Critical Thinker

Spring 2024: Using ChatGPT and Final "Winter Dreams" Presentation

 

 

Therapist Phil Stutz warns us of the dangers of magical thinking. We pursue Moments Frozen in Time, illusions of perfection that have “no depth or dynamism.” We try to bend reality to fit our projections of what we deem is the perfect life and instead of learning from our repeated failures, we repeat the same insane behavior over and over. As a result of our magical thinking, we lose time, we squander our lives, and we can never recover that lost time. In the context of Phil Stutz’s magical thinking, write an essay that analyzes the way Dexter Green from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams” squanders his life on his toxic dream of Judy Jones. Avoid cliches and platitudes. Be sure to quote from the story “Winter Dreams” to illustrate your points. Write the essay in a tone and rhetorical style appropriate for a college critical thinking class.

 

 

ChatGPT

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams,” the character Dexter Green falls prey to the perils of magical thinking as elucidated by therapist Phil Stutz. Through Dexter’s relentless pursuit of Judy Jones, an idealized object of desire, Fitzgerald provides a poignant portrayal of the destructive consequences of clinging to illusions of perfection.

Stutz’s warning against magical thinking resonates deeply with Dexter’s experiences, particularly in his fixation on what Stutz terms “Moments Frozen in Time.” Dexter becomes entranced by Judy’s superficial charm and beauty, perceiving her as the epitome of his aspirations. Fitzgerald writes, “With [Judy’s] gray eyes and quick, nervous movements, she reminded him of the snow queen somehow – there was in her personality a cold, insolent quality that fascinated him” (Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams”). Here, Dexter’s perception of Judy as a figure of ethereal perfection reflects his inclination towards idealization, blinding him to the complexities of her character and the reality of their relationship.

Dexter’s attempts to mold reality to fit his idealized vision are evident throughout the narrative. Despite encountering numerous obstacles and disappointments in his pursuit of Judy, he remains steadfast in his belief that she represents the key to his happiness. Fitzgerald writes, “He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people – he wanted the glittering things themselves” (Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams”). Dexter’s fixation on Judy as a symbol of his desired lifestyle underscores his reluctance to confront the inherent imperfections and complexities of human relationships.

Furthermore, Dexter’s failure to learn from his repeated failures exemplifies the insidious nature of magical thinking. Despite experiencing disillusionment and heartbreak in his interactions with Judy, he persists in his pursuit, believing that she holds the key to his fulfillment. Fitzgerald writes, “He was deliberately tying himself to something that might be a mirage” (Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams”). Dexter’s acknowledgment of the illusory nature of his attachment to Judy highlights his awareness of the futility of his pursuit, yet he remains ensnared in the cycle of magical thinking, unable to break free from its grip.

The consequences of Dexter’s magical thinking are dire, as he squanders valuable time and energy in pursuit of an unattainable ideal. Fitzgerald writes, “He had been unconsciously dictated to by his winter dreams” (Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams”). Dexter’s realization that he has been controlled by his illusions underscores the profound impact of magical thinking on his life, leading to a sense of loss and regret for the time wasted in pursuit of an unattainable dream.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams” offers a poignant exploration of the dangers of magical thinking through the character of Dexter Green. By avoiding clichés and platitudes, we can critically examine Dexter’s journey and glean valuable insights into the destructive consequences of clinging to illusions of perfection. Through Dexter’s tragic trajectory, Fitzgerald reminds us of the importance of confronting reality with clarity and resilience, rather than succumbing to the allure of magical thinking.

 

 

 

Essay 2: Magical Thinking and "Winter Dreams" (200 points and due April 4)

Analyzing the therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the manner in which Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his existence by obsessing over his all-consuming chimera Judy Jones. Because this essay is an analysis and not an argument, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section. 

Suggested Outline

Paragraph 1: Your personal magical thinking paragraph should contain your personal story and your explanation of how the story defines magical thinking. 

Paragraph 2: Compare your magical thinking trainwreck (misadventure) with Dexter’s. 

Paragraph 3: Write a claim or thesis that explains how magical thinking was the cause of Dexter’s demise.

Paragraphs 4-7 are body paragraphs.

Paragraph 8 is your conclusion, a dramatic restatement of your thesis. 

Your last page should be your Works Cited with 4 sources. 

 

A Student Respectfully Disagrees with McMahon's Choice of "Winter Dreams"

I object to McMahon’s Dexter Green assignment in which he manipulates and misleads us into excoriating Dexter for succumbing to magical thinking and wasting his life on Judy Jones. His life arc is hardly remarkable. In fact, lots of men obsess over women. This hardly equals a wasted life. Rather, men tend to be happy when they can nurse and coddle an obsession as a distraction from the banalities of their normal existence. Second, Dexter finally realizes Judy Jones is largely a figment of his imagination by the end of the story. He’s in his thirties. He’s hardly “over the hill” or “washed up.” He’s got some good life ahead of him. So please let us not say “he squandered his life.” That’s an exaggeration. Third, Dexter is not totally self-destructive. For example, he applied hard work and ferocious ambition to catapult himself from his humble working-class origins to become a major “player” in business. We should be proud of him, not judge him as some sort of “cautionary tale.” Finally, McMahon’s error is in choosing the story itself, a real slog to get through. It’s a slow-moving, ponderous, mediocre story about a commonplace occurrence: A man falls in love with a woman based on his own exaggerated projections and eventually realizes the error of his ways. This is a cliche and hardly worthy of study. So while I generally like McMahon’s teaching and his approaches to critical thinking, I find his choice of the rather boring and unremarkable “Winter Dreams” to be a huge mistake on his part and his misleading us to unfairly judge Dexter Green to be a way of compounding his errors. I have high expectations of McMahon. I expect better from him next time. Peace. 

Why Is McMahon Teaching "Winter Dreams"?

McMahon's Explanation

 

I agree with my student that Dexter seems to stupid to be worthy of study, but that's the point: Dexter is someone who has failed to live in accordance with critical thinking. I'm asking the question: "Why?"

 

By asking this question, I want to explore the following:

 

• Our brains can get hijacked by nonsense or some shiny object until this nonsense becomes a reality that is more solid bedrock than reality itself. 
• Once the talons of some "winter dream" digs into our brain, we lose our free will and self-agency. We become beholden to impulses and compulsions we cannot control. 
• What unconscious desires or fears do we have that make us susceptible to having our brains hijacked by self-destructive quests for unattainable perfection?
• What other kind of hellish dreams are out there other than Judy Jones? For example, in huge swaths of the American south, people's brains have been hijacked by "confederate dreams." They idealize the confederate past when segregation, Jim Crow, and slavery itself were venerated as blessings by God when in fact the opposite is true. How could millions of Americans allow their brains to be hijacked by "confederate dreams"?
• Do people let their brains get hijacked by the Judy Joneses of the world or the evils of Jim Crow and the Confederacy by innocent ignorance or willed ignorance? 
• Does the Liver King have his own "winter dream"? Yes. He dreams of being a dominant "brofluencer" even at the expense of killing himself.
• Do people have free will to choose their "winter dreams" or do these dreams fill their brains in ways they cannot control?

"Winter Dreams" is a metaphor for dominance. Dexter Green wants to enter the inner circle of the rich and be accepted as an Alpha Male in the realm of American social and economic class. In his state of derangement, he sees Judy Jones as the embodiment of that dominance. Dexter squandered his life pursuing his dream. 

"Winter Dreams" is a metaphor for dominance for the Liver King. His dream of dominance is his addiction to dopamine and attention as he peddles "ancestral living." He claims a natural lifestyle but was exposed as a fraud. He claims a new manifestation: Liver King 2.0, but by all accounts, he's still taking PEDs and is killing himself. He cannot let go of his "winter dream."

The Lost Cause is the glorification of The Confederacy, a fantasy of racial dominance in which some whites claim that slavery was blessed by God. This pernicious mythology causes these dreamers of racial dominance to brandish Confederate flags, erect statues of their slave-owning heroes, and showcase the Confederacy's creator Jefferson Davis on hundreds of their public schools. Their dream of racial dominance and desire to revert America back to its racist past is tearing our country apart. 

If we're talking about Dexter Green, the Liver King, or adherents of The Lost Cause, we are talking about people whose brains were hijacked by a destructive dream that has become so powerful that they have lost their powers of reason, their moral compass, and their free will. 

 

 

Phil Stutz's Life Lessons in “Winter Dreams”

We can’t bend reality to conform to our fantasy of the perfect life. 

Therapist Phil Stutz observes that most people suffer unnecessarily because they don’t live in reality. 

He defines reality as consisting of the following:

1. Life is pain and adversity. We must battle every day with a self-destructive force that wants immediate gratification.
2. Life is uncertain. Our fortunes are random, we never know if our luck will be good or bad at every moment. We therefore should not be lulled into a false comfort by good fortune knowing that our fortunes can change without warning. 
3. Worthwhile accomplishment requires long-term focus, hard work, and discipline, which means we must sacrifice immediate gratification for our long-term goals and far-ranging purpose.
4.  None of us are special. We are all subject to the laws of time. Father Time will inevitably hunt us down. If we squander our time here on Earth, our meeting with Father Time will be one of fear and anguish. 
5. We cannot avoid reality and the aspects Stutz describes. These aspects of reality are unchanging and non-negotiable. No amount of money or wishcasting can change them. 

In spite of these aspects of reality, Stutz explains we are encouraged to reject them because of the messages we receive from consumer culture. 

The media presents us with mythical happy people. They are physically beautiful and perfect; they are confident; their life narrative is certain; they are connected to love and companionship and the whole world loves them. 

They seem special and live outside the five aspects of reality Stutz describes. Because they live outside of reality, they are more like demigods than human beings. These people may be actors, musicians, TV personalities, and influencers. Whoever they are, they exist on a plane of fantasy and therefore are chimeras. 

We want to be like these media demigods. We wear their clothes, drive their cars, consume their music and art, eat their organic food brands, take their special nutrition supplements; we do everything in our power to be like them, but we have been duped and have embarked upon a fool’s errand. 

Stutz writes that this magical thinking of buying the same things as the demigods to be like them is so pervasive that we don’t even know we’re doing it. He writes, “We all feel a pressure to convince others that we are part of it. This holds true for the poor kid unsure if dinner is coming and the billionaire with six homes. When everyone acts as if a fantasy is real, it begins to seem real.”

Dexter Green is a man on a fool’s errand. He is attempting to break the laws of reality and live in an image of perfection, what Phil Stutz calls an Image Frozen in Time. 

This Image Frozen in Time is embodied by Dexter’s “winter dreams” of the perfect life of wealth, power, and the ultimate trophy wife Judy Jones. The pursuit of his fantasy will destroy his spirit, cut him off from life. You can’t bend reality to fit your fantasy of the perfect life. As much as he tries, Dexter cannot shape Judy Jones into the perfect mold to curate his Alpha Male fantasies. 

Running Away from the Shame and Ugliness of Poverty

The story begins:

“Some of the caddies were poor as sin and lived in one-room houses with a neurasthenic cow in the front yard, but Dexter Green’s father owned the second best grocery store in Black Bear--the best one was ‘The Hub,” patronized by the wealthy people from Sherry Island--and Dexter caddied only for pocket money.”

From Dexter’s eyes, coming from a working-class family is a sign of poverty. And poverty is a cloak of shame, a sign of sin, and he sees his poor caddy co-coworkers leave the rich golf course and live in their tiny hovels. They must toil with the rich and return to their dungeon. They are all prisoners to an ugly life. What signifies their ugly existence is a sickly cow standing in front of their hovels. 

Dexter is an aspiring snob who longs to live in a world of beauty. As a fourteen-year-old boy, Dexter is possessed with blind ambition--to never be second best, but to be an Alpha Businessman who can escape the sin and shame of his past. 

For Dexter, the notion that poverty is sin is accompanied by wealth is salvation.

For Dexter, life is a zero-sum game. To become a winner means that someone else has to be a loser. He wants to be on top. 

As we read “Winter Dreams,” we will see a man who committed his entire life to running away from the shame and ugliness of his poverty and living in the winter dreams of wealth and glamor. 

The Trauma and Shame of Poverty

Poverty is not only stressful from an economic standpoint; it is traumatic from a psychological one. To have no money is to be a leper or a pariah in a society that worships money.

For example, when I was in the seventh grade, I didn’t have any extra money for the snack bar during the middle school’s lunch hour. One afternoon when my friends ran to the snack bar to buy ice cream, I ran with them, but stopped when I realized I had no extra cash. At this point, someone shrieked with glee that I didn’t have any money. That some disembodied oracle identified me as the boy with no money made my knees wobble and I had to grab a tree branch for support. To this day, I wake up from sleep hearing that demonic shriek.

I am able to laugh at this episode from my past, but Dexter takes the shame of poverty seriously. 

Anxiety-Fueled Solutions Are Worse Than the Original Problem 

Dexter’s anxiety and shame of poverty and his low-status working-class origins give show that our fears and anxieties often fuel false solutions that are more self-destructive than the original problem. 

In a state of panic, we often make problems worse by not thinking through real solutions but grasping for straws. 

Dexter’s facade and blind ambition will disconnect him from others and himself and create for him a life of loneliness and addiction for which there will be no interruption, no wisdom, and no intervention to save him. 

He begins the story as a lost young man and as the story progresses he becomes more and more lost, an intensified version of his lost and confused self. 

Wealthy Man Cosplay and Alpha Male Fantasies

As a teenager, Dexter spends a lot of his time fantasizing about being wealthy--not just rich but in a position of authority and adulation. He has Alpha Male fantasies. 

He is enlivened by autumn. We read, “Fall made him clinch his hands and tremble and repeat idiotic sentences to himself, and make brisk abrupt gestures of command to imaginary audiences and armies.”

When Dexter is not leading imaginary armies, he is humiliating rich golf players by defeating them in epic battles in the “fairways of his imagination” in which he sometimes beats his rich opponents with “laughable ease” and struts like a peacock as he bathes in an imaginary crowd’s adoration. 

Dexter’s reliance on grandiose fantasies is a sign of his emotional and spiritual impoverishment. He is lonely and frightened and attempts to overcome his anxieties with fantasies of ostentation--showing off.

The Libido Ostentando

In Latin, the term libido ostentando refers to the pathological need broken people have to show off and constantly seek attention.

These broken souls operate under the magical thinking that if people adulate them enough they will find happiness. 

Dexter Green is a tragic figure who can never free himself from the libido ostentando. 

This need to show off causes people to do stupid things. For example, in 2004 I had a student who wrote about her boyfriend who raced his Subaru WRX STi against other WRX owners. To lighten his car and make it faster, her boyfriend took out the passenger seat so that where there was once a seat cushion there was now only a sharp protrusion unsuitable for sitting. That this boyfriend expected his girlfriend to sit on this sharp protuberance revealed his true priorities. She was disgusted by his true nature and appropriately broke up with him. Between love and the libido ostentando, her boyfriend had made his decision, and now he was without a girlfriend. This now ex-boyfriend is chained to the libido ostentando, a sign of his impoverishment and depravity. 

“I don’t want to caddy anymore.”

At fourteen, Dexter abruptly quits being a caddy because of the job’s low status, which does not square with his Alpha Male fantasies. 

He could not be seen as a caddy because of an eleven-year-old girl named Judy Jones. She is described as a heartbreaker:

“The little girl who had done this was eleven--beautifully ugly as little girls are apt to be who are destined after a few years to be inexpressibly lovely and bring no end of misery to a great number of men.”

In Dexter’s eyes, Judy Jones is the ultimate trophy figure for a man who is possessed by the libido ostentandi. He can show her off as his own. She represents the glamor that an aspiring Alpha Male craves; however, he can’t bear to see her as a servant or a caddy, so he must quit his job and only allow her to see him as an Alpha Male.

Shows of Strength Are Too Often Signs of Weakness and Impoverishment

Dexter’s commitment to the libido ostentando shows that when we try too hard to impress with shows of strength and ostentatious pageantry, we are exposing our weakness, insecurity, and impoverishment. 

Because Dexter is surrounded by toadies and sycophants who grovel at his knee like peasants before a king, he becomes convinced of his own hollow act and fails to see the foolishness of his ways. 

Judy Jones Is a Termagant and a Cipher and an Unworthy Obsession

When we look at the way the rich Judy Jones bosses and bullies her entourage, we see that she is both a termagant and a cipher. A  termagant is an ill-tempered bully with no grace or patience. A cipher is a shallow person of no substance. The word cipher literally means zero. 

How could someone of such low character become Dexter Green’s lifelong obsession?

Because he projects his fantasies of the Ultimate Trophy Woman onto Judy Jones. What he desires is not reality; it is the result of his magical thinking: to flaunt a Trophy Woman and be adored as his misguided quest for happiness. 

Judy Jones Is a Chimera

Because the Judy Jones of Dexter’s imagination is not real, she is a chimera. A chimera is a mirage that we chase. This mirage or chimera destroys us.

We Too Often Fall in Love with Projections of Our Wish-Fulfillment Fantasies, Not Real People

Dexter projects his fantasies of absolute power and glamor onto Judy Jones. As a result, he dehumanizes her and sees her more as an abstraction than as a human being. 

His quest for Judy Jones is based on a projection from the cesspool of his diseased and toxic imagination for power and glamor rooted in his emotional impoverishment. 

Dexter Green Has No Self-Agency

Beholden to the libido ostentando and fantasies of being an Alpha Male, Dexter lacks free will, self-agency, and self-possession. Instead, he is driven by compulsions that he doesn’t completely understand. 

When he quits his job as a caddy, for example, he does so as a compulsion, not as a well-thought decision. His is compelled by a “perturbation,” which means uneasiness and anxiety, not the powers of reason:

We read:

“The enormity of his decision frightened him. He was a favorite caddy, and the thirty dollars a month he earned through the summer were not to be made elsewhere around the lake. But he had received a strong emotional shock, and his perturbation required a violent and immediate outlet.”

The Unconscious Force of Winter Dreams

The story’s narrator is not content to explain Dexter’s decision to quit as a mere compulsion. It is Dexter’s unconscious chasing of a magical place where glamor and veneration shower him into a sense of fullness and happiness. He cannot see the myth or falsehood of his unconscious desire. 

We read:

“As so frequently would be the case in the future, Dexter was unconsciously dictated to by his winter dreams.”

Autopsy, Not Story

We must not read “Winter Dreams” so much as a short story. It is more of an autopsy. “Winter Dreams” is the study of a spiritual death caused by magical thinking. 

Magical Thinking Vs. Reality

In the realm of love, magical thinking makes us have the stupid fantasy that the object of our love will meet all our needs, protect us from pain, and give us a life of nonstop pleasure and beauty. When they fail to meet our fantasy, we dump them and find a replacement.

What is reality? Reality is to acknowledge that life is pain, uncertainty, and constant work. 

Slow Death by Magical Thinking

There is no character arc or character transformation in “Winter Dreams.” There is only intensification of the character flaw that already exists. 

“Winter Dreams” chronicles a slow, excruciating death of someone beholden to magical thinking. It could be observed that the majority of people die a slow spiritual death in the same manner.

In a critical thinking class, we attempt to replace magical thinking with critical thinking.

How do we define “winter dreams”?

Because winter dreams inform all of Dexter Green’s behavior, we should understand what they are. We can define winter dreams as glamor, dominance, greed, and status. 

The character trait that informs all of the above would have to be vanity. 

But to go deeper, there must be something that fuels vanity. Based on the story’s beginning, the fuel of Dexter’s vanity is the fear of shame. 

The fear of shame is the essential fuel of Dexter’s winter dreams. He is beholden to the magical thinking that if he bathes in the glory of winter dreams--wealthy, beauty, glamor, and status--he will be safe from the shame of his impoverished past.

• He compulsively quits his caddy job. 
• He rejects an affordable college and burdens himself with one he can barely afford because it is more famous.
• He calls off engagements with other women whenever he thinks he has a chance at getting back with Judy Jones.
• He climbs the economic ladder hoping to reach a point where his wealth makes him irresistible to Judy Jones. 

