years of human history is AMAZING, others find that the cave is “very dark” and there is “nothing cool” here to see.
If you would like to experience the disappointment of Mammoth Cave, visit our website and choose from one of our many activities that will leave you unfulfilled! You can be disappointed by a “dry hole with very few stalagmites and stalactites” or discover nothing “other than trees” on over 80+ miles of hiking, biking, horseback riding, and water trails. (Fair warning – there are bugs in the outdoors, cellular phone service is spotty, and there are stairs on some of our cave tours.)
A world of regret awaits you at Mammoth Cave!

Make your cave tour reservations and find all the information you need to plan your very own “not enjoyable” visit to Mammoth Cave National Park at: https://ow.ly/8ifx50T59Eo

JustAnotherCavePark

The park rep kept the game going in the comments, replying to most of them with exchanges like this:

Mark Thornberry

I've been disappointed in the place since I was 6. 61 years of being let down (pun fully intended). I don't know why I keep coming back. I'm mean, it just takes forever for anything to change in that hole.