His compulsions are the result of his winter dreams.

We read:

“But do not get the impression, because his winter dreams happened to be concerned at first with the musings on the rich, that there was anything merely snobbish in the boy. He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people--he wanted the glittering things themselves. Often he reached out for the best without knowing why he wanted it--and sometimes he ran up against the mysterious denials and prohibitions in which life indulges. It is with one of those denials and not with his career as a whole that this story deals.”

What is this denial? This denial is Dexter’s fantasy of happiness based on the acquisition of Judy Jones, who is not the real Judy Jones but a fantasy or chimera inside of Dexter’s imagination.

Even the rich cannot bend reality to their fantasies. They must be denied.

Regardless of our income, we all find that sooner or later magical thinking will fail us when reality comes knocking on our door. 

Dexter Lives the American Dream

We read that Dexter gets rich. “He made money. It was rather amazing.” By the time he is only twenty-three, people are already gawking at his amazing wealth. At twenty-seven, he owns the largest laundry business in the country. 

Alpha Dexter Meets Judy Jones 9 Years After First Encounter

Nine years have passed since the fourteen-year-old Dexter quit his caddy job because he couldn’t let the eleven-year-old Judy Jones see him as poor. Now he meets the twenty-year-old Judy Jones as a member of the “rich man’s club” at the golf course. 

Dexter doesn’t just think Judy is beautiful. He recognizes the other rich 

men desiring her. This makes him covet her more as a trophy. He is overcome by his libido ostentando. 

The Trickster Is a Demon

In stories of moral disintegration, the character often falls prey to a Trickster. For the theme of this essay, this Trickster takes the form of magical thinking: Dexter’s false belief that acquiring the chimera Judy Jones will give him absolute happiness and perfection, an Image Frozen in Time (to use a term by Phil Stutz). 

The Trickster takes us through

 four levels of emotion:

• Mundane or Earthly
• Angelic
• Mystical
• Demonic

Like instructions on the back of a shampoo bottle, “rinse and repeat,” the Trickster process occurs over and over in an endless doom loop, and in the case of Dexter Green, slowly crushes him. 

Projection Is a Form of Magical Thinking

In psychology, there is a term called projection that is used in two ways. The first is when we project our secret inner lives onto other people so that we assume, often erroneously, that they have the same problems and aspirations as us. 

The second definition of projection is when we unconsciously project our fantasies and desires on another person, become blinded by their humanity, and reduce that person into an abstraction or a symbol for some absolute manifestation of our happiness. 

Dexter Green commits the second form of projection. He projects his fantasies of happiness and alpha male power onto Judy Junes. In the process, he is blind to the fact that she is a shallow, capricious cipher. 

When she invites him to dinner on an impulse, he takes her invitation as some sign of destiny when in reality her invitation is no more significant than a hiccup.

We read:

“His heart turned over like the flywheel of the boat, and, for the second time, her casual whim gave a new direction to his life.”

Twice his capricious encounters with Judy Jones have caused him to elevate his existence into some fantasy of significance. The first time he quit his job as a caddy. Now he sees her as a viable candidate to be his life partner when in fact she has the emotional development of a twelve-year-old and her moral development is even worse. But it doesn't matter. He rides on his projection.  

Living under the dictates of projection is a sign of magical thinking. 

Dexter’s Pride Makes Him Blind

Dexter is haughty and proud to the extreme. He sees himself as better than others because of his perceived Alpha Male status. As a result, he is blind to his emotional and spiritual impoverishment that informs all that he does. 

When Dexter goes to rich dinner parties, he scans the room and comforts himself with the belief that he is better than the other men. To reinforce his sense of superiority, he wears clothes made from “the best tailors in America” and develops mannerisms that exude his superiority. In other words, his entire life consists of affect (ostentatious cultivation of an image). He is fastidiously curating an outer image while his soul withers into nothing. 

In other words, Dexter ignores the pain inside of him while committing himself fully to the libido ostentando. 

No matter how hard he tries to puff up a grand facade, he is deep down a broken misfit toy doomed to a life of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. 

Duping Others

By duping others with his grand facade and making them slobber over him because of his wealth, Dexter does not have friends. Instead, he has sycophants. 

Knowing that they grovel before him because of his power, he has contempt for them. Accepting their social circle and having nowhere else to go, Dexter must on a certain level have contempt for himself. By duping others, he has failed to find the roadmap to success, so in fact, he has duped himself.

Fame Is a Toxic Drug That Makes Us Loathe Both Our Worshippers and Ourselves

Fame and adulation create a toxic symbiotic relationship with the worshipped and their slobbering sycophants resulting in a loss of reality for all parties. On one hand, the famous have an addictive craving for celebrity and attention. But on the other hand, they know this attention is a sign of stupidity and depravity from their worshippers. Therefore, they have contempt for the people who feed their addiction. At the same time, they know deep down this affection is hollow and since they are addicted to this hollow affection, they have contempt for themselves. 

We can conclude, then, that celebrity culture is a sick culture. 

Think of the social influencers who buy expensive football jackets and say they’re going to the Super Bowl on their social media platforms. Their Instagram subscribers don’t know that these influencers return all the sports clothing to the stores the same day to get a refund and often fake going to the Super Bowl to get traffic and likes. These influencers surely despise the stupidity of their followers who believe in their chicanery. And enjoying this shallow attention, these influencers deep down despise themselves. 

“Who Are You?”

In the middle of the story, Daisy asks Dexter, “Who are you, anyhow?”

Dexter answers, “I’m nobody. My career is largely a matter of futures.”

As a magical thinker, he does not know how to live in the present. He can only imagine a perfect image fixed in the future upon which time he will be a “somebody.” This is Dexter’s illusion.

Meanwhile, his words are true: He is a nobody.

Sacrifice at the Altar

We all have goals, and to achieve those goals we make sacrifices. But to sacrifice our life to someone who is spiritually and morally bankrupt doesn’t make any sense. It is reckless and is evidence of moral blindness. 

Sadly, this moral blindness drives Dexter Green. We read that when he decides to pursue Judy Jones, he essentially sells his soul to the devil:

“Dexter surrendered a part of himself to the most direct and unprincipled personality with which he had ever come in contact.” 

Judy Jones has no moral compass, no depth, no empathy, no social grace. She is a manipulator and a bully. She is capricious, backstabbing, dishonest, and two-faced. That Dexter wants her more than anyone in the world speaks to his madness. 

Physical attraction is only one ingredient in Dexter’s sacrifice to Judy Jones. She is a “brand,” an unconscious representation of “having made it,” the dream of absolute success, and the desire to dominate his competition. 

By getting Judy Jones, Dexter can say to his competition, “I have the thing that you want and having it makes it impossible for you to have it and this makes me glad.” 

Dexter’s orientation to dominate is not a sign of his strength. Rather, it is a sign of his weakness and impoverishment. He is a broken misfit toy who never feels he really belongs and has to find ways to compensate.

Dozens of Men Buzz Around Judy Jones All the Time

We read that Dexter really never has Judy exclusively. She is constantly dating at least a dozen men who are intoxicated by her. We read:

“Each of them had at one time been favored above all others--about half of them still basked in the solace of occasional sentimental revivals. Whenever one showed signs of dropping out through long neglect, she granted him a brief honeyed hour, which encouraged him to gag along for a year or longer. Judy made these forays upon the helpless and defeated without malice, indeed unconscious that there was anything mischievous in what she did.”

We can infer that Judy is like a drug to these men, and that these men are in a state of helpless addiction. 

We can further infer that for Dexter, his “winter dreams” are the pursuit of a potent opiate for which to seek oblivion from his inability to be a true human being. In many ways, Dexter behaves in the story like a drug addict in search of his next fix. As a result, he squanders his entire life on the mindless oblivion of a pharmaceutical pill named Judy Jones. 

Judy Jones Like Dexter Green Is Also an Addict

We learn in the middle of the story that Judy Jones is drawn to manipulating dozens of men mostly for the sense of power. This power feeds her narcissistic desire to control others. As we read:

“She was entertained only by the gratification of her desires and by the direct exercise of her own charm. Perhaps from so much youthful love, so many youthful lovers, she had come, in self-defense, to nourish herself wholly from within.”

Both Judy Jones and Dexter Green are constantly on the hunt for “nourishment,” a narcissistic kick of power. In a way it makes sense that the dead-souled Dexter seeks the dead-souled Judy. The dead seek each other. They are both vampires.

One could argue that “Winter Dreams” is a vampire story. It is the dead feasting off of others.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil

Judy is not loyal to Dexter and her infidelity torments him, but he consoles himself with the notion that these dalliances with other men eventually bore her (“Judy was yawning”) and that he is the true mate for her. Additionally, he fears that if he expresses his anger to her over her infidelity, she will leave him, so in his mind it’s best to pretend he doesn’t know anything. 

Choosing Imprisonment Over Freedom

We learn that at twenty-four years of age Dexter “found himself increasingly in a position to do as he wished.” But it’s at this point in his life that he shackles himself to Judy Jones, not the person, but as the idea of ultimate power. 

He is a man imprisoned by a bad idea. 

Judy Jones Replacement Therapy

We learn that after eighteen months of madness with Judy Jones, Dexter is desperate to escape his drug addiction. Judy “treated him with malice, with indifference, with contempt. She had inflicted on him innumerable little slights and indignities possible in such a case--as if in revenge for having ever cared for him at all.” 

As a Trickster, she takes him to heaven, to hell, back to heaven, and back to hell again. As we read: “She had brought him ecstatic happiness and intolerable agony of spirit. She had caused him untold inconvenience and not a little trouble. She had insulted him, and she had ridden over him, and she had played his interest in her against his interest in his work--for fun.”

In other words, she toys with him like a cat plays with a mouse.

Exhausted, abused, angry, and desperate to break free from Judy Jones, Dexter makes a lame swipe at Judy Jones Replacement Therapy by getting engaged to Irene Scheerer. 

The author’s choice of Scheerer for the last name seems to suggest the verb to shear, as to cut off with a pair of scissors. So desperate is Dexter to cut off his addiction to Judy Jones, he seeks, not a human being, but the embodiment of a pair of scissors--Irene Scheerer. 

Her description: “Irene was light-haired and sweet and honorable, and a little stout, and she had two suitors whom she pleasantly relinquished when Dexter formally asked her to marry him.”

Irene is not someone Dexter adores and loves. Rather, she is a stopgap measure, someone to be with, until Dexter’s addiction to Judy Jones subsides. 

As we read:

“He knew that Irene would be no more than a curtain spread behind him, a hand moving among gleaming teacups, a voice calling to children . . . fire and loveliness were gone, the magic of nights and the wonder of the varying hours and seasons . . . slender lips, down-turning, dropping to his lips and bearing him up into the heaven of eyes. . . . The thing was deep in him. He was too strong and alive for it to die lightly.”

In other words, Dexter and Irene will be playing house, living a facade, curating an existence of domestic nest-building while the true fire inside Dexter burns and consumes him secretly. 

To mix metaphors, Dexter is using Irene as one would chew on a stick of Nicorette gum to quit smoking. 

But Dexter’s attempts to free himself from Judy Jones are in vain. 

A True Drug Addict Knows His Poison

Dexter Green is not stupid. He knows he has an addiction problem regarding Judy Jones. He knows she is a liability. He knows she is a scoundrel. He knows she is ruining his life. We read:

“When autumn had come and gone again it occurred to him that he could not have Judy Jones. He had to beat this into his mind but he convinced himself at last. He lay awake at night for a while and argued it over. He told himself the trouble and the pain she had caused him, he enumerated her glaring deficiencies as a wife. Then he said to himself that he loved her, and after a while he fell asleep.”

One of the tormenting themes of “Winter Dreams” is that we can intellectually understand the poison that kills us, yet want the poison anyway. As the adage instructs us: “The heart wants what it wants.”

This part of the story points us to the seventh Life Lesson.

Knowing We Are Addicted to Poison Doesn’t Free Us from the Poison

This is perhaps the most painful life lesson in the story. We can know we are diseased, that we crave that which is self-destructive and poisonous to us, and yet we want this very poison more than we want the good things in life. 

Sometimes we crave what is called “crazy love,” a sick kind of love that defies all logic and common sense. 

Free Will or Hard-wiring?

In Dexter’s case, the private scandalous world with his paramour Judy Jones is the world he prefers over the duties and respectability of public life. Even in the absence of Judy Jones, he lives in a parallel universe, one of fantasy and longing, for his forbidden paramour. He doesn’t so much choose the life of scandal, debauchery, and private depravity as much as he is hard-wired for such a life. At the same time, he doesn’t so much choose to reject the life of respectability, honor, and duty as much as he is repelled by such a life. 

There is a 2007 documentary about this sick kind of love titled Crazy Love, about an attorney who hires two criminals to throw poison in the eyes of his former girlfriend causing her to go blind. He continues to stalk her and eventually they get married. 

A Year of Tranquility

Knowing he’s an addict, Dexter desperately stays away from Judy for a year during his engagement to Irene Scheerer. During this time, he is playing the role of the stable man engaged to the “sturdy and reliable” Irene. Being away from the toxic drug Judy Jones is good for him. We read:

“For the first time in over a year Dexter was enjoying a certain tranquility of spirit.”

But Judy Jones is not yet done with him. 

Judy Exists to Torment Dexter When He Is Most Vulnerable

When Judy finds out that Dexter is engaged to Irene Scheerer, she knows this is her grand opportunity to flex her muscles, so she hunts Dexter down, has a dalliance with the helpless drug addict, and asks him to marry her. 

In that moment, he realizes he never loved Irene, and he cancels the engagement, causing a big scandal. 

We can call Judy Jones a chaos agent.

In literature, the central conflict is typically order vs. chaos. To use Greek mythology, we place the god of order, Apollo vs. the god of unrestrained chaos, Dionysius. 

Domesticity or nest-building is a Apollonian force in the story. Unbridled passion is Dionysian. 

The chaos agent Judy Jones persuades Dexter to call off the engagement and then she calls off the engagement with Dexter. He is too brain-numbed to despair over the situation: “He was beyond any revulsion or amusement.”

Leaving the Country and Returning to Shattered Winter Dreams

So desperate to flee his addiction, Dexter joins the army and enters World War I. 

When he returns to New York at the age of thirty-two, he meets Devlin, a business associate, who shatters Dexter’s winter dreams. 

Dexter realizes Judy is married and now goes by the name of Judy Simms. She is an abused housewife at the mercy of a jealous, cheating, drunken husband Lud Simmons. Rather than an object of glory, she is an object of Devlin’s pity. 

The House of Lud

Lud is not a flattering name. The husband’s name is about as glorious as the sickly cow mentioned in the first paragraph of the story. Judy is married to Lud. It sounds like she is a prisoner to the stark brutality of a mundane existence. She lives in the House of Lud. 

The very chimera Judy Jones who was supposed to save Dexter from a life of ugliness and shame lives in a world of ugliness and shame, a world where she is considered, at twenty-seven, too old and washed-up. 

“Too Old”

Devlin goes on to say that Judy at twenty-seven years of age is “too old” to leave Lud and suggests that she is washed-up with her better days behind her. “She was a pretty girl when she first came to Detroit.” He goes on to say that “Lots of women fade just like that.” We can infer that being imprisoned by an abusive husband has taken a toll on her. She is a pallid ghost of her former self. 

Upon hearing that Judy is no longer an object of beauty and desire, Dexter is flabbergasted, outraged, and in a state of disbelief. How could the force that has had power over him most of his life be so plain and vulnerable?

Upon hearing this, Dexter craves alcohol to find oblivion. Judy’s downfall makes him feel like his whole life was built on a lie, and this is too much for him to process.

Dexter can imagine being married to Judy and watching her fade right before his eyes. He realizes the very thing that was his life essence, the very thing that animated him to get out of bed in the morning, the very thing that consumed his imagination was dead. As we read: “The dream was gone. Something had been taken from him.”

Without his winter dreams, he stands before an abyss. You hear of cult members who when they leave their cult, they don’t know what to do next because they have nothing left to stand on. This is Dexter’s condition.

This leads us to our eighth life lesson:

While It’s True That Chasing a Chimera Will Kill You, Not Chasing a Chimera Will Kill You As Well 

We chase a variety of chimeras of varying qualities. Oftentimes, they destroy us, but they also give us drive, passion, and purpose. 

Chasing a chimera can be a mixed bag. It can uplift us and destroy us at the same time. 

The King of Bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman

Take perhaps the greatest bodybuilder of all time, Ronnie Coleman. He is featured in the 2018 documentary (currently on Amazon Prime) Ronnie Coleman: The King. 

To pursue his obsession, being the world’s greatest bodybuilder, Coleman abused his body. He achieved greatness but at a price. He must undergo dozens of back surgeries and he lives in constant, excruciating pain. 

His fellow bodybuilders say he didn’t have to train so heavy and abuse his body the way he did, but it could be argued that his drive for greatness is what made him Ronnie Coleman. In other words, his passion for greatness brought him his achievement and his suffering simultaneously. 

Without a Chimera, Dexter Returns to Ugliness

Dexter spent his whole life trying to escape the ugliness of his shame and poverty by living in winter dreams, and with those dreams crushed into dust, he returns to see the stark ugliness that is his life. 

“‘Long ago, he said, ‘long ago, there was something in me, but now that thing is gone. Now that thing is gone, that thing is gone. I cannot cry. I cannot care. That thing will come back no more.’”

Anhedonia

Having given his life to a false idol and seeing that idol crumble before him, Dexter is beyond depression and sadness. He is in such a bad state that he is incapable of any joy or happiness--he is in a state of anhedonia. 

This grave misery is the reward for his magical thinking. 

***

Sample Thesis Based on Phil Stutz's Notion of Magical Thinking

Rejecting reality--the inevitable pain, uncertainty, and constant work of life--Dexter Greens succumbs to Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking--he feebly attempts to bend reality to fit his desire for dominance and acceptance; he sacrifices love so that he can project a fantasy of perfection on Judy Jones in order that he can chase what Phil Stutz calls a "Moment Frozen in Time;" he treats his life with reckless disregard as he gratifies his desires for the dopamine, bling, and attention of his "winter dream," the fantasy of Judy Jones. 

 

 

My ChatGPT Prompt:

 

Considering the pain, depravity, and injustice of slavery and Jim Crow, explain why millions of Americans hold the Confederate flag, Jefferson Davis, and other iconography that glorifies slavery and Jim Crow so dear to their hearts.

 

 

ChatGPT

The affinity for Confederate symbols such as the flag, figures like Jefferson Davis, and other iconography that glorifies slavery and Jim Crow is complex and rooted in a variety of factors, including historical, cultural, social, and psychological aspects. Here are some key reasons why some individuals hold these symbols dear despite their association with pain, depravity, and injustice:

1. Historical Revisionism: Many people grow up surrounded by narratives that romanticize the Confederacy and its symbols. This often involves a skewed interpretation of history that downplays or ignores the brutality of slavery and Jim Crow laws, instead emphasizing notions of "Southern heritage" or states' rights. These narratives can be deeply ingrained and perpetuated through family traditions, community customs, and even educational curricula.

2. Cultural Identity: For some individuals, particularly those in the American South, Confederate symbols have become deeply intertwined with personal and regional identity. The Confederate flag, for example, may be seen as a symbol of pride in one's Southern heritage or a marker of belonging to a particular cultural group. In some cases, displaying these symbols can be a way for individuals to assert their identity and express a sense of belonging in a rapidly changing society.

3. Resistance to Change: Symbols like the Confederate flag can also serve as a form of resistance to perceived threats or changes in society. As attitudes toward race, equality, and justice evolve, some individuals may cling to Confederate symbols as a way to push back against what they see as encroachments on their way of life or traditional values. This resistance can be fueled by fear, resentment, or a sense of nostalgia for a perceived simpler time.

4. Misguided Patriotism: For a subset of individuals, particularly those who may not fully understand the historical context or implications of Confederate symbols, their attachment may stem from a misguided sense of patriotism or allegiance. They may view figures like Jefferson Davis as heroes of a bygone era, focusing on aspects of Confederate history that they perceive as honorable or noble while overlooking the atrocities committed in the name of slavery and white supremacy.

5. Group Dynamics and Peer Influence: Human beings are highly influenced by the social groups to which they belong. In communities where Confederate symbols are embraced, individuals may feel pressure to conform to prevailing attitudes and behaviors. This can create a feedback loop where the symbols become further entrenched as markers of group identity and solidarity.

6. Emotional Attachments and Personal Significance: For some individuals, the attachment to Confederate symbols may be deeply personal and emotional. They may have family ties to the Confederacy or ancestral connections to the Civil War era. In such cases, the symbols can take on a significance that transcends their historical context, representing cherished memories, traditions, or personal narratives passed down through generations.

It's important to recognize that not all Americans hold Confederate symbols dear, and attitudes toward these symbols vary widely across different regions, demographics, and generations. However, for those who do embrace them, the reasons often reflect a complex interplay of history, culture, identity, and emotion. Addressing the persistence of Confederate iconography requires a multifaceted approach that acknowledges these complexities while actively challenging the narratives that perpetuate glorification of slavery and Jim Crow.

 

 

 

Sample Thesis

 

Dexter Green, the Liver King, and adherents of The Lost Cause are cautionary tales of people whose brains were hijacked by a destructive dream that has become so powerful that they have lost their powers of reason, their moral compass, and their free will to the degree that they cannot reverse course and are doomed to let their "winter dream" deliver them to their final destruction.  

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ChatGPT Is a Cliche Monster

 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that The Larry Sanders Show is a dark vision of the entertainment industry characterized by colossal narcissism, insecurity, and the sacrifice of one’s dignity and moral compass in order to stay addicted to the dopamine of adulation, fame, and attention.

 

 

ChatGPT

Title: Peeling Back the Curtain: The Dark Realities of "The Larry Sanders Show"

In the annals of television history, few shows have dared to delve as deeply into the underbelly of the entertainment industry as "The Larry Sanders Show." With its razor-sharp wit and unflinching portrayal of the highs and lows of showbiz, the series presents a stark and often unsettling vision of Hollywood characterized by colossal narcissism, insecurity, and the sacrificial altar upon which dignity and moral compass are offered in exchange for the addictive allure of adulation, fame, and attention.

At the heart of "The Larry Sanders Show" lies its eponymous protagonist, Larry Sanders, whose portrayal by Garry Shandling serves as a haunting reflection of the darker facets of celebrity culture. Sanders embodies the quintessential Hollywood figure: a man consumed by his own ego and perpetually plagued by insecurities masked by a veneer of charisma. Through Sanders, the show peels back the layers of celebrity narcissism, revealing the hollow core beneath the glitz and glamour.

Central to the show's exploration of narcissism is its depiction of the talk show format itself. As the host of a late-night talk show, Sanders is thrust into the spotlight, where his every word and action are scrutinized by millions. Yet, far from basking in the adoration of his audience, Sanders is consumed by a relentless need for validation, constantly seeking affirmation from those around him. His interactions with guests, colleagues, and even his own staff are colored by this insatiable hunger for attention, highlighting the corrosive effects of celebrity worship on both the individual and those who orbit around them.

However, beneath Sanders' carefully crafted facade lies a profound sense of insecurity, a fear of irrelevance that drives him to desperate measures in pursuit of fame and fortune. Whether it be sabotaging the careers of his rivals or betraying the trust of his closest friends, Sanders' actions are guided by a ruthless determination to stay on top at any cost. In this relentless pursuit of success, the show exposes the moral compromises inherent in the entertainment industry, where integrity is often sacrificed on the altar of ambition.

Yet, perhaps the most damning indictment of Hollywood's toxic culture lies in its portrayal of the toll exacted on the human soul in exchange for the fleeting dopamine rush of fame and adulation. Throughout the series, we witness the gradual erosion of Sanders' humanity as he becomes increasingly entangled in the web of celebrity. His relationships crumble, his moral compass wavers, and his sense of self is ultimately subsumed by the relentless demands of stardom.

In its unflinching portrayal of the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry, "The Larry Sanders Show" serves as a sobering reminder of the corrosive effects of celebrity culture. Through its exploration of narcissism, insecurity, and the sacrifice of dignity in pursuit of fame, the series lays bare the harsh realities of life in the limelight. Yet, amidst the cynicism and disillusionment, there also lies a glimmer of hope – a recognition of the inherent humanity that lies beneath the surface of even the most jaded celebrity. It is this recognition that ultimately elevates "The Larry Sanders Show" beyond mere satire, transforming it into a profound meditation on the nature of fame, success, and the price we pay for both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Use ChatGPT Effectively and Ethically 

When my college writing students and I first started toying around with ChatGPT a couple of years ago, we thought this super writing processor was so miraculous that it would spell the end of student writing and teaching writing. The disruptive technology of A.I. would replace human writing because of its sheer power and speed to produce writing that would become the world currency of writing in the same way that Word and Google Docs have become the currency of word processing. ChatGPT would be so powerful that it would be more efficient to spend two minutes getting ChatGPT to write a document than to spend an hour writing the document yourself. As a result, college instructors would fade into the sunset. At best, these obsolete figures would fade into holograms, little images that floated above your smartwatch, shook their finger at you, and gave you grammar tips. 

 

However, after two years of using ChatGPT with my students, it is clear that while ChatGPT will indeed become the world currency of writing and join the ranks of Word and Google Docs, if you want to produce a truly valuable document, you need to understand that ChatGPT helps you only as much as you help it. 

In fact, you have to put more knowledge about writing into ChatGPT than ChatGPT gives back to you. Let me repeat that: You have to work harder and know more about writing to make ChatGPT produce a valuable document. The converse is also true: The weaker your writing prompts the weaker your ChatGPT response will be. Therefore, in a world where ChatGPT is the international writing currency, you will need to know more about writing than college students in the Pre-ChatGPT Age.  

Let me repeat my claim about learning and teaching college writing in the ChatGPT Age: More than ever, you need advanced reading and writing skills to use ChatGPT effectively. To be competitive in higher learning and business, you need two things: a how-to manual with specific steps to train you to train ChatGPT and you need advanced literacy to use this how-to manual effectively. The mastery of these skills will require more in-depth writing skills than the college writing students who toiled in the Pre-ChatGPT Era. There are several reasons for this, but I will focus on seven:

7 Challenges of ChatGPT

One. ChatGPT is a cliche machine. The more cliches it generates the more worthless its responses are. You need to refine your prompts over and over to train ChatGPT to avoid cliches and write with more specificity. 

Two. You have to understand the gradations of specificity of a writing prompt and learn to modulate the specificity because if your prompt is too general or too specific, ChatGPT will generate poor results. I’ve learned that giving a minimum of three tasks in one prompt is often necessary to generate an adequate response. To provide these tasks, you have to know how to give ChatGPT action verbs: Argue, analyze, provide, compare and contrast, offer a rebuttal to the idea that . . ., and so on. 

Three. You have to have a solid grasp of syntax, exact and concise word choice, and clear communication to coax a strong response from ChatGPT. 

Four. You need to compare your own prompt writing to the best apps that are out there. Welcome.AI, ChatX, and Coefficient are three you might explore. 

Five. You have to learn that ChatGPT improves through modulation so that repeated variations of a writing prompt generates the best results. This providing ChatGPT with more and more refined prompts is called the iterative process. 

Six. You need critical thinking skills, fact checking, and a strong knowledge of history, current events, political science, and philosophy to adequately access, judge, and analyze the quality of a ChatGPT response. 

Seven. This challenge comes from ChatGPT's own admission: "ChatGPT lacks emotional intelligence and may struggle to recognize and appropriately respond to nuanced emotions or tone in a conversation."

Why Do I Teach My Students How to Use ChatGPT?

Because ChatGPT will become the world currency for word processing and be necessary to compete in business and academia, it would be irresponsible of me not to teach it. I want my students to effectively and ethically use ChatGPT in college and business. 

What Value Is ChatGPT in a College Writing Class?

Of course, I don’t want students using ChatGPT to misrepresent their own work of writing. However, ChatGPT does many valuable things for my students.

• Using ChatGPT is a valuable prewriting exercise to get my students to think about the topic.
• Using ChatGPT is a valuable learning tool for recognizing cliches and stock phrases since ChatGPT in its current iteration is a Cliche Machine. 
• Using ChatGPT trains students to learn the iterative process, refining writing prompts over and over, to learn how to effectively use language to coax a valuable manuscript from ChatGPT. 
• Using ChatGPT helps students identify an essay outline. 
• Using ChatGPT helps students see an argument or cause and effect analysis point that they didn’t see before. 
• Using ChatGPT as a Works Cited source. The MLA instructs you to provide your prompt and the date of the ChatGPT response. 

 

A helpful video to effectively use ChatGPT is by YouTuber Jeff Su: “Master the Perfect ChatGPT Prompt Formula.”

 

***

My Prompt:

Write an essay that addresses the claim that in the ChatGPT Era college writing students need more refined literary skills, including those of a computer coder, than college writing students in the pre-ChatGPT Era.

ChatGPT

Title: Navigating the ChatGPT Era: The Evolution of College Writing Skills

Introduction:

In the age of ChatGPT, where artificial intelligence seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, the landscape of college writing has undergone a profound transformation. Gone are the days when traditional literacy skills sufficed. Today's college writing students must possess a nuanced blend of literary prowess and technical acumen akin to that of a computer coder. This essay delves into the claim that students in the ChatGPT Era require more refined literary skills, including those of a computer coder, compared to their predecessors in the pre-ChatGPT Era.

Literary Skills in the ChatGPT Era:

The advent of ChatGPT and similar AI technologies has revolutionized the way we interact with language. Students are not merely consumers of information; they are also creators, tasked with engaging in meaningful discourse with AI systems. Consequently, the demand for refined literary skills has soared. In an era where algorithms parse and analyze text, students must master the art of crafting language that is both comprehensible to humans and algorithmically optimized. This necessitates a deep understanding of syntax, semantics, and rhetoric.

Moreover, with the proliferation of online content creation platforms and social media, students are constantly challenged to produce compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Whether crafting a persuasive essay or a viral tweet, students must wield literary techniques with finesse to captivate and persuade their readers. Thus, proficiency in storytelling, persuasive writing, and creative expression has become indispensable in the ChatGPT Era.

Integration of Technical Skills:

However, the evolution of college writing extends beyond traditional literary domains. In the ChatGPT Era, students are increasingly expected to navigate the intersection of language and technology. This entails acquiring rudimentary coding skills to interface with AI systems effectively. Unlike their predecessors, who relied solely on pen and paper, today's college writing students must be adept at leveraging programming languages and markup formats to manipulate and analyze textual data.

Furthermore, as AI continues to shape various industries, students must possess a basic understanding of algorithms and machine learning principles. Whether conducting research or analyzing datasets, proficiency in computational thinking has become a valuable asset for college writers. Consequently, the boundaries between humanities and STEM disciplines are blurring, necessitating a holistic approach to education that encompasses both literary and technical competencies.

Challenges and Opportunities:

While the integration of literary and technical skills presents new challenges for college writing students, it also offers unprecedented opportunities for creativity and innovation. The ChatGPT Era encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, allowing students to explore the symbiotic relationship between language and technology. By embracing this convergence, students can develop versatile skill sets that transcend traditional academic boundaries.

Moreover, the democratization of information facilitated by AI empowers students to engage with diverse perspectives and cultures. Through platforms like ChatGPT, students can converse with individuals from around the globe, broadening their understanding of language and society. This global interconnectedness fosters empathy and cultural competence, essential attributes for effective communication in the 21st century.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the ChatGPT Era heralds a new paradigm in college writing, where students must navigate the intricate interplay between literary expression and technological innovation. To thrive in this evolving landscape, students require more refined literary skills, coupled with a fundamental understanding of computer coding and AI. By embracing this fusion of disciplines, students can unleash their creative potential and shape the future of communication in the digital age. As we embark on this transformative journey, let us equip the next generation of college writers with the tools they need to succeed in the ChatGPT Era and beyond.

***

Provide a list of 5 specific things college writing students can do to be more effective at presenting ChatGPT with writing prompts.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

• Craft Clear and Specific Prompts: College writing students should learn to formulate writing prompts that are precise and unambiguous. Avoid vague or overly broad instructions that may confuse ChatGPT. Instead, provide clear guidelines, specifying the desired topic, tone, and style.
• Utilize Varied Vocabulary and Syntax: Encourage students to diversify their vocabulary and experiment with different syntactic structures when presenting prompts to ChatGPT. This helps stimulate the AI's language model and generates more diverse and nuanced responses.
• Incorporate Contextual Information: Provide relevant context or background information when presenting prompts to ChatGPT. This helps guide the AI's understanding and ensures that responses are coherent and contextually appropriate.
• Include Examples or Models: Supplement prompts with examples or models to illustrate the desired style or format. By demonstrating what constitutes a successful response, students can effectively communicate their expectations to ChatGPT.
• Provide Feedback and Iteration: Encourage students to engage in an iterative process when interacting with ChatGPT. After receiving responses, students should critically evaluate the AI's output, provide feedback, and refine their prompts accordingly. This iterative approach fosters continuous improvement and enhances the effectiveness of future interactions with ChatGPT.

 

 

Avoid Writing Like a Chatbot:

Students who rely too much on ChatGPT write too much like a chatbot. This is because ChatGPT uses the same words and phrases over and over. 

• poignant
• poignant reminder
• delve
• fostering
• ultimately
• unwavering
• validate
• relentless pursuit
• as the story unfolds
• cautionary tale
• importance of staying true to our values
• highlighting
• underscoring
• reminding us of the importance of
• sobering
• fleeting

 

Avoid Cheap Big Words That Say Nothing

ChatGPT does a spectacular job of sounding verbose and pretentious while saying nothing:

The story "Winter Dreams" emphasizes the story's complex interplay between psychological biases and personal tragedy. 

This approach limits independent thinking and critical analysis among students, potentially perpetuating historical inaccuracies and hindering societal progress. However, educating and debating these historical issues offer invaluable educational benefits and provide students with the ability to effectively address societal issues. By fostering diverse perspectives and critical thinking skills, students can identify and evaluate historical missteps and errors. Moreover, this process develops a sense of responsibility towards societal issues, empowering students to contribute to addressing contemporary challenges and building a healthier society through a democratic educational approach.

***

Some critics may argue that exposing students to diverse historical perspectives may lead to confusion and moral ambiguity. However, acknowledging the value of multiple interpretations fosters balanced understanding, analytical skills, and moral judgment in historical facts and impacts.

***

Therefore, presenting stories from various perspectives cultivates intellectual and moral curiosity among students and develops a deeper understanding of historical complexity, allowing them to empathize with and comprehend the suffering of groups different from their own within the societal framework. Ultimately, encouraging engagement with diverse historical interpretations is an effective and valuable educational approach that promotes intellectual growth and moral empathy.

***

In "Winter Dreams," F. Scott Fitzgerald poignantly illustrates the pitfalls of falling in love with projections of wish-fulfillment fantasies rather than real people. Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of idealizing others and projecting one's own desires onto them. As Dexter's story unfolds, it reminds us of the importance of seeing people for who they truly are, rather than who we wish them to be, in order to cultivate genuine and meaningful relationships.

***

Here is a post from someone on Reddit:

Any idea how I can get ChatGPT to stop using cliche words/concepts?

I feel like I've tried everything to get ChatGPT not to use certain phrases that it definitely overuses. Here's a list I include in my prompts.
"Don't say any of these words anywhere in the text:

“landscape",

"embark",

"navigate",

"elevate",

"age",

“realm”,

“not only",

"enable",

“era”,

“world”,

“Evolving”,

“Turbocharge”,

“Sphere”

“Realm”,

“Resonate”,

“Journey”,

"navigate"

“Sphere”

“Things”

“Arena”

“sector”

“Sphere”

“Resonate”

“It’s about more”

“It’s not just”

“Beacon”

“Not only”

“Not just”

"Empower"

 

Go in a completely different direction from the words above.
This means avoiding the concept behind these cliches and going in a different direction altogether. Don’t just replace the word “elevate” with “enhance” because that still counts as cliche to me. Don’t change “ever-evolving realm” with “fast-paced world”, just make something in a different direction instead. " 

After I provide this prompt 80% of the time the output I get is still something like "In the ever-evolving landscape of business, you can empower people" etc… 

Then i'll make a prompt saying "I asked you not to use some of those words" and it'll say "My apologies, i'll make a revised version and make sure to avoid those words and cliches."

 

Then I'll make a prompt saying, "I asked you not to use some of those words," and it'll say, "My apologies, I'll make a revised version and make sure to avoid those words and cliches." 

It's so frustrating. I pay for premium chatgpt too! 

***

ChatGPT Rewrites the Short Story "Winter Dreams"

Rewrite F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams" by replacing Dexter Green with Elon Musk and showing Musk's challenges as he overwhelms himself by juggling too many projects--heading Tesla, taking over Twitter, and desiring to be a potent political voice, resulting in a loss of business prowess. Title the story "Tesla Dreams."

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Title: Tesla Dreams

In the bustling world of innovation and ambition, Elon Musk stood as a modern-day titan, his vision reaching far beyond the confines of ordinary success. As the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and a slew of other ventures, Musk's name echoed through the corridors of Silicon Valley, synonymous with audacity and possibility.

Yet, amidst the whirlwind of projects and ambitions, Musk found himself ensnared in the complexities of his own making. The story of his rise and fall, chronicled in "Tesla Dreams," serves as a cautionary tale of the perils of overwhelming oneself with ambition and the pursuit of greatness.

At the helm of Tesla, Musk was a visionary leader, pushing the boundaries of electric vehicles and renewable energy. However, as the demands of the company grew, so too did Musk's desire to expand his influence. With a bold stroke, he set his sights on Twitter, eager to reshape the social media landscape and wield his influence on a global scale.

Simultaneously, Musk harbored aspirations of becoming a potent political voice, believing that his wealth and influence could effect meaningful change in the world. Yet, as he delved deeper into the murky waters of politics, Musk found himself embroiled in controversy and conflict, his once sterling reputation tarnished by the complexities of partisan strife.

As Musk juggled the demands of Tesla, Twitter, and his political aspirations, the cracks in his empire began to show. The relentless pace of his ambitions left little time for introspection or strategic planning, resulting in missteps and setbacks that threatened to undermine his business prowess.

In the midst of his meteoric rise, Musk found himself grappling with the consequences of his own hubris. The relentless pursuit of greatness had blinded him to the dangers of overextension, leaving him vulnerable to the whims of fate and the machinations of his rivals.

As "Tesla Dreams" unfolds, Musk confronts the harsh reality of his own limitations, forced to reckon with the consequences of his actions. In a world driven by ambition and innovation, he learns that true greatness lies not in the breadth of one's achievements, but in the wisdom to recognize one's own limitations and the courage to chart a course toward a more sustainable future.

 

 

Review Jeff Su

According to YouTuber Jeff Su in his video "Master the Perfect ChatGPT Prompt Formula," you need to do the following to write an effective prompt:

• Give ChatGPT a specific task with an action verb.
• Give ChatGPT context and intent. 
• Give ChatGPT examples of what you want and don't want in terms of writing style.
• Give ChatGPT a specific persona you think will most effectively write what you need. 
• Give ChatGPT the format: essay, memo, proposal, treatise, etc. 
• Give ChatGPT the tone you want.

Example of a Prompt That Uses the Above

I am writing a college-level essay about F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams." I want to approach Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones from the lens of a psychologist making an analogy between Dexter's obsession and drug addiction. I want to show how Dexter's addiction to Judy Jones and what she represents is sending him down a road to destruction in a way that is similar to the most virulent of addictions. In this context, write an essay that portrays Dexter Green as a helpless addict, explains his fears and desires that make him so vulnerable to such a destructive addiction, and analyze what Judy Jones represents to Dexter that makes her such a potent and pernicious force in his life. I want the essay to avoid cliches and platitudes, and in their place use rhetoric appropriate for college-level writing.

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Title: The Abyss of Obsession: Dexter Green's Tragic Addiction in "Winter Dreams"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones is not merely a fleeting romance but a consuming addiction, akin to the most insidious of dependencies. Through the lens of psychology, Dexter's descent into obsession with Judy mirrors the destructive patterns often associated with substance abuse, leading him down a path of self-destruction. This essay will delve into Dexter's portrayal as a helpless addict, elucidating the fears and desires that render him susceptible to such a potent and pernicious force, while analyzing the symbolic significance of Judy Jones in his life.

From the outset, Dexter's attraction to Judy is depicted as all-consuming, reminiscent of the grip of addiction. Like a drug that promises euphoria but exacts a toll on his well-being, Judy becomes an obsession that he cannot shake. Fitzgerald masterfully captures Dexter's gradual descent into dependency, portraying his infatuation with Judy as a means of escaping the mundanity of his own existence. In Judy, Dexter finds an intoxicating elixir that temporarily soothes his insecurities and inadequacies, offering a fleeting semblance of fulfillment.

Central to Dexter's addiction is his deep-seated fear of insignificance and his relentless pursuit of social validation. As a self-made man striving to climb the social ladder, Dexter is haunted by the specter of failure and the fear of falling short of societal expectations. Judy, with her ethereal beauty and social prominence, embodies the epitome of success and status, serving as a symbol of Dexter's unattainable aspirations. His obsession with Judy thus becomes a desperate attempt to prove himself worthy of her affection, thereby validating his own self-worth in the eyes of society.

Moreover, Judy represents more than just a romantic interest to Dexter; she embodies his deepest desires and fears, making her a potent and pernicious force in his life. To Dexter, Judy symbolizes the unattainable ideal of perfection, a mirage that he tirelessly pursues but can never grasp. In her, he sees not only the fulfillment of his romantic fantasies but also the validation of his worthiness as a member of the social elite. However, Judy's elusive nature and capricious behavior serve to exacerbate Dexter's obsession, driving him further into the depths of his addiction.

As Dexter's obsession with Judy intensifies, so too does the toll it exacts on his psyche and well-being. Like a drug addict ensnared by their vice, Dexter finds himself powerless to resist Judy's allure, even as he witnesses the havoc it wreaks on his life. His addiction blinds him to the reality of their relationship, blurring the lines between love and obsession until he is consumed by his own desires. In the end, Dexter's addiction to Judy proves to be his undoing, leading him down a path of self-destruction from which he cannot escape.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's portrayal of Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones in "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of the parallels between romantic fixation and addiction. Through Dexter's character, Fitzgerald illuminates the depths of human desire and insecurity, illustrating how obsession can consume one's identity and lead to inevitable downfall. By analyzing Dexter's fears and desires, we gain insight into the complex interplay between love, ambition, and the pernicious allure of addiction. Ultimately, Judy Jones serves as a potent symbol of Dexter's deepest desires and fears, leading him down a path of destruction from which there is no return.

 

Second Example with Added Tone

 

I am writing a college-level essay about F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams." I want to approach Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones from the lens of a psychologist making an analogy between Dexter's obsession and drug addiction. I want to show how Dexter's addiction to Judy Jones and what she represents is sending him down a road to destruction in a way that is similar to the most virulent of addictions. In this context, using a tone similar in boldness and confidence to Vladimir Nabokov's, write an essay that portrays Dexter Green as a helpless addict and explains his fears and desires that make him so vulnerable to such a destructive addiction. I want the essay to avoid cliches and platitudes, and in their place use rhetoric appropriate for college-level writing.

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Title: Dexter Green's Tragic Descent: An Analysis of Obsession in "Winter Dreams"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green emerges as a character ensnared in the clutches of an obsession so potent, it rivals the most virulent of addictions. Through a psychological lens, Dexter's fixation on Judy Jones unveils a harrowing narrative of self-destruction, akin to the downward spiral often associated with substance abuse. This essay ventures into Dexter's portrayal as a hapless addict, dissecting the fears and desires that render him susceptible to the seductive allure of Judy Jones, while illuminating the parallels between his obsession and the most pernicious of dependencies.

From its inception, Dexter's infatuation with Judy is painted in hues of desperation, reminiscent of a moth drawn irresistibly to the flame. Much like a drug addict succumbs to the allure of their chosen vice, Dexter finds himself inexorably drawn to Judy, despite the foreboding knowledge of the impending ruin their liaison portends. Fitzgerald masterfully constructs Dexter's obsession as a coping mechanism, a means of evading the banality of his own existence by seeking solace in the ephemeral ecstasy Judy promises.

At the core of Dexter's addiction lies a profound fear of insignificance, intertwined with an insatiable thirst for validation and societal acceptance. As a paragon of the American Dream, Dexter is consumed by the relentless pursuit of success and social prominence, haunted by the specter of failure and mediocrity. Judy, with her ethereal beauty and enigmatic allure, embodies the apotheosis of Dexter's aspirations, serving as both muse and tormentor in equal measure. His obsession with Judy thus becomes a desperate bid to validate his own existence, to transcend the limitations of his humble origins and ascend to the coveted heights of the social elite.

Moreover, Judy represents not only the object of Dexter's desire but also the embodiment of his deepest fears and insecurities. In her, he sees a reflection of his own yearning for perfection, a mirage that tantalizingly eludes his grasp, leaving him perpetually teetering on the precipice of despair. Fitzgerald deftly exposes the symbiotic relationship between Dexter and Judy, portraying her as both catalyst and accomplice in his inexorable descent into oblivion.

As Dexter's addiction intensifies, so too does the toll it exacts on his psyche and well-being. Like a moth ensnared in the spider's web, Dexter finds himself powerless to extricate himself from Judy's insidious influence, even as he witnesses the erosion of his own identity and moral integrity. His addiction blinds him to the reality of their relationship, distorting his perceptions until he is consumed by the all-consuming flames of his own desires.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's portrayal of Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones in "Winter Dreams" offers a chilling exploration of the destructive power of obsession. Through Dexter's character, Fitzgerald unveils the tragic consequences of succumbing to the siren song of desire, illustrating how obsession can serve as a potent catalyst for self-destruction. By unraveling Dexter's fears and desires, we gain insight into the complex interplay between ambition, validation, and the insatiable craving for transcendence. Ultimately, Judy Jones emerges as both muse and nemesis, leading Dexter down a treacherous path from which there can be no salvation.

***

 

Example of providing context with a task and some restrictions:

 

My Prompt:

 

For an audience of college writing students who are busy with studying and working part-time jobs, provide a justification for teaching critical thinking skills that avoids cliches and homilies and presents specific benefits to learning critical thinking, credible research, and advanced rhetoric.

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

In a world inundated with information and demands on our time, the ability to think critically is not just a luxury; it's a necessity. For college writing students juggling academics and part-time jobs, cultivating critical thinking skills is akin to sharpening a Swiss army knife—it's a versatile tool that enhances every aspect of one's academic and professional life. Rather than resorting to clichés or platitudes, let's delve into specific benefits that learning critical thinking, credible research, and advanced rhetoric can offer to busy college students.

Firstly, critical thinking equips students with the mental agility to navigate the complexities of today's world. In an era characterized by misinformation and polarizing rhetoric, the ability to discern fact from fiction is invaluable. By honing their critical thinking skills, students develop a discerning eye, enabling them to evaluate sources, identify biases, and make informed decisions. Whether scrutinizing a research paper, analyzing a political argument, or deciphering a marketing campaign, critical thinking empowers students to approach information critically, ensuring that they are not merely passive consumers but active participants in the discourse.

Moreover, proficiency in credible research is essential for students striving for academic excellence. In an age where the internet serves as a double-edged sword of information, distinguishing credible sources from unreliable ones is paramount. By mastering the art of research, students can access a wealth of credible information, enriching their academic endeavors and bolstering the credibility of their own writing. Whether writing a thesis, crafting an argumentative essay, or preparing a presentation, the ability to draw upon reputable sources enhances the depth and credibility of students' work, setting them apart as scholars who uphold rigorous academic standards.

Furthermore, advanced rhetoric empowers students to wield language as a persuasive tool, amplifying the impact of their writing and communication. In an increasingly competitive job market, effective communication skills are a prized asset. By mastering rhetorical techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos, students can articulate their ideas with clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness. Whether delivering a presentation, negotiating with clients, or drafting a cover letter, advanced rhetoric enables students to craft compelling narratives that captivate their audience and drive action. In essence, rhetoric is not merely about eloquence; it's about persuasion—the ability to sway hearts and minds through the power of language.

In conclusion, the benefits of learning critical thinking, credible research, and advanced rhetoric extend far beyond the confines of the classroom. For busy college writing students balancing academics and part-time jobs, these skills serve as indispensable assets, empowering them to navigate the complexities of the modern world with confidence and clarity. By honing their critical thinking skills, mastering credible research, and refining their rhetorical prowess, students not only enhance their academic performance but also equip themselves for success in their future careers and endeavors. So, let's dispense with clichés and homilies and instead embrace the tangible benefits that these skills offer—a sharper mind, a more credible voice, and a persuasive edge in a competitive world.

 

Example of providing details and context for a prompt:

 

I recently made a YouTube video in which I talked about the danger of people spending too much time on social media and being brainwashed by various conspiracy theories. A viewer of my video accused me of having a political bias that compelled me to shame people for rejecting mainstream media by depending on the false accusation that people who reject mainstream media replaced mainstream media with dubious news sources disseminating conspiracy theories. His implication was that mainstream media is just as guilty of providing untrustworthy conspiracy theories as other forms of media. In this context, how can we have a reasonable conversation about what’s true or not and base our conversations on a shared epistemological model so that one source of news is credible and another source is seen as absurd and conspiracy-laden?

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Having a reasonable conversation about what's true or not in the realm of media consumption and news sources requires establishing a shared epistemological model—a set of principles for determining what constitutes credible information. Here are some steps to facilitate such conversations:

1. Acknowledge Biases and Preconceptions: Begin by acknowledging that everyone, including yourself, may have biases and preconceptions when it comes to media consumption and news sources. Recognizing and being transparent about these biases can lay the groundwork for a more open and honest dialogue.

2. Define Criteria for Credibility: Establish clear criteria for evaluating the credibility of news sources. This may include factors such as journalistic standards, editorial transparency, fact-checking processes, reliance on credible sources, and track record of accuracy. Encourage participants to contribute to the development of these criteria to ensure fairness and inclusivity.

3. Promote Media Literacy: Emphasize the importance of media literacy in distinguishing between credible information and misinformation or conspiracy theories. Provide resources and tools for evaluating the reliability of news sources, such as fact-checking websites, media bias charts, and critical thinking exercises.

4. Encourage Critical Thinking: Foster a culture of critical thinking by encouraging participants to question assumptions, examine evidence, and consider alternative perspectives. Encourage skepticism without skepticism without cynicism, promoting a healthy skepticism towards all sources of information, including mainstream media, while also recognizing the value of credible journalism.

5. Emphasize Dialogue and Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where participants can engage in constructive dialogue, share their perspectives, and learn from one another. Encourage active listening and respectful communication, avoiding personal attacks or dismissive attitudes towards opposing viewpoints.

6. Focus on Evidence and Facts: Ground discussions in evidence and facts rather than ideology or speculation. Encourage participants to provide verifiable evidence to support their claims and to challenge unsubstantiated assertions.

7. Be Open to Revision and Correction: Remain open to revising and updating your understanding based on new information or evidence. Acknowledge that knowledge is provisional and subject to revision, and be willing to admit when you may have been mistaken or misinformed.

By following these steps and fostering a shared epistemological model based on critical thinking, evidence, and dialogue, we can have more productive conversations about media credibility and truth. While disagreements may still arise, approaching discussions with a commitment to mutual respect and intellectual honesty can help bridge ideological divides and promote a more informed and inclusive public discourse.

 

 

 

 

Forcing ChatGPT to expound on its ideas by using its own language from a previous response:

 

We need to emphasize the importance of media literacy in distinguishing between credible information and misinformation or conspiracy theories. To do this, we need to provide resources and tools for evaluating the reliability of news sources, such as fact-checking websites, media bias charts, and critical thinking exercises. In this context, provide 7 ways a college writing course can teach media literacy.

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Certainly, integrating media literacy into a college writing course is essential for equipping students with the skills to critically evaluate news sources and distinguish between credible information and misinformation or conspiracy theories. Here are seven ways a college writing course can teach media literacy:

1. Introduction to Media Landscape: Begin the course with an overview of the contemporary media landscape, including the proliferation of digital platforms, social media, and alternative news sources. Discuss the challenges posed by misinformation and the importance of critical media consumption.

2. Media Bias Analysis: Introduce students to media bias analysis by examining various news outlets across the political spectrum. Utilize media bias charts or tools that assess the political leanings and reliability of different sources. Encourage students to critically analyze how bias influences the framing of news stories.

3. Fact-Checking Skills: Teach students how to fact-check information by verifying claims and evaluating the credibility of sources. Provide resources such as fact-checking websites and guidelines for assessing the reliability of information. Engage students in hands-on exercises where they fact-check news articles or social media posts.

4. Critical Reading and Analysis: Develop students' critical reading and analysis skills by dissecting news articles, editorials, and opinion pieces. Encourage them to identify the author's purpose, examine underlying assumptions, and evaluate the evidence presented. Discuss how language, tone, and framing can influence readers' perceptions.

5. Source Evaluation: Guide students in evaluating the reliability of news sources based on criteria such as journalistic standards, transparency, and track record of accuracy. Teach them to scrutinize the credentials of authors and assess the credibility of sources cited within articles. Provide case studies or examples of reputable and unreliable news sources.

6. Understanding Media Manipulation: Explore tactics used in media manipulation, such as misinformation, disinformation, propaganda, and clickbait. Discuss how these techniques exploit cognitive biases and manipulate public opinion. Encourage students to critically analyze viral content and recognize red flags indicating potential manipulation.

7. Ethical Considerations: Foster discussions on ethical considerations in media consumption and production. Explore topics such as journalistic integrity, responsible reporting practices, and the implications of sharing unverified information on social media. Encourage students to reflect on their own media habits and the ethical responsibilities of media consumers.

By incorporating these strategies into a college writing course, students can develop the media literacy skills necessary to navigate today's information-rich but often misleading media landscape. Empowering students to critically evaluate news sources and discern fact from fiction equips them to become informed and responsible citizens in an increasingly complex digital world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 Life Lessons in “Winter Dreams”

Essay 2: Magical Thinking and "Winter Dreams" (200 points and due April 4)

Analyzing the therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the manner in which Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his existence by obsessing over his all-consuming chimera Judy Jones. Because this essay is an analysis and not an argument, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section. 

Suggested Outline

Paragraph 1: Your personal magical thinking paragraph should contain your personal story and your explanation of how the story defines magical thinking. 

Paragraph 2: Compare your magical thinking trainwreck (misadventure) with Dexter’s. 

Paragraph 3: Write a claim or thesis that explains how magical thinking was the cause of Dexter’s demise.

Paragraphs 4-7 are body paragraphs.

Paragraph 8 is your conclusion, a dramatic restatement of your thesis. 

Your last page should be your Works Cited with 4 sources. 

 

 

 

11 Life Lessons in “Winter Dreams” (Revised)

Lesson #1: Dexter’s squandered existence on a cipher is a lesson in opportunity costs: When we fixate on one misguided obsession, we do so at the expense of lost opportunities. 

Lesson #2: Dexter’s idealization of ephemeral past moments with Judy Jones as the foundation of his existence causes him to become a Pillar of Salt, a petrified soul that cannot move forward in life because he is stuck on a fantasy of a magical past. Living in the past, he lives in a state of eternal putrescence and rot. 

Lesson #3: Dexter’s attempt to bend reality to fit his fantasy of the ideal life is a fool’s errand that will eventually “have his butt handed to him on a stick,” to use the parlance that describes that soul-crushing moment that happens when we realize we’ve squandered our lives on a sack of worthless ashes.

Lesson #4: Dexter’s fear-driven “solutions” to overcome the shame of his working-class past prove to be far worse than his original problems. The fear of inadequacy often compels us to overcompensate in ways that are self-destructive and disconnect us from reality. As Dexter’s Alpha Male cosplay grows stronger and stronger, so does his loneliness and disconnection from reality. When overcompensation makes our original problems even worse, we can call this phenomenon the Exacerbation Principle. 

Lesson #5: Dexter’s ostentatious shows of strength and bling (the libido ostentando) are displays of his emotional and spiritual impoverishment. We call this phenomenon “impoverishment through substitution”--replacing our emotional needs such as love and belonging with bandaids like Botox, a makeover, a new car, a steroid-enriched muscle body, etc. 

Lesson #6: Dexter’s projections of his unconscious needs and fantasies onto Judy Jones blind him from the fact that she is a cipher and a mediocrity and from the fact that he is pursuing in her a fool’s errand. In psychological parlance, we call this phenomenon projection: In the context of falling in love, it means you see in the other person what you want to see rather than who they really are. 

Lesson #7: Dexter’s wealth makes him the object of adulation. Rather than being surrounded by friends, he is, as a rich and powerful man, surrounded by sycophants who tell him what he wants to hear rather than what he needs to hear. Fame and adulation create a toxic symbiotic relationship with the worshiped and their slobbering sycophants resulting in a loss of reality for all parties. 

Lesson #8: When Dexter gets hooked on his “winter dreams” and needs his Judy Jones fix more than creating meaningful connections and a moral compass, he treats his life with reckless disregard. Observing the downward trajectory of Dexter Green, we see that the addict to “winter dreams,” whatever these dreams may be, puts his addiction as the number-one priority while everything else dies on the vine. 

Lesson #9: Time is a very limited and precious commodity. When we waste our lives on “winter dreams,” we are not special. Father Time will not have compassion on us and treat us any better than other people. Observing Dexter Green wasting his time on his “winter dreams,” we see that Father Time is a merciless, vengeful figure. He will come looking for you and hunt you down to let you know your time is up and you’ve got nothing to show for your foolishness. 

Lesson #10: Dexter reaches the point where he knows Judy Jones is poison and he still can't let go of her. With full self-awareness and metacognition, we can have an acute grasp of our addiction, yet we can feel helpless to free ourselves from it. 

Lesson #11: Having a chimera or a mirage that we pursue will all our being can kill us, but not having a chimera to animate our lives with a sense of purpose can also kill us. Chimeras: We can't live with or without them. 

ChatGPT Is the HMO of Writing

There are basically two health plans in America, HMO and PPO. HMO is the low-rent cost-cutting version; PPO is the pay-through-your-teeth slightly better version. With the PPO, the doctors try to make you feel like they care about your health. With the HMO, they don’t even try. With naked contempt, they give you inferior health care. 

Speaking of an inferior service, ChatGPT is the HMO of writing. You don’t choose ChatGPT because you want writing excellence. You choose ChatGPT because you lack time and energy, and you desire convenience. If that is your situation, ChatGPT is more than happy to give you an inferior writing service. 

ChatGPT doesn’t even pretend to care about good writing. Here is a partial list of ChatGPT’s signs of inferior writing:

• It uses the same cliches and stock phrases over and over.
• It replaces insights with obvious self-evident homilies.
• It has the spectacular talent for presenting fancy prose that says absolutely nothing. 
• It refuses to provide evidence from other texts.
• It does not provide in-text citations to support its claims.
• It can take 25 different writing prompts for the same topic and write essentially the same essay over and over again. 
• It is incapable of using personal anecdotes or illustrations to present vivid and captivating writing. 
• Its mundane, anodyne prose is more suitable for Wikipedia than it is for essay writing.
• Its style is so predictable that to read writing samples of ChatGPT for just an hour is a soul-crushing experience.

And yet people in the millions are using ChatGPT. Why are they resorting to this inferior product? Because they lack the time, energy, and resources to write at a level of excellence, so instead they capitulate to the inferior prose of ChatGPT--the HMO of writing. 

How ChatGPT Turns You Into a Terrible Writer

ChatGPT is constantly evolving, so my judgment today as of late March, 2024, may not hold in the near future. However, a current assessment can be instructive regarding the current pitfalls of ChatGPT, how it ensnares students and writers alike, degrades their writing abilities, and creates zombified hollowed-out prose.

This became clear to me when I submitted ten different essay prompts for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” to ChatGPT and discovered that regardless of the prompt, I got basically the same writing response.  

Here are  7 things about ChatGPT that can turn you into a terrible writer:

One. The Reductionary Effect. Complex ideas are reduced to easy-to-explain soundbites, bromides, and self-evident observations. “The story is a poignant lesson in the self-destruction that occurs when we’re not mindful of our obsessions.”

Two. The Homogeneous Effect: Because ChatGPT can’t delve into nuance or playfully address contrary ideas, it tends toward the same kind of writing, preferring to present the same moral lesson over and over for a variety of essay prompts for the same short story, and it does so in the same anodyne, banal prose style.  

Three: The Attenuation Effect: ChatGPT attenuates us to basic, dull, cliche-larded writing. Because it can generate prose at such a rapid volume and it is inundating business and academia with its hopelessly boring style, it is becoming the preferred currency, evidence of a culture that attenuated itself to writing mediocrity. Regardless of the prompt, ChatGPT gave me this obvious remark about the story “Winter Dreams”: As Dexter's journey unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of weighing the costs and benefits of our choices and recognizing the true value of what we stand to gain or lose.” Telling us we need to weigh our options is too obvious to be worthy of writing, but the style is confident and fluent enough to sound sophisticated. This brings us to our next problem:

Four. The Tuxedo Effect: I told one of my colleagues that one of the things I'm doing to encourage my students to produce authentic writing is to compile a list of ChatGPT's stock phrases, cliches, and overused words as it does a good job of sounding sophisticated while saying nothing. My colleague responded brilliantly. She emailed me this: “The stock phrase list is a great idea...some of the writing ChatGPT produces is the equivalent to wearing a tuxedo to class. Completely inappropriate and totally sticks out.” Exactly. Using “big” words that amount to nothing, ChatGPT will make your writing both bland and ostentatious. You’re wearing sartorial gaucherie to the classroom and your professors don’t like it. 

Five. The Word-Fixation Effect: ChatGPT is fixated on certain words and phrases. Here’s a small sample: “poignant,” “poignant reminder,” “unfurling,” “delve” “unspooling,” “fostering,” “ultimately,” “unwavering,” “validate,” “relentless pursuit,” “as the story unfolds,” “cautionary tale,” “importance of staying true to our values,” “highlighting,” “underscoring,” “reminding us of the importance of,” “sobering,” “fleeting,” and so on. These words stand out like a tuxedo and make professors suspicious of the essays’ origins. Reading the accretion of these words over time has a soul-crushing quality and speaks to the deleterious effects ChatGPT has on writing.  

Six. The HMO Effect. As someone who once crawled into my HMO clinic with a herniated disc and was greeted by a grouchy doctor who told me to get out of his office while throwing a bottle of Ibuprofen at me, I know the degradation and futility of looking for high-quality medical care through an HMO. Just as HMOs too often provide inadequate healthcare, ChatGPT provides an abysmal substandard writing service. In contrast, real writing with authorial presence, in-text citations, specific examples, and nuance is the PPO of literary endeavors. ChatGPT is the low-rent HMO of writing. You’ll get fed a bunch of cliches and obvious observations about the human condition, but your writing--or I should say ChatGPT’s writing--will be a lackluster affair.

Seven. The Evidence-Deficit Effect: Being the HMO of writing, ChatGPT will not quote or paraphrase a given text; it won’t provide in-text citations, it won’t give salient examples to illustrate its claims. It’s bare bones all the way. 

If you want a PPO, you’ll have to work for it. Be skeptical of the cheap, easy responses you get from ChatGPT. They deaden writing, crush the soul, and compromise anyone with pride who wants to present something of high quality. 

Human and ChatGPT Thesis Samples for “Winter Dreams” Assignment

 

Essay Prompt:

Analyzing the therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the manner in which Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his existence by obsessing over his all-consuming chimera Judy Jones. Because this essay is an analysis and not an argument, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section. 

 

Sample #1

Dexter Green is a rich dumb dude who wastes his life trying to get a lame trophy wife. 

Sample #2

Dexter Green would have been better off sticking with Irene Scheerer and dumping that dumb Judy Jones girl. 

Sample #3

Dexter Green’s self-destructive behavior is a study in magical thinking. 

Sample #4

Dexter Green throws away his life with reckless disregard because he is a prisoner of his own magical thinking. 

Sample #5

Dexter Green from “Winter Dreams” sacrifices his existence to the altar of Judy Jones and in the process he becomes a study in opportunity cost, the self-destruction and delusion resulting from projection, the self-sabotage from fear-driven overcompensation, and the mindless repeat of failed attempts to bend reality to his fantasy over and over.

Sample #6

Dexter Green throws away his life because he becomes ensnared in the web of his own desires, is addicted to external validation, and constructs an elaborate fantasy of Judy Jones that symbolizes the epitome of his desires. 

Sample #7

Dexter Green throws away his life because he is a prisoner of the demonic force Judy Jones who in spite of her superficial charm is capricious and self-centered, using her allure to manipulate and toy with Dexter’s emotions in spite of his steadfast belief that she holds the power to fulfill his winter dreams. 

Sample #8

Dexter Green throws away his life on his obsession with Judy Jones, who serves as a form of escapism from the dissatisfaction and emptiness he feels in his own life, helps him avoid the harsh realities of his existence, diverts him from his own insecurities and pursuing meaningful goals, and giving him the false hope that she will provide him with the sense of purpose and validation he craves. 

Sample #9

As Dexter devotes himself wholeheartedly to his pursuit of Judy, he squanders his existence because he neglects other aspects of his life that hold true value and significance, and in the process his career aspirations, personal relationships, and sense of self-worth are all sacrificed at the altar of his obsession, leaving him isolated and disillusioned.

Sample #10

In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's tragic obsession with Judy Jones serves as a poignant illustration of the dangers of magical thinking. Through his relentless pursuit of an idealized fantasy, Dexter squanders his existence, sacrificing genuine fulfillment and self-discovery in favor of an illusory dream. 

Sample #11

Dexter's fixation on Judy serves as a poignant illustration of opportunity cost, demonstrating the price one pays when they become consumed by a singular desire at the expense of all else.

 

Sample #12

 

Entranced by Judy Jones’ charm, Dexter fixates on Judy as the key to his fulfillment, setting in motion a series of choices that will shape the trajectory of his life and provide us with a poignant look at the devastation that occurs when we fall prey to magical thinking.

Sample #13

“Winter Dreams” is just a stupid story about a guy who wastes his life on a girl. He’s like the dude who goes to Mickey Ds every day to buy a Bic Mac and fries. He knows it’s not good for him, but he goes anyway. That’s Dexter’s life in a nutshell. I don’t really see any reason why I have to write an essay about this BS. 

Sample #14

As Dexter becomes increasingly entangled in his pursuit of Judy, he experiences profound emotional and psychological turmoil. His fixation on her leads to feelings of frustration, disillusionment, and ultimately, emptiness. Despite his material success and outward appearance of confidence, Dexter's obsessive pursuit of Judy exacts a heavy toll on his mental well-being, leaving him isolated and unfulfilled. 

Sample #15

In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a tragic lesson in opportunity cost. By fixating on his idealized vision of Judy, Dexter sacrifices valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth, as well as genuine connections with others. His story highlights the price one pays when they become consumed by a singular desire, neglecting the richness and complexity of life in favor of an unattainable fantasy. As Dexter's journey unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of weighing the costs and benefits of our choices and recognizing the true value of what we stand to gain or lose.

Sample #16

Judy Jones represents the epitome of Dexter's desires and aspirations. From their initial encounter, she captivates him with her beauty, charm, and aura of sophistication. In Judy, Dexter sees the embodiment of his idealized dreams, leading him to pursue her with single-minded determination, oblivious to the consequences of his fixation.

Sample #17

In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the metaphorical journey of Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt. His fixation on the past prevents him from embracing the present and moving forward with his life. Like Lot's wife, who was forever frozen in time, Dexter's obsession with Judy leads to his own metaphorical petrification, trapping him in a cycle of longing and regret. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the dangers of being fixated on the past and the importance of letting go in order to embrace the possibilities of the future.

Sample #18

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's relentless pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of attempting to bend reality to fit an idealized fantasy of the perfect life. Despite his material success and social status, Dexter's obsessive fixation on Judy ultimately leads to his demise, underscoring the inability to reconcile fantasy with reality.

Sample #19

Judy Jones represents the epitome of Dexter's desires and aspirations. Her beauty, charm, and social status captivate him from their initial encounter, leading Dexter to construct an idealized fantasy in which Judy embodies everything he desires in life. However, Judy's complex and unpredictable nature belies Dexter's simplistic vision of perfection, setting the stage for his eventual downfall.

Sample #20

Dexter's obsessive pursuit of Judy culminates in his demise, as he is left alone and disillusioned, with nothing to show for his efforts but a shattered dream. His inability to reconcile fantasy with reality ultimately leads to his downfall, serving as a poignant reminder that one cannot escape the complexities of life through wishful thinking alone.

Sample #21

Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of the consequences of fear-driven solutions through the character of Dexter Green and his obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones. Despite Dexter's initial aspirations for success and happiness, his fear of inadequacy and rejection leads him to pursue Judy with unwavering determination, ultimately exacerbating his problems rather than resolving them.

Sample #22

In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the sobering lesson that fear-driven solutions are often worse than the original problems they seek to address. Dexter's fixation on Judy stems from his fear of inadequacy and rejection, driving him to pursue her as a means of escaping his inner turmoil. However, his efforts to control his circumstances and validate his self-worth only serve to deepen his sense of disillusionment and powerlessness. As Dexter's story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the dangers of allowing fear to dictate our actions and the importance of confronting our insecurities with courage and self-awareness.

Sample #23

In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a stark reminder of the emptiness of ostentatious shows of strength. Despite his outward displays of success and determination, Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy ultimately reveals the emotional impoverishment at the core of his character. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of cultivating genuine connections and embracing our emotions, rather than seeking validation through shallow displays of strength.

Sample #24

In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's meticulous curation of his Alpha Male persona serves as a catalyst for his moral and spiritual disintegration. As he becomes increasingly consumed by his desire for success and status, Dexter sacrifices his values and integrity in pursuit of superficial validation. The more he indulges in his Alpha Male cosplay, the further he strays from his authentic self, leading to a tragic outcome marked by moral decay and spiritual emptiness. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of staying true to our values and maintaining a connection to our spiritual essence, even in the face of societal pressures to conform to superficial ideals of strength and dominance.

Sample #25

In "Winter Dreams," F. Scott Fitzgerald poignantly illustrates the pitfalls of falling in love with projections of wish-fulfillment fantasies rather than real people. Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of idealizing others and projecting one's own desires onto them. As Dexter's story unfolds, it reminds us of the importance of seeing people for who they truly are, rather than who we wish them to be, in order to cultivate genuine and meaningful relationships.

Sample #26

In "Winter Dreams," F. Scott Fitzgerald masterfully explores the toxic symbiosis of fame and adulation, revealing how the pursuit of admiration can lead to a loss of reality for both the worshiped and their sycophantic followers. Through the characters of Dexter Green and Judy Jones, Fitzgerald underscores the dangers of idolization and the fleeting nature of fame, reminding us of the importance of staying grounded in reality amidst the allure of adulation.

***

A Student Doesn't Want to Write This Essay, So I Consulted ChatGPT:

While teaching F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams” in which Dexter Green wastes his life on his misguided obsession on Judy Jones, a student said that Dexter is too stupid to be worthy of an essay assignment that addresses his self-destruction. Write a rebuttal to this student’s objection.

 

 

ChatGPT

It's understandable that your student might interpret Dexter Green's actions in "Winter Dreams" as foolish or even "stupid." After all, his infatuation with Judy Jones does lead him down a path of self-destruction. However, dismissing Dexter as merely "stupid" overlooks the complexity of his character and the broader themes at play in Fitzgerald's story.

Firstly, Dexter's fixation on Judy Jones is not simply a matter of stupidity, but rather a manifestation of deeper psychological forces at work. His obsession with Judy represents a longing for something unattainable, a desire to possess beauty, wealth, and status – all of which Judy embodies. This longing is a universal human experience, driven by a mix of societal pressures, personal insecurities, and genuine emotional yearning.

Furthermore, Dexter's pursuit of Judy is not solely about her as an individual, but also about what she represents in his mind – the embodiment of his "winter dreams," the idealized vision of success and happiness that he chases throughout the story. His infatuation with Judy is intertwined with his ambition and desire for upward social mobility, a theme that Fitzgerald explores throughout much of his work.

Additionally, Dexter's downfall serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of placing too much importance on external validation and material success. His relentless pursuit of Judy ultimately leads to disappointment and disillusionment, highlighting the emptiness of a life driven solely by shallow desires.

In essence, Dexter's character is not simply "stupid," but rather a complex portrayal of the human condition – flawed, vulnerable, and susceptible to the allure of illusion. By delving deeper into Dexter's motivations and the themes of the story, students can gain a richer understanding of Fitzgerald's critique of the American Dream and the destructive consequences of pursuing it blindly. Therefore, Dexter's story is indeed worthy of analysis and discussion in an essay assignment, despite initial impressions of his actions.

 

 

 

 

ChatGPT's "Crimes":

ChatGPT is guilty of using the same words over and over, embracing cliches and stock phrases, and indulging in empty moralizing or fake sermonizing in which it bloviates a lot of nothing. 

As the story unfolds

Sobering

Poignant

Underscores

Ultimately

Fleeting nature

Reminding us of the importance

 

Here is a post from someone on Reddit:

Any idea how I can get ChatGPT to stop using cliche words/concepts?

I feel like I've tried everything to get ChatGPT not to use certain phrases that it definitely overuses. Here's a list I include in my prompts.
"Don't say any of these words anywhere in the text:

“landscape",

"embark",

"navigate",

"elevate",

"age",

“realm”,

“not only",

"enable",

“era”,

“world”,

“Evolving”,

“Turbocharge”,

“Sphere”

“Realm”,

“Resonate”,

“Journey”,

"navigate"

“Sphere”

“Things”

“Arena”

“sector”

“Sphere”

“Resonate”

“It’s about more”

“It’s not just”

“Beacon”

“Not only”

“Not just”

"Empower"

 

Go in a completely different direction from the words above.
This means avoiding the concept behind these cliches and going in a different direction altogether. Don’t just replace the word “elevate” with “enhance” because that still counts as cliche to me. Don’t change “ever-evolving realm” with “fast-paced world”, just make something in a different direction instead. "

 

After I provide this prompt 80% of the time the output I get is still something like "In the ever-evolving landscape of business, you can empower people" etc…

 

Then i'll make a prompt saying "I asked you not to use some of those words" and it'll say "My apologies, i'll make a revised version and make sure to avoid those words and cliches."

 

Then I'll make a prompt saying, "I asked you not to use some of those words," and it'll say, "My apologies, I'll make a revised version and make sure to avoid those words and cliches."

 

It's so frustrating. I pay for premium chatgpt too!

 

***

Example of a Personal Introduction Followed by a Thesis

Worst College Student Ever

Of course, I was the worst college student ever. Even though I got straight As in high school, my high school was dumbed down to the point that getting a 4.0 GPA was meaningless. One of my classes, for example,  was called “Money Matters.” We learned how to balance a checkbook and plan a budget so that we were saving more than we were spending. At best, you’re looking at first-grade math, a workbook full of simple percentages and fractions. Busy work like this was proof that our school didn’t want to educate us so much as keep us contained all day in an institution so our parents could work enough to afford living in the suburbs and get a break from the headaches of parenting.

Another class was called “Popular Lit.” There were no lectures or tests. For the semester, you read any three books you wanted from the library and wrote three one-page book reports. You didn’t have to read the book. You could present chicken scratch on the book report form or make up some crazy dream you had. It didn’t matter. As long as you turned in the book report, you got an A. The teacher was a woman in her sixties who told us to do “quiet reading” while she sat at her desk reading magazines, paying her bills, and clipping her fingernails. She was ghoulishly pale, she had long, uncombed dyed black hair, overly dark lipstick, and puffy bags under her eyes. No matter the weather, she wore wool coats that smelled of old sweat and bodily decay. Had you not told me she was a teacher, I would have assumed she was a homeless person scavenging the school for discarded cafeteria food from the high school’s trash cans.

My classes were so dumb I felt like I was in continuation school for juvenile delinquents. Clearly, the teachers weren’t preparing us to become members of the professional class. They wanted us to learn to follow rules so we’d stay out of prison and be satisfied with a blue-collar job or some minimum-wage gig in the service industry. As I heard one teacher say out of the side of his mouth in the corridor to one of his colleagues: “We’re training them to become burger-flippers.”

Even though I had no preparation for higher education, I capitulated to my mother’s demand to attend college, but I knew I didn’t belong there. I knew I would be the worst college student ever. 

I was a terrible student in part because I could not regardless of their achievements admire my professors. I envied them because they were so educated and appeared to have everything I didn’t. They had impressive credentials, world travels, including African safaris, to provide scintillating stories while lecturing; nice clothes, not store-bought but made by celebrity tailors; a well-curated persona enhanced by professional voice lessons; an impressive zip code that made them neighbors of politicians and socialites; membership to various tennis, bird-watching, and yoga clubs and intellectual committees; literacy in multiple languages, mastery of at least three musical instruments, and fluency in gourmet cooking. During lectures, they talked about how they prepared extravagant meals that required lemon zest, capers, and ice baths, and they beamed with pride as they rhapsodized over the pleasures of making homemade puttanesca. I had never met a group of people from one profession who were so in love with themselves. 

My Ethics professor, who was also the Dean of Philosophy, had recently dumped his wife for his young secretary. He seemed rather oblivious to the rich irony of his life choices and rode his Porsche convertible over the faculty parking lot, apparently unaware of the way his toupee would flop off his bald head like a flying squirrel every time his Porsche caromed over a speed bump. A lack of self-awareness seemed to serve my Ethics professor rather well. I despised him. 

My bitter envy for my professors was only matched by my spectacular ignorance. I was deemed so illiterate that the university was not content with demoting me from Freshman Composition class into the remedial class, more commonly referred to at the time as Bonehead English. To let me know my place in this world, the university made it clear that even Bonehead English was too advanced for a pariah like myself. I was quickly demoted from Bonehead and placed in the Pre-Bonehead class, a level held in such contempt that the classroom was in the Humanities Building basement next to the boiler room. Broad-shouldered maintenance men wearing denim overalls would frequently peek into the room and cackle at us for being at a level of remediation that was such an embarrassment as to be the equivalent of leprosy. 

Being envious of my professors and feeling like a college outcast, I was in a constant state of depression and demoralization. This did not bode well as a predictor for my academic success. To add another nail to my coffin, I may have just been plain stupid. I was stupid to judge my professors for having everything I lacked. Had I been smart, I would have humbled myself before them and looked at them as role models so that someday with lots of hard work I would become just like them. I was also stupid for feeling insulted for being placed in the Pre-Bonehead English class. Had I been smart, I would have been grateful for the fact that the university had provided resources for hopeless cases like mine rather than expel me from the university altogether. 

Clearly, I was on my way to becoming the worst college student ever. 

My failings as a college student were rooted in part in my inability to find a major, and my indecision made me miserable. I took a criminal justice class, but the books were mired in lawyer-speak. As a result, the sentences were larded with provisos, caveats, and contingencies reflected in elongated sentences in which I had to wade through several dependent clauses before I reached the independent clause. These sentences were so tedious and convoluted that I felt I had to go through the obstacle course on American Gladiators before I got to the sentence’s main idea. This drove me into a state of madness.

Then I tried sociology and psychology, but the books were immersed in self-satisfied academic jargon in which self-evident observations were made to look sophisticated and authoritative by virtue of the indecipherable, pretentious and self-indulgent verbiage. Being forced to read these textbooks, I imagined brandishing a machete and slashing through a jungle thick with words like positivity, codependency, external validation, inner child, interconnectivity, facilitate, mindset, marginalization, multi-faceted, dichotomy, and contemporaneously. Hacking my way through this forest of phony language made me tighten my body with so much hostility that I feared I would suffer a self-induced inguinal hernia. 

Then I gave history a crack. The sheer volume of facts, dates, and places seemed to have compelled the authors to write in a mundane, almost remedial prose style with no distinctive point of view. The result was that I was bored out of my mind. 

Oceanography was mildly interesting; however, the oceanography professor seemed to have a pathological fixation on the words “denitrification,” “liminal zone,” and “viscosity” so that it reached the point that every time he repeated those words I would skyrocket off my seat like a lab rat receiving an electrical shock. 

Accounting was even worse. On the first day, the professor bombarded us with algebraic equations, the Index Matrix, the Nullspace, and homogeneous linear systems. Within ten minutes, I made an exit for the door. The professor asked me my name.

“That won’t be necessary,” I said at the doorway. “You’ll never see me again.”

In my first year of college, I dropped accounting, criminal justice, and sociology. I also failed a remedial algebra class. In the late spring of my first year, the university sent me a letter explaining that I was officially on academic probation. I could not drop any more classes and I would need to improve my GPA. Otherwise, I would be expelled. This was the wake-up call I needed. No longer could I use my crappy high school education as an excuse for my failures. No longer could I complain that life wasn’t fair. No longer could I fail to see that my toxic, cynical, self-pitying attitude was the equivalent of shooting myself in the foot. 

Once receiving the university’s expulsion warning--which was the necessary kick in my lazy ass--I turned my life around. My recovery was swift and relentless. My GPA spiked to close to 4.0 and the distance between me and that expulsion letter widened more and more. The university seemed impressed with my reformation. Shortly after hiring me in the Tutoring Center, they offered me teaching positions for freshman composition. The university that had once threatened to expel me had now hired me to teach. I was on my way to becoming the worst college professor ever. 

The cause of my turnaround was my decision to replace magical thinking with reality: Feeling sorry for myself and making excuses for my failure was sending me to the Shame Dungeon. Developing a consistent work ethic was the only realistic way I could get out of my rabbit hole, and I was young enough to bounce back.

In contrast, Dexter Green from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s depressing short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his entire life on magical thinking. His fixation on Judy Jones reveals that he is a man who is blinded by a chimera of glamor, status, and Alpha Male fantasies that in the end sever him from meaningful connections with other people and eviscerate him spiritually. His failure to wake up from his magical thinking is a cautionary tale for us all.

We can break down Dexter’s magical thinking into four main parts, his belief that Alpha Male cosplay will give him the power to overcome his inferiority complex; his belief that he can bend Judy Jones to his will; his belief that the fleeting or ephemeral euphoria he has enjoyed with Judy Jones is the foundation of his happiness, and the belief that his investment in the Judy Jones myth is too deep to back out of even in the face of evidence that his pursuit is futile. 

My General Essay Prompt for ChatGPT #1:

Analyzing the therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, write an essay that analyzes the manner in which Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his existence by obsessing over his all-consuming chimera Judy Jones.

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: The Illusion of Winter Dreams: Dexter Green's Tragic Obsession

Introduction: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green is portrayed as a character whose life becomes ensnared in the web of his own desires, particularly his infatuation with Judy Jones. Through the lens of therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, Dexter's journey can be analyzed to understand how his fixation on Judy leads to the squandering of his existence.

Magical Thinking and Its Application: Phil Stutz's concept of magical thinking refers to the tendency of individuals to believe that their desires will be fulfilled through sheer willpower or external validation, often leading them to overlook reality and its complexities. Dexter's infatuation with Judy epitomizes this phenomenon, as he projects his idealized fantasies onto her, believing that she embodies everything he desires in life.

Dexter's Perception of Judy: From their initial encounter, Dexter perceives Judy through a lens of idealization. Her beauty, wealth, and social status symbolize the epitome of success and happiness for him. Judy becomes the focal point of Dexter's aspirations, leading him to construct an elaborate fantasy in which she represents the key to his fulfillment and self-worth.

The Illusion of Fulfillment: Dexter's fixation on Judy blinds him to the reality of her character and motivations. Despite her superficial charm, Judy proves to be capricious and self-centered, using her allure to manipulate and toy with Dexter's emotions. However, Dexter remains steadfast in his belief that Judy holds the power to fulfill his deepest desires, clinging to the illusion of their supposed connection.

Escapism and Avoidance: Dexter's obsession with Judy serves as a form of escapism from the dissatisfaction and emptiness he feels in his own life. Instead of confronting his insecurities and pursuing meaningful goals, he becomes consumed by his pursuit of Judy, hoping that she will provide him with the sense of purpose and validation he craves. In doing so, Dexter avoids confronting the harsh realities of his existence, preferring to dwell in the realm of fantasy.

The Cost of Obsession: As Dexter devotes himself wholeheartedly to his pursuit of Judy, he neglects other aspects of his life that hold true value and significance. His career aspirations, personal relationships, and sense of self-worth are all sacrificed at the altar of his obsession, leaving him isolated and disillusioned. Despite achieving material success, Dexter's fixation on Judy ultimately proves to be his undoing, leading to a sense of emptiness and regret.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's tragic obsession with Judy Jones serves as a poignant illustration of the dangers of magical thinking. Through his relentless pursuit of an idealized fantasy, Dexter squanders his existence, sacrificing genuine fulfillment and self-discovery in favor of an illusory dream. Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking provides valuable insight into Dexter's plight, highlighting the destructive consequences of allowing one's desires to overshadow reality. As Dexter's story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of confronting our illusions and embracing the complexities of life in all its forms.

 

Opportunity Cost #2

 

Prompt for ChatGPT:

 

Opportunity cost is what you give up when you fixate on something else. In this context, write an essay that shows how in F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones is a tragic lesson in opportunity cost.

 

 

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: Opportunity Cost in "Winter Dreams": Dexter Green's Tragic Obsession

Introduction: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," the character of Dexter Green embarks on a relentless pursuit of his idealized vision of Judy Jones, ultimately sacrificing significant opportunities and experiences in the process. Dexter's fixation on Judy serves as a poignant illustration of opportunity cost, demonstrating the price one pays when they become consumed by a singular desire at the expense of all else.

The Allure of Judy Jones: From their first encounter, Judy embodies Dexter's aspirations and desires. Her beauty, wealth, and social status represent the epitome of success and happiness in his eyes. Entranced by her charm, Dexter fixates on Judy as the key to his fulfillment, setting in motion a series of choices that will shape the trajectory of his life.

Opportunity Cost of Time and Effort: Dexter's pursuit of Judy consumes a significant amount of his time and energy, diverting his focus from other important aspects of his life. Instead of investing in his career, personal growth, or meaningful relationships, Dexter dedicates himself wholeheartedly to his obsession with Judy, neglecting opportunities for self-improvement and fulfillment along the way.

Missed Career Opportunities: Throughout the story, Dexter demonstrates considerable talent and ambition, setting his sights on establishing a successful career in business. However, his fixation on Judy leads him to prioritize her over his professional aspirations. He abandons his job at the golf club and foregoes lucrative opportunities in pursuit of her affections, ultimately sacrificing his potential for career advancement and financial success.

Neglected Personal Relationships: Dexter's obsession with Judy also takes a toll on his personal relationships, particularly his interactions with women who genuinely care for him, such as Irene Scheerer. Despite Irene's genuine affection and compatibility with Dexter, he remains blinded by his infatuation with Judy, unable to recognize the value of what he already has in favor of chasing an unattainable ideal.

Emotional and Psychological Costs: As Dexter becomes increasingly entangled in his pursuit of Judy, he experiences profound emotional and psychological turmoil. His fixation on her leads to feelings of frustration, disillusionment, and ultimately, emptiness. Despite his material success and outward appearance of confidence, Dexter's obsessive pursuit of Judy exacts a heavy toll on his mental well-being, leaving him isolated and unfulfilled.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a tragic lesson in opportunity cost. By fixating on his idealized vision of Judy, Dexter sacrifices valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth, as well as genuine connections with others. His story highlights the price one pays when they become consumed by a singular desire, neglecting the richness and complexity of life in favor of an unattainable fantasy. As Dexter's journey unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of weighing the costs and benefits of our choices and recognizing the true value of what we stand to gain or lose.

 

Pillar of Salt

 

ChatGPT Prompt #3:

 

Turning into a Pillar of Salt is a metaphor for being fixated on the past. In this context, write an essay that shows how in F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the Pillar of Salt metaphor.

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: Dexter Green's Transformation: From Winter Dreams to a Pillar of Salt

Introduction: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's relentless pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a metaphorical journey from aspiration to fixation, culminating in his transformation into a pillar of salt. Drawing on the biblical metaphor of Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt for looking back at the past, Dexter's obsession with Judy embodies a fixation on what could have been, leading to his own metaphorical petrification.

The Allure of Judy Jones: Judy Jones represents the epitome of Dexter's desires and aspirations. From their initial encounter, she captivates him with her beauty, charm, and aura of sophistication. In Judy, Dexter sees the embodiment of his idealized dreams, leading him to pursue her with single-minded determination, oblivious to the consequences of his fixation.

The Transformation Begins: As Dexter becomes increasingly entangled in his pursuit of Judy, he begins to lose sight of his own identity and aspirations. Instead of moving forward and embracing new opportunities, he remains fixated on Judy, clinging to the memory of their past encounters and the fleeting moments of happiness they shared. Like Lot's wife, who looked back at Sodom with longing, Dexter becomes trapped in the past, unable to break free from the hold of his obsession.

Neglecting the Present: Dexter's fixation on Judy causes him to neglect the present moment and the opportunities it holds. He forsakes meaningful connections with others, including Irene Scheerer, who genuinely cares for him and offers him companionship and stability. Instead, he remains fixated on Judy, chasing after an illusion of happiness that continues to elude him.

The Petrification of Dexter Green: As Dexter's obsession with Judy reaches its zenith, he becomes metaphorically petrified, like Lot's wife transformed into a pillar of salt. His fixation on the past prevents him from moving forward and embracing the possibilities of the future. Despite achieving material success and social status, Dexter remains spiritually and emotionally stagnant, trapped in a cycle of longing and regret.

The Tragic Consequence: In the end, Dexter's transformation into a pillar of salt represents the tragic consequence of his obsession with Judy. Like Lot's wife, who was punished for her inability to let go of the past, Dexter pays the price for his fixation on what could have been. His inability to move forward and live in the present robs him of genuine happiness and fulfillment, leaving him isolated and disillusioned.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the metaphorical journey of Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt. His fixation on the past prevents him from embracing the present and moving forward with his life. Like Lot's wife, who was forever frozen in time, Dexter's obsession with Judy leads to his own metaphorical petrification, trapping him in a cycle of longing and regret. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the dangers of being fixated on the past and the importance of letting go in order to embrace the possibilities of the future.

Bending Reality

 

ChatGPT Prompt #4:

 

You can’t bend reality to fit your fantasy of the perfect life. In this context, write an essay that shows how in F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the lesson that you can't bend reality to fit your fantasy of the perfect life and to do so will end in your demise.

 

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: The Illusion of Perfection: Dexter Green's Tragic Pursuit in "Winter Dreams"

Introduction: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's relentless pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of attempting to bend reality to fit an idealized fantasy of the perfect life. Despite his material success and social status, Dexter's obsessive fixation on Judy ultimately leads to his demise, underscoring the inability to reconcile fantasy with reality.

The Allure of Judy Jones: Judy Jones represents the epitome of Dexter's desires and aspirations. Her beauty, charm, and social status captivate him from their initial encounter, leading Dexter to construct an idealized fantasy in which Judy embodies everything he desires in life. However, Judy's complex and unpredictable nature belies Dexter's simplistic vision of perfection, setting the stage for his eventual downfall.

The Illusion of Control: Driven by his obsession with Judy, Dexter attempts to mold reality to fit his fantasy of the perfect life. He believes that by winning Judy's affections, he can achieve happiness and fulfillment, regardless of the obstacles in his path. However, Dexter's attempts to control the course of events ultimately prove futile, as Judy remains elusive and indifferent to his advances.

Denial of Reality: As Dexter's pursuit of Judy intensifies, he becomes increasingly disconnected from reality, refusing to acknowledge the flaws and complexities inherent in his idealized vision. He ignores warning signs and red flags, clinging to the belief that Judy holds the key to his salvation. In doing so, Dexter blinds himself to the truth, setting himself up for inevitable disappointment and disillusionment.

The Price of Fantasy: Despite his best efforts, Dexter's fantasy of the perfect life comes crashing down around him. Judy proves to be capricious and self-centered, using her allure to manipulate and toy with Dexter's emotions. His relentless pursuit of her leads to a sense of emptiness and despair, as he realizes the futility of trying to bend reality to fit his fantasy.

The Tragic Demise: In the end, Dexter's obsessive pursuit of Judy culminates in his demise, as he is left alone and disillusioned, with nothing to show for his efforts but a shattered dream. His inability to reconcile fantasy with reality ultimately leads to his downfall, serving as a poignant reminder that one cannot escape the complexities of life through wishful thinking alone.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's tragic pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the lesson that one cannot bend reality to fit their fantasy of the perfect life. Despite his best efforts, Dexter's obsessive fixation leads to his demise, underscoring the dangers of denying reality and chasing after illusions. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of accepting life's imperfections and embracing its complexities, rather than trying to mold it to fit our desires.

 

Fear-Driven Solutions

 

ChatGPT Prompt #5:

 

Fear-driven solutions are worse than the original problems. In this context, write an essay that shows how in F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the lesson that fear-driven solutions are worse than the original problems.

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: The Perils of Fear-Driven Solutions: Dexter Green's Tragic Pursuit in "Winter Dreams"

Introduction: F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of the consequences of fear-driven solutions through the character of Dexter Green and his obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones. Despite Dexter's initial aspirations for success and happiness, his fear of inadequacy and rejection leads him to pursue Judy with unwavering determination, ultimately exacerbating his problems rather than resolving them.

The Fear of Inadequacy: Dexter's fear of inadequacy stems from his humble origins and a sense of inferiority in comparison to the wealthy elite. He believes that achieving material success and social status will validate his worth and elevate him above his perceived shortcomings. However, this fear drives him to pursue Judy as a symbol of his desired social validation, rather than addressing the root of his insecurities.

Escapism and Avoidance: Dexter's obsession with Judy serves as a form of escapism from his inner turmoil and fear of failure. Instead of confronting his insecurities and pursuing genuine self-improvement, he fixates on Judy as a means of validating his self-worth and deflecting attention from his perceived shortcomings. In doing so, Dexter avoids addressing the underlying issues that fuel his fear-driven pursuit.

The Illusion of Control: Driven by his fear of inadequacy, Dexter seeks to exert control over his circumstances through his pursuit of Judy. He believes that winning her affections will offer him the validation and security he craves, allowing him to escape the uncertainties of his own identity and aspirations. However, Dexter's attempts to control the course of events only serve to deepen his sense of disillusionment and powerlessness.

The Consequences of Fear-Driven Solutions: As Dexter's obsession with Judy intensifies, he becomes increasingly blind to the reality of their relationship. Despite her manipulation and indifference towards him, Dexter clings to the belief that Judy holds the key to his happiness and fulfillment. However, his fear-driven pursuit ultimately leads to his downfall, as he sacrifices his own well-being and integrity in a futile attempt to overcome his insecurities.

The Tragic Outcome: In the end, Dexter's fear-driven solutions prove to be worse than the original problems they were meant to solve. His obsessive pursuit of Judy only serves to exacerbate his feelings of inadequacy and disillusionment, leaving him isolated and unfulfilled. Despite his material success, Dexter remains trapped in a cycle of fear and self-deception, unable to escape the consequences of his own actions.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the sobering lesson that fear-driven solutions are often worse than the original problems they seek to address. Dexter's fixation on Judy stems from his fear of inadequacy and rejection, driving him to pursue her as a means of escaping his inner turmoil. However, his efforts to control his circumstances and validate his self-worth only serve to deepen his sense of disillusionment and powerlessness. As Dexter's story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the dangers of allowing fear to dictate our actions and the importance of confronting our insecurities with courage and self-awareness.

Shows of Strength

 

ChatGPT Prompt #6:

 

Ostentatious shows of strength are often displays of emotional impoverishment. In this context, write an essay that shows how in F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones embodies the lesson that ostentatious shows of strength are often displays of emotional impoverishment.

 

ChatGPT Response:

 

Title: The Emptiness of Ostentatious Strength: Dexter Green's Pursuit in "Winter Dreams"

Introduction: F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" delves into the complexities of human emotions and aspirations, particularly through the character of Dexter Green and his relentless pursuit of Judy Jones. Despite his outward displays of strength and determination, Dexter's obsession with Judy ultimately reveals the emotional impoverishment at the core of his character, highlighting the emptiness of ostentatious shows of strength.

The Facade of Success: Dexter Green appears to be a man of strength and ambition, driven by his desire for success and social status. He achieves material wealth and social recognition, presenting himself as a confident and accomplished individual. However, beneath this facade lies a profound sense of emotional emptiness and insecurity, which Dexter attempts to mask through his ostentatious displays of strength and success.

The Pursuit of Judy Jones: Dexter's obsession with Judy Jones serves as a manifestation of his emotional impoverishment. He sees Judy as the embodiment of his idealized dreams, believing that winning her affections will validate his worth and fill the void within him. However, Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy is driven not by genuine love or affection, but by a desire to prove his strength and superiority to himself and others.

The Illusion of Control: In his pursuit of Judy, Dexter seeks to exert control over his circumstances and emotions, believing that by winning her love, he can attain the happiness and fulfillment he craves. However, his attempts to control the course of events only serve to highlight his emotional vulnerability and insecurity. Dexter's ostentatious displays of strength are ultimately revealed to be a facade, masking his inner turmoil and desperation.

Emotional Impoverishment: As Dexter's obsession with Judy intensifies, he becomes increasingly disconnected from his own emotions and desires. He sacrifices his integrity and self-worth in pursuit of an illusion, neglecting genuine connections and meaningful experiences in favor of shallow validation. In doing so, Dexter exposes the emotional impoverishment at the core of his character, revealing the hollowness of his ostentatious displays of strength.

The Tragic Revelation: In the end, Dexter's pursuit of Judy leads to his own emotional downfall, as he realizes the emptiness of his endeavors. Despite achieving material success and social recognition, Dexter remains spiritually and emotionally unfulfilled, trapped in a cycle of longing and regret. His ostentatious displays of strength are ultimately revealed to be a facade, concealing the emotional impoverishment that lies beneath.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's obsessive pursuit of Judy Jones serves as a stark reminder of the emptiness of ostentatious shows of strength. Despite his outward displays of success and determination, Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy ultimately reveals the emotional impoverishment at the core of his character. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of cultivating genuine connections and embracing our emotions, rather than seeking validation through shallow displays of strength.

 

Alpha Male Cosplay (play acting)

 

ChatGPT Prompt #7:

 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," the more Dexter Green curates his Alpha Male cosplay the more he disintegrates morally and spiritually.

 

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: The Moral and Spiritual Decay of Dexter Green in "Winter Dreams"

Introduction: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's relentless pursuit of success and status leads him down a path of moral and spiritual disintegration. As he meticulously curates his persona as an Alpha Male, Dexter becomes increasingly detached from his own values and integrity, ultimately sacrificing his moral compass and spiritual well-being in the pursuit of superficial validation.

The Persona of an Alpha Male: From the outset of the story, Dexter is depicted as a young man with ambitious aspirations and a drive for success. He cultivates an image of confidence and determination, striving to embody the qualities of an Alpha Male in his pursuit of wealth, status, and romantic conquests. However, as Dexter becomes more consumed by his desire to project strength and dominance, he begins to lose sight of his own moral principles and spiritual essence.

The Corruption of Values: As Dexter's pursuit of success intensifies, he becomes increasingly willing to compromise his values and principles in order to achieve his goals. He engages in deceitful and manipulative behavior, using others as stepping stones to elevate his own status. His obsession with material wealth and social recognition blinds him to the importance of genuine human connection and empathy, leading to a gradual erosion of his moral integrity.

Spiritual Emptiness: Despite his outward displays of confidence and achievement, Dexter experiences a profound sense of spiritual emptiness and disillusionment. His relentless pursuit of superficial validation leaves him feeling hollow and unfulfilled, unable to find true meaning and purpose in his life. The more he clings to his Alpha Male persona, the further he drifts from his authentic self, leading to a sense of spiritual disconnection and alienation.

The Decay of Relationships: Dexter's moral and spiritual decay is reflected in his relationships with others, particularly his interactions with women such as Judy Jones and Irene Scheerer. His pursuit of Judy is driven by a desire to assert his dominance and control, rather than genuine love or affection. In contrast, his relationship with Irene, who represents stability and authenticity, is neglected and undervalued in favor of his Alpha Male aspirations.

The Tragic Outcome: In the end, Dexter's relentless pursuit of Alpha Male status leads to his own moral and spiritual downfall. Despite achieving material success and social recognition, he remains spiritually bankrupt and morally compromised. His obsession with projecting strength and dominance ultimately leaves him isolated and unfulfilled, unable to find redemption or inner peace in the superficial world he has created.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's meticulous curation of his Alpha Male persona serves as a catalyst for his moral and spiritual disintegration. As he becomes increasingly consumed by his desire for success and status, Dexter sacrifices his values and integrity in pursuit of superficial validation. The more he indulges in his Alpha Male cosplay, the further he strays from his authentic self, leading to a tragic outcome marked by moral decay and spiritual emptiness. As his story unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of staying true to our values and maintaining a connection to our spiritual essence, even in the face of societal pressures to conform to superficial ideals of strength and dominance.

Projection

 

ChatGPT Prompt #8:

 

We too often fall in love with projections of our wish-fulfillment fantasies, not real people. In this context, write an essay that addresses the claim that F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" embodies the lesson that we too often fall in love with projections of our wish-fulfillment fantasies, not real people.

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: Illusions of Love: The Pitfalls of Wish-Fulfillment Fantasies in "Winter Dreams"

Introduction: F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" delves into the complexities of love, desire, and disillusionment through the character of Dexter Green and his infatuation with Judy Jones. The story serves as a poignant exploration of how individuals often fall in love not with real people, but with idealized projections of their own wish-fulfillment fantasies.

The Allure of Judy Jones: From their first encounter, Judy Jones captivates Dexter Green with her beauty, charm, and aura of sophistication. She embodies Dexter's idealized dreams of success, happiness, and social validation. However, Judy is also portrayed as a complex and enigmatic character, whose true nature remains elusive beneath her glamorous facade.

Projection of Fantasies: Dexter's infatuation with Judy is rooted in his projection of fantasies onto her. He sees Judy not as she truly is, but as an idealized symbol of everything he desires in life. Dexter imagines Judy as the key to his happiness and fulfillment, attributing qualities to her that may not reflect her reality. In doing so, he falls in love not with Judy herself, but with his own wish-fulfillment fantasy of her.

The Illusion of Connection: As Dexter's infatuation with Judy intensifies, he begins to believe that they share a deep and meaningful connection. He interprets their interactions through the lens of his own desires and projections, convincing himself that Judy reciprocates his feelings. However, Dexter's perception of their relationship is based on illusion rather than reality, leading to inevitable disappointment and disillusionment.

Disintegration of Reality: As Dexter becomes increasingly entangled in his fantasy of Judy, he begins to lose touch with reality. He neglects other aspects of his life, including his career and personal relationships, in pursuit of his idealized vision of happiness with Judy. However, his obsession blinds him to the truth of Judy's character and motivations, leading to his moral and spiritual disintegration.

The Harsh Reality: In the end, Dexter's illusion of love is shattered when he realizes that Judy does not reciprocate his feelings and is incapable of fulfilling his fantasies. He is left disillusioned and heartbroken, forced to confront the harsh reality that his love for Judy was based on a projection of his own desires rather than genuine connection.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," F. Scott Fitzgerald poignantly illustrates the pitfalls of falling in love with projections of wish-fulfillment fantasies rather than real people. Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of idealizing others and projecting one's own desires onto them. As Dexter's story unfolds, it reminds us of the importance of seeing people for who they truly are, rather than who we wish them to be, in order to cultivate genuine and meaningful relationships.

Fame and Adultion

 

ChatGPT Prompt #9:

 

Fame and adulation create a toxic symbiotic relationship with the worshipped and their slobbering sycophants resulting in a loss of reality for all parties. In this context, write an essay that addresses the claim that F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" embodies the lesson that fame and adulation create a toxic symbiotic relationship with the worshiped and their slobbering sycophants resulting in a loss of reality for all parties.

 

 

ChatGPT Response:

Title: The Toxic Symbiosis of Fame and Adulation in "Winter Dreams"

Introduction: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," the characters of Dexter Green and Judy Jones navigate the world of fame and adulation, ultimately revealing the toxic symbiotic relationship between the worshipped and their sycophants. As the story unfolds, it becomes evident that the pursuit of fame and adulation leads to a loss of reality for all parties involved, blurring the lines between truth and illusion.

The Allure of Fame and Adulation: From the outset, Dexter Green is drawn to the world of wealth, status, and adulation. He sees Judy Jones as the epitome of success and happiness, idolizing her glamorous lifestyle and social standing. Likewise, Judy is accustomed to being worshipped and adored by those around her, reveling in the attention and admiration she receives.

The Sycophantic Followers: Dexter and others in Judy's social circle serve as sycophantic followers, eager to bask in her glow and gain proximity to her status and influence. They idolize Judy and seek validation through their association with her, willing to overlook her flaws and shortcomings in exchange for the fleeting thrill of being in her orbit.

The Loss of Reality: As Dexter becomes increasingly entangled in Judy's world, he begins to lose touch with reality. He becomes blinded by his adoration for Judy, projecting his own desires onto her and ignoring the warning signs of her capricious nature. Similarly, Judy's sycophantic followers contribute to her detachment from reality, reinforcing her illusions of grandeur and entitlement.

The Cycle of Illusion: The symbiotic relationship between the worshipped and their sycophants perpetuates a cycle of illusion and disillusionment. Judy feeds off the adulation of her followers, using their admiration to bolster her own sense of self-worth. Meanwhile, Dexter and others like him become enmeshed in Judy's fantasy world, sacrificing their own authenticity and integrity in pursuit of her approval.

The Tragic Consequences: In the end, the toxic symbiosis between fame and adulation leads to tragic consequences for all parties involved. Dexter's idolization of Judy blinds him to the reality of their relationship, leaving him disillusioned and heartbroken when he realizes the truth about her character. Likewise, Judy's reliance on adulation leaves her isolated and emotionally detached, unable to form genuine connections with others.

Conclusion: In "Winter Dreams," F. Scott Fitzgerald masterfully explores the toxic symbiosis of fame and adulation, revealing how the pursuit of admiration can lead to a loss of reality for both the worshipped and their sycophantic followers. Through the characters of Dexter Green and Judy Jones, Fitzgerald underscores the dangers of idolization and the fleeting nature of fame, reminding us of the importance of staying grounded in reality amidst the allure of adulation.

 

 

 

 

Life Lessons in “Winter Dreams”

We can’t bend reality to conform to our fantasy of the perfect life. 

Therapist Phil Stutz observes that most people suffer unnecessarily because they don’t live in reality. 

He defines reality as consisting of the following:

1. Life is pain and adversity. We must battle every day with a self-destructive force that wants immediate gratification.
2. Life is uncertain. Our fortunes are random, we never know if our luck will be good or bad at every moment. We therefore should not be lulled into a false comfort by good fortune knowing that our fortunes can change without warning. 
3. Worthwhile accomplishment requires long-term focus, hard work, and discipline, which means we must sacrifice immediate gratification for our long-term goals and far-ranging purpose.
4.  None of us are special. We are all subject to the laws of time. Father Time will inevitably hunt us down. If we squander our time here on Earth, our meeting with Father Time will be one of fear and anguish. 
5. We cannot avoid reality and the aspects Stutz describes. These aspects of reality are unchanging and non-negotiable. No amount of money or wishcasting can change them. 

In spite of these aspects of reality, Stutz explains we are encouraged to reject them because of the messages we receive from consumer culture. 

The media presents us with mythical happy people. They are physically beautiful and perfect; they are confident; their life narrative is certain; they are connected to love and companionship and the whole world loves them. 

They seem special and live outside the five aspects of reality Stutz describes. Because they live outside of reality, they are more like demigods than human beings. These people may be actors, musicians, TV personalities, and influencers. Whoever they are, they exist on a plane of fantasy and therefore are chimeras. 

We want to be like these media demigods. We wear their clothes, drive their cars, consume their music and art, eat their organic food brands, take their special nutrition supplements; we do everything in our power to be like them, but we have been duped and have embarked upon a fool’s errand. 

Stutz writes that this magical thinking of buying the same things as the demigods to be like them is so pervasive that we don’t even know we’re doing it. He writes, “We all feel a pressure to convince others that we are part of it. This holds true for the poor kid unsure if dinner is coming and the billionaire with six homes. When everyone acts as if a fantasy is real, it begins to seem real.”

Dexter Green is a man on a fool’s errand. He is attempting to break the laws of reality and live in an image of perfection, what Phil Stutz calls an Image Frozen in Time. 

This Image Frozen in Time is embodied by Dexter’s “winter dreams” of the perfect life of wealth, power, and the ultimate trophy wife Judy Jones. The pursuit of his fantasy will destroy his spirit, cut him off from life. You can’t bend reality to fit your fantasy of the perfect life. As much as he tries, Dexter cannot shape Judy Jones into the perfect mold to curate his Alpha Male fantasies. 

Running Away from the Shame and Ugliness of Poverty

The story begins:

“Some of the caddies were poor as sin and lived in one-room houses with a neurasthenic cow in the front yard, but Dexter Green’s father owned the second best grocery store in Black Bear--the best one was ‘The Hub,” patronized by the wealthy people from Sherry Island--and Dexter caddied only for pocket money.”

From Dexter’s eyes, coming from a working-class family is a sign of poverty. And poverty is a cloak of shame, a sign of sin, and he sees his poor caddy co-coworkers leave the rich golf course and live in their tiny hovels. They must toil with the rich and return to their dungeon. They are all prisoners to an ugly life. What signifies their ugly existence is a sickly cow standing in front of their hovels. 

Dexter is an aspiring snob who longs to live in a world of beauty. As a fourteen-year-old boy, Dexter is possessed with blind ambition--to never be second best, but to be an Alpha Businessman who can escape the sin and shame of his past. 

For Dexter, the notion that poverty is sin is accompanied by wealth is salvation.

For Dexter, life is a zero-sum game. To become a winner means that someone else has to be a loser. He wants to be on top. 

As we read “Winter Dreams,” we will see a man who committed his entire life to running away from the shame and ugliness of his poverty and living in the winter dreams of wealth and glamor. 

The Trauma and Shame of Poverty

Poverty is not only stressful from an economic standpoint; it is traumatic from a psychological one. To have no money is to be a leper or a pariah in a society that worships money.

For example, when I was in the seventh grade, I didn’t have any extra money for the snackbar during the middle school’s lunch hour. One afternoon when my friends ran to the snackbar to buy ice cream, I ran with them, but stopped when I realized I had no extra cash. At this point, someone shrieked with glee that I didn’t have any money. That some disembodied oracle identified me as the boy with no money made my knees wobble and I had to grab a tree branch for support. To this day, I wake up from sleep hearing that demonic shriek.

I am able to laugh at this episode from my past, but Dexter takes the shame of poverty seriously. 

Anxiety-Fueled Solutions Are Worse Than the Original Problem 

Dexter’s anxiety and shame of poverty and his low-status working-class origins give show that our fears and anxieties often fuel false solutions that are more self-destructive than the original problem. 

In a state of panic, we often make problems worse by not thinking through real solutions but grasping for straws. 

Dexter’s facade and blind ambition will disconnect him from others and himself and create for him a life of loneliness and addiction for which there will be no interruption, no wisdom, and no intervention to save him. 

He begins the story as a lost young man and as the story progresses he becomes more and more lost, an intensified version of his lost and confused self. 

Wealthy Man Cosplay and Alpha Male Fantasies

As a teenager, Dexter spends a lot of his time fantasizing about being wealthy--not just rich but in a position of authority and adulation. He has Alpha Male fantasies. 

He is enlivened by autumn. We read, “Fall made him clinch his hands and tremble and repeat idiotic sentences to himself, and make brisk abrupt gestures of command to imaginary audiences and armies.”

When Dexter is not leading imaginary armies, he is humiliating rich golf players by defeating them in epic battles in the “fairways of his imagination” in which he sometimes beats his rich opponents with “laughable ease” and struts like a peacock as he bathes in an imaginary crowd’s adoration. 

Dexter’s reliance on grandiose fantasies is a sign of his emotional and spiritual impoverishment. He is lonely and frightened and attempts to overcome his anxieties with fantasies of ostentation--showing off.

The Libido Ostentando

In Latin, the term libido ostentando refers to the pathological need broken people have to show off and constantly seek attention.

These broken souls operate under the magical thinking that if people adulate them enough they will find happiness. 

Dexter Green is a tragic figure who can never free himself from the libido ostentando. 

This need to show off causes people to do stupid things. For example, in 2004 I had a student who wrote about her boyfriend who raced his Subaru WRX STi against other WRX owners. To lighten his car and make it faster, her boyfriend took out the passenger seat so that where there was once a seat cushion there was now only a sharp protrusion unsuitable for sitting. That this boyfriend expected his girlfriend to sit on this sharp protuberance revealed his true priorities. She was disgusted by his true nature and appropriately broke up with him. Between love and the libido ostentando, her boyfriend had made his decision, and now he was without a girlfriend. This now ex-boyfriend is chained to the libido ostentando, a sign of his impoverishment and depravity. 

“I don’t want to caddy anymore.”

At fourteen, Dexter abruptly quits being a caddy because of the job’s low status, which does not square with his Alpha Male fantasies. 

He could not be seen as a caddy because of an eleven-year-old girl named Judy Jones. She is described as a heartbreaker:

“The little girl who had done this was eleven--beautifully ugly as little girls are apt to be who are destined after a few years to be inexpressibly lovely and bring no end of misery to a great number of men.”

In Dexter’s eyes, Judy Jones is the ultimate trophy figure for a man who is possessed by the libido ostentandi. He can show her off as his own. She represents the glamor that an aspiring Alpha Male craves; however, he can’t bear to see her as a servant or a caddy, so he must quit his job and only allow her to see him as an Alpha Male.

Shows of Strength Are Too Often Signs of Weakness and Impoverishment

Dexter’s commitment to the libido ostentando shows that when we try too hard to impress with shows of strength and ostentatious pageantry, we are exposing our weakness, insecurity, and impoverishment. 

Because Dexter is surrounded by toadies and sycophants who grovel at his knee like peasants before a king, he becomes convinced of his own hollow act and fails to see the foolishness of his ways. 

Judy Jones Is a Termagant and a Cipher and an Unworthy Obsession

When we look at the way the rich Judy Jones bosses and bullies her entourage, we see that she is both a termagant and a cipher. A  termagant is an ill-tempered bully with no grace or patience. A cipher is a shallow person of no substance. The word cipher literally means zero. 

How could someone of such low character become Dexter Green’s lifelong obsession?

Because he projects his fantasies of the Ultimate Trophy Woman onto Judy Jones. What he desires is not reality; it is the result of his magical thinking: to flaunt a Trophy Woman and be adored as his misguided quest for happiness. 

Judy Jones Is a Chimera

Because the Judy Jones of Dexter’s imagination is not real, she is a chimera. A chimera is a mirage that we chase. This mirage or chimera destroys us.

We Too Often Fall in Love with Projections of Our Wish-Fulfillment Fantasies, Not Real People

Dexter projects his fantasies of absolute power and glamor onto Judy Jones. As a result, he dehumanizes her and sees her more as an abstraction than as a human being. 

His quest for Judy Jones is based on a projection from the cesspool of his diseased and toxic imagination for power and glamor rooted in his emotional impoverishment. 

Dexter Green Has No Self-Agency

Beholden to the libido ostentando and fantasies of being an Alpha Male, Dexter lacks free will, self-agency, and self-possession. Instead, he is driven by compulsions that he doesn’t completely understand. 

When he quits his job as a caddy, for example, he does so as a compulsion, not as a well-thought decision. His is compelled by a “perturbation,” which means uneasiness and anxiety, not the powers of reason:

We read:

“The enormity of his decision frightened him. He was a favorite caddy, and the thirty dollars a month he earned through the summer were not to be made elsewhere around the lake. But he had received a strong emotional shock, and his perturbation required a violent and immediate outlet.”

The Unconscious Force of Winter Dreams

The story’s narrator is not content to explain Dexter’s decision to quit as a mere compulsion. It is Dexter’s unconscious chasing of a magical place where glamor and veneration shower him into a sense of fullness and happiness. He cannot see the myth or falsehood of his unconscious desire. 

We read:

“As so frequently would be the case in the future, Dexter was unconsciously dictated to by his winter dreams.”

Autopsy, Not Story

We must not read “Winter Dreams” so much as a short story. It is more of an autopsy. “Winter Dreams” is the study of a spiritual death caused by magical thinking. 

Magical Thinking Vs. Reality

In the realm of love, magical thinking makes us have the stupid fantasy that the object of our love will meet all our needs, protect us from pain, and give us a life of nonstop pleasure and beauty. When they fail to meet our fantasy, we dump them and find a replacement.

What is reality? Reality is to acknowledge that life is pain, uncertainty, and constant work. 

Slow Death by Magical Thinking

There is no character arc or character transformation in “Winter Dreams.” There is only intensification of the character flaw that already exists. 

“Winter Dreams” chronicles a slow, excruciating death of someone beholden to magical thinking. It could be observed that the majority of people die a slow spiritual death in the same manner.

In a critical thinking class, we attempt to replace magical thinking with critical thinking.

How do we define “winter dreams”?

Because winter dreams inform all of Dexter Green’s behavior, we should understand what they are. We can define winter dreams as glamor, dominance, greed, and status. 

The character trait that informs all of the above would have to be vanity. 

But to go deeper, there must be something that fuels vanity. Based on the story’s beginning, the fuel of Dexter’s vanity is the fear of shame. 

The fear of shame is the essential fuel of Dexter’s winter dreams. He is beholden to the magical thinking that if he bathes in the glory of winter dreams--wealthy, beauty, glamor, and status--he will be safe from the shame of his impoverished past.

• He compulsively quits his caddy job. 
• He rejects an affordable college and burdens himself with one he can barely afford because it is more famous.
• He calls off engagements with other women whenever he thinks he has a chance at getting back with Judy Jones.
• He climbs the economic ladder hoping to reach a point where his wealth makes him irresistible to Judy Jones. 

His compulsions are the result of his winter dreams.

We read:

“But do not get the impression, because his winter dreams happened to be concerned at first with the musings on the rich, that there was anything merely snobbish in the boy. He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people--he wanted the glittering things themselves. Often he reached out for the best without knowing why he wanted it--and sometimes he ran up against the mysterious denials and prohibitions in which life indulges. It is with one of those denials and not with his career as a whole that this story deals.”

What is this denial? This denial is Dexter’s fantasy of happiness based on the acquisition of Judy Jones, who is not the real Judy Jones but a fantasy or chimera inside of Dexter’s imagination.

Even the rich cannot bend reality to their fantasies. They must be denied.

Regardless of our income, we all find that sooner or later magical thinking will fail us when reality comes knocking on our door. 

Dexter Lives the American Dream

We read that Dexter gets rich. “He made money. It was rather amazing.” By the time he is only twenty-three, people are already gawking at his amazing wealth. At twenty-seven, he owns the largest laundry business in the country. 

Alpha Dexter Meets Judy Jones 9 Years After First Encounter

Nine years have passed since the fourteen-year-old Dexter quit his caddy job because he couldn’t let the eleven-year-old Judy Jones see him as poor. Now he meets the twenty-year-old Judy Jones as a member of the “rich man’s club” at the golf course. 

Dexter doesn’t just think Judy is beautiful. He recognizes the other rich 

men desiring her. This makes him covet her more as a trophy. He is overcome by his libido ostentando. 

The Trickster Is a Demon

In stories of moral disintegration, the character often falls prey to a Trickster. For the theme of this essay, this Trickster takes the form of magical thinking: Dexter’s false belief that acquiring the chimera Judy Jones will give him absolute happiness and perfection, an Image Frozen in Time (to use a term by Phil Stutz). 

The Trickster takes us through

 four levels of emotion:

• Mundane or Earthly
• Angelic
• Mystical
• Demonic

Like instructions on the back of a shampoo bottle, “rinse and repeat,” the Trickster process occurs over and over in an endless doom loop, and in the case of Dexter Green, slowly crushes him. 

Projection Is a Form of Magical Thinking

In psychology, there is a term called projection that is used in two ways. The first is when we project our secret inner lives onto other people so that we assume, often erroneously, that they have the same problems and aspirations as us. 

The second definition of projection is when we unconsciously project our fantasies and desires on another person, become blinded by their humanity, and reduce that person into an abstraction or a symbol for some absolute manifestation of our happiness. 

Dexter Green commits the second form of projection. He projects his fantasies of happiness and alpha male power onto Judy Junes. In the process, he is blind to the fact that she is a shallow, capricious cipher. 

When she invites him to dinner on an impulse, he takes her invitation as some sign of destiny when in reality her invitation is no more significant than a hiccup.

We read:

“His heart turned over like the flywheel of the boat, and, for the second time, her casual whim gave a new direction to his life.”

Twice his capricious encounters with Judy Jones have caused him to elevate his existence into some fantasy of significance. The first time he quit his job as a caddy. Now he sees her as a viable candidate to be his life partner when in fact she has the emotional development of a twelve-year-old and her moral development is even worse. But it doesn't matter. He rides on his projection.  

Living under the dictates of projection is a sign of magical thinking. 

Dexter’s Pride Makes Him Blind

Dexter is haughty and proud to the extreme. He sees himself as better than others because of his perceived Alpha Male status. As a result, he is blind to his emotional and spiritual impoverishment that informs all that he does. 

When Dexter goes to rich dinner parties, he scans the room and comforts himself with the belief that he is better than the other men. To reinforce his sense of superiority, he wears clothes made from “the best tailors in America” and develops mannerisms that exude his superiority. In other words, his entire life consists of affect (ostentatious cultivation of an image). He is fastidiously curating an outer image while his soul withers into nothing. 

In other words, Dexter ignores the pain inside of him while committing himself fully to the libido ostentando. 

No matter how hard he tries to puff up a grand facade, he is deep down a broken misfit toy doomed to a life of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. 

Duping Others

By duping others with his grand facade and making them slobber over him because of his wealth, Dexter does not have friends. Instead, he has sycophants. 

Knowing that they grovel before him because of his power, he has contempt for them. Accepting their social circle and having nowhere else to go, Dexter must on a certain level have contempt for himself. By duping others, he has failed to find the roadmap to success, so in fact, he has duped himself.

Fame Is a Toxic Drug That Makes Us Loathe Both Our Worshippers and Ourselves

Fame and adulation create a toxic symbiotic relationship with the worshipped and their slobbering sycophants resulting in a loss of reality for all parties. On one hand, the famous have an addictive craving for celebrity and attention. But on the other hand, they know this attention is a sign of stupidity and depravity from their worshippers. Therefore, they have contempt for the people who feed their addiction. At the same time, they know deep down this affection is hollow and since they are addicted to this hollow affection, they have contempt for themselves. 

We can conclude, then, that celebrity culture is a sick culture. 

Think of the social influencers who buy expensive football jackets and say they’re going to the Super Bowl on their social media platforms. Their Instagram subscribers don’t know that these influencers return all the sports clothing to the stores the same day to get a refund and often fake going to the Super Bowl to get traffic and likes. These influencers surely despise the stupidity of their followers who believe in their chicanery. And enjoying this shallow attention, these influencers deep down despise themselves. 

“Who Are You?”

In the middle of the story, Daisy asks Dexter, “Who are you, anyhow?”

Dexter answers, “I’m nobody. My career is largely a matter of futures.”

As a magical thinker, he does not know how to live in the present. He can only imagine a perfect image fixed in the future upon which time he will be a “somebody.” This is Dexter’s illusion.

Meanwhile, his words are true: He is a nobody.

Sacrifice at the Altar

We all have goals, and to achieve those goals we make sacrifices. But to sacrifice our life to someone who is spiritually and morally bankrupt doesn’t make any sense. It is reckless and is evidence of moral blindness. 

Sadly, this moral blindness drives Dexter Green. We read that when he decides to pursue Judy Jones, he essentially sells his soul to the devil:

“Dexter surrendered a part of himself to the most direct and unprincipled personality with which he had ever come in contact.” 

Judy Jones has no moral compass, no depth, no empathy, no social grace. She is a manipulator and a bully. She is capricious, backstabbing, dishonest, and two-faced. That Dexter wants her more than anyone in the world speaks to his madness. 

Physical attraction is only one ingredient in Dexter’s sacrifice to Judy Jones. She is a “brand,” an unconscious representation of “having made it,” the dream of absolute success, and the desire to dominate his competition. 

By getting Judy Jones, Dexter can say to his competition, “I have the thing that you want and having it makes it impossible for you to have it and this makes me glad.” 

Dexter’s orientation to dominate is not a sign of his strength. Rather, it is a sign of his weakness and impoverishment. He is a broken misfit toy who never feels he really belongs and has to find ways to compensate.

Dozens of Men Buzz Around Judy Jones All the Time

We read that Dexter really never has Judy exclusively. She is constantly dating at least a dozen men who are intoxicated by her. We read:

“Each of them had at one time been favored above all others--about half of them still basked in the solace of occasional sentimental revivals. Whenever one showed signs of dropping out through long neglect, she granted him a brief honeyed hour, which encouraged him to gag along for a year or longer. Judy made these forays upon the helpless and defeated without malice, indeed unconscious that there was anything mischievous in what she did.”

We can infer that Judy is like a drug to these men, and that these men are in a state of helpless addiction. 

We can further infer that for Dexter, his “winter dreams” are the pursuit of a potent opiate for which to seek oblivion from his inability to be a true human being. In many ways, Dexter behaves in the story like a drug addict in search of his next fix. As a result, he squanders his entire life on the mindless oblivion of a pharmaceutical pill named Judy Jones. 

Judy Jones Like Dexter Green Is Also an Addict

We learn in the middle of the story that Judy Jones is drawn to manipulating dozens of men mostly for the sense of power. This power feeds her narcissistic desire to control others. As we read:

“She was entertained only by the gratification of her desires and by the direct exercise of her own charm. Perhaps from so much youthful love, so many youthful lovers, she had come, in self-defense, to nourish herself wholly from within.”

Both Judy Jones and Dexter Green are constantly on the hunt for “nourishment,” a narcissistic kick of power. In a way it makes sense that the dead-souled Dexter seeks the dead-souled Judy. The dead seek each other. They are both vampires.

One could argue that “Winter Dreams” is a vampire story. It is the dead feasting off of others.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil

Judy is not loyal to Dexter and her infidelity torments him, but he consoles himself with the notion that these dalliances with other men eventually bore her (“Judy was yawning”) and that he is the true mate for her. Additionally, he fears that if he expresses his anger to her over her infidelity, she will leave him, so in his mind it’s best to pretend he doesn’t know anything. 

Choosing Imprisonment Over Freedom

We learn that at twenty-four years of age Dexter “found himself increasingly in a position to do as he wished.” But it’s at this point in his life that he shackles himself to Judy Jones, not the person, but as the idea of ultimate power. 

He is a man imprisoned by a bad idea. 

Judy Jones Replacement Therapy

We learn that after eighteen months of madness with Judy Jones, Dexter is desperate to escape his drug addiction. Judy “treated him with malice, with indifference, with contempt. She had inflicted on him innumerable little slights and indignities possible in such a case--as if in revenge for having ever cared for him at all.” 

As a Trickster, she takes him to heaven, to hell, back to heaven, and back to hell again. As we read: “She had brought him ecstatic happiness and intolerable agony of spirit. She had caused him untold inconvenience and not a little trouble. She had insulted him, and she had ridden over him, and she had played his interest in her against his interest in his work--for fun.”

In other words, she toys with him like a cat plays with a mouse.

Exhausted, abused, angry, and desperate to break free from Judy Jones, Dexter makes a lame swipe at Judy Jones Replacement Therapy by getting engaged to Irene Scheerer. 

The author’s choice of Scheerer for the last name seems to suggest the verb to shear, as to cut off with a pair of scissors. So desperate is Dexter to cut off his addiction to Judy Jones, he seeks, not a human being, but the embodiment of a pair of scissors--Irene Scheerer. 

Her description: “Irene was light-haired and sweet and honorable, and a little stout, and she had two suitors whom she pleasantly relinquished when Dexter formally asked her to marry him.”

Irene is not someone Dexter adores and loves. Rather, she is a stopgap measure, someone to be with, until Dexter’s addiction to Judy Jones subsides. 

As we read:

“He knew that Irene would be no more than a curtain spread behind him, a hand moving among gleaming teacups, a voice calling to children . . . fire and loveliness were gone, the magic of nights and the wonder of the varying hours and seasons . . . slender lips, down-turning, dropping to his lips and bearing him up into the heaven of eyes. . . . The thing was deep in him. He was too strong and alive for it to die lightly.”

In other words, Dexter and Irene will be playing house, living a facade, curating an existence of domestic nest-building while the true fire inside Dexter burns and consumes him secretly. 

To mix metaphors, Dexter is using Irene as one would chew on a stick of Nicorette gum to quit smoking. 

But Dexter’s attempts to free himself from Judy Jones are in vain. 

A True Drug Addict Knows His Poison

Dexter Green is not stupid. He knows he has an addiction problem regarding Judy Jones. He knows she is a liability. He knows she is a scoundrel. He knows she is ruining his life. We read:

“When autumn had come and gone again it occurred to him that he could not have Judy Jones. He had to beat this into his mind but he convinced himself at last. He lay awake at night for a while and argued it over. He told himself the trouble and the pain she had caused him, he enumerated her glaring deficiencies as a wife. Then he said to himself that he loved her, and after a while he fell asleep.”

One of the tormenting themes of “Winter Dreams” is that we can intellectually understand the poison that kills us, yet want the poison anyway. As the adage instructs us: “The heart wants what it wants.”

This part of the story points us to the seventh Life Lesson.

Knowing We Are Addicted to Poison Doesn’t Free Us from the Poison

This is perhaps the most painful life lesson in the story. We can know we are diseased, that we crave that which is self-destructive and poisonous to us, and yet we want this very poison more than we want the good things in life. 

Sometimes we crave what is called “crazy love,” a sick kind of love that defies all logic and common sense. 

Free Will or Hard-wiring?

In Dexter’s case, the private scandalous world with his paramour Judy Jones is the world he prefers over the duties and respectability of public life. Even in the absence of Judy Jones, he lives in a parallel universe, one of fantasy and longing, for his forbidden paramour. He doesn’t so much choose the life of scandal, debauchery, and private depravity as much as he is hard-wired for such a life. At the same time, he doesn’t so much choose to reject the life of respectability, honor, and duty as much as he is repelled by such a life. 

There is a 2007 documentary about this sick kind of love titled Crazy Love, about an attorney who hires two criminals to throw poison in the eyes of his former girlfriend causing her to go blind. He continues to stalk her and eventually they get married. 

A Year of Tranquility

Knowing he’s an addict, Dexter desperately stays away from Judy for a year during his engagement to Irene Scheerer. During this time, he is playing the role of the stable man engaged to the “sturdy and reliable” Irene. Being away from the toxic drug Judy Jones is good for him. We read:

“For the first time in over a year Dexter was enjoying a certain tranquility of spirit.”

But Judy Jones is not yet done with him. 

Judy Exists to Torment Dexter When He Is Most Vulnerable

When Judy finds out that Dexter is engaged to Irene Scheerer, she knows this is her grand opportunity to flex her muscles, so she hunts Dexter down, has a dalliance with the helpless drug addict, and asks him to marry her. 

In that moment, he realizes he never loved Irene, and he cancels the engagement, causing a big scandal. 

We can call Judy Jones a chaos agent.

In literature, the central conflict is typically order vs. chaos. To use Greek mythology, we place the god of order, Apollo vs. the god of unrestrained chaos, Dionysius. 

Domesticity or nest-building is a Apollonian force in the story. Unbridled passion is Dionysian. 

The chaos agent Judy Jones persuades Dexter to call off the engagement and then she calls off the engagement with Dexter. He is too brain-numbed to despair over the situation: “He was beyond any revulsion or amusement.”

Leaving the Country and Returning to Shattered Winter Dreams

So desperate to flee his addiction, Dexter joins the army and enters World War I. 

When he returns to New York at the age of thirty-two, he meets Devlin, a business associate, who shatters Dexter’s winter dreams. 

Dexter realizes Judy is married and now goes by the name of Judy Simms. She is an abused housewife at the mercy of a jealous, cheating, drunken husband Lud Simmons. Rather than an object of glory, she is an object of Devlin’s pity. 

The House of Lud

Lud is not a flattering name. The husband’s name is about as glorious as the sickly cow mentioned in the first paragraph of the story. Judy is married to Lud. It sounds like she is a prisoner to the stark brutality of a mundane existence. She lives in the House of Lud. 

The very chimera Judy Jones who was supposed to save Dexter from a life of ugliness and shame lives in a world of ugliness and shame, a world where she is considered, at twenty-seven, too old and washed-up. 

“Too Old”

Devlin goes on to say that Judy at twenty-seven years of age is “too old” to leave Lud and suggests that she is washed-up with her better days behind her. “She was a pretty girl when she first came to Detroit.” He goes on to say that “Lots of women fade just like that.” We can infer that being imprisoned by an abusive husband has taken a toll on her. She is a pallid ghost of her former self. 

Upon hearing that Judy is no longer an object of beauty and desire, Dexter is flabbergasted, outraged, and in a state of disbelief. How could the force that has had power over him most of his life be so plain and vulnerable?

Upon hearing this, Dexter craves alcohol to find oblivion. Judy’s downfall makes him feel like his whole life was built on a lie, and this is too much for him to process.

Dexter can imagine being married to Judy and watching her fade right before his eyes. He realizes the very thing that was his life essence, the very thing that animated him to get out of bed in the morning, the very thing that consumed his imagination was dead. As we read: “The dream was gone. Something had been taken from him.”

Without his winter dreams, he stands before an abyss. You hear of cult members who when they leave their cult, they don’t know what to do next because they have nothing left to stand on. This is Dexter’s condition.

This leads us to our eighth life lesson:

While It’s True That Chasing a Chimera Will Kill You, Not Chasing a Chimera Will Kill You As Well 

We chase a variety of chimeras of varying qualities. Oftentimes, they destroy us, but they also give us drive, passion, and purpose. 

Chasing a chimera can be a mixed bag. It can uplift us and destroy us at the same time. 

The King of Bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman

Take perhaps the greatest bodybuilder of all time, Ronnie Coleman. He is featured in the 2018 documentary (currently on Amazon Prime) Ronnie Coleman: The King. 

To pursue his obsession, being the world’s greatest bodybuilder, Coleman abused his body. He achieved greatness but at a price. He must undergo dozens of back surgeries and he lives in constant, excruciating pain. 

His fellow bodybuilders say he didn’t have to train so heavy and abuse his body the way he did, but it could be argued that his drive for greatness is what made him Ronnie Coleman. In other words, his passion for greatness brought him his achievement and his suffering simultaneously. 

Without a Chimera, Dexter Returns to Ugliness

Dexter spent his whole life trying to escape the ugliness of his shame and poverty by living in winter dreams, and with those dreams crushed into dust, he returns to see the stark ugliness that is his life. 

“‘Long ago, he said, ‘long ago, there was something in me, but now that thing is gone. Now that thing is gone, that thing is gone. I cannot cry. I cannot care. That thing will come back no more.’”

Anhedonia

Having given his life to a false idol and seeing that idol crumble before him, Dexter is beyond depression and sadness. He is in such a bad state that he is incapable of any joy or happiness--he is in a state of anhedonia. 

This grave misery is the reward for his magical thinking. 

 

***

 

Critiques of ChatGPT

Write an essay that compares Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Winter Dreams" to drug addiction.

 

ChatGPT

Title: The Parallels Between Dexter Green's Obsession and Drug Addiction in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones is depicted with a fervor that parallels the destructive allure of drug addiction. Through Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy and the tumultuous nature of their relationship, Fitzgerald explores themes of obsession, dependence, and the perils of chasing unattainable desires. By drawing parallels between Dexter's obsession and drug addiction, we can gain deeper insight into the psychological complexities at play in both phenomena.

Firstly, Dexter's infatuation with Judy exhibits many characteristics reminiscent of addiction. From their first encounter, Judy exerts a powerful hold over Dexter, becoming the focal point of his thoughts and aspirations. Like a drug, Judy provides Dexter with an intoxicating sense of euphoria and escapism, offering temporary respite from the mundanity of his life. Just as a substance abuser seeks to recreate the initial rush of euphoria, Dexter continually chases the fleeting moments of joy and validation he experiences in Judy's presence, even as the relationship becomes increasingly toxic and self-destructive.

Moreover, Dexter's obsession with Judy mirrors the cycle of dependence and withdrawal commonly associated with addiction. Despite the pain and disillusionment he experiences as a result of their tumultuous relationship, Dexter finds himself unable to break free from Judy's grip. He becomes ensnared in a cycle of longing, manipulation, and heartache, unable to extricate himself from the allure of his unrequited love. This cycle bears a striking resemblance to the compulsive behaviors and psychological cravings characteristic of drug addiction, wherein individuals become trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of seeking out and consuming the object of their desire, despite its detrimental effects on their well-being.

Furthermore, Dexter's obsession with Judy leads to a gradual erosion of his sense of self and his moral compass, paralleling the destructive consequences of addiction. As he becomes increasingly consumed by his infatuation, Dexter sacrifices his personal values and ambitions in pursuit of Judy's affection. He abandons his dreams of success and independence, allowing Judy to exert control over his life and identity. This loss of autonomy and self-respect mirrors the corrosive effects of addiction, wherein individuals prioritize their addictive behavior above all else, forsaking their relationships, responsibilities, and sense of self in the process.

Additionally, Fitzgerald's portrayal of Dexter's obsession with Judy underscores the transient and illusory nature of his desires, echoing the ephemeral highs and crushing lows experienced by individuals struggling with addiction. Despite Dexter's fervent belief that Judy represents the epitome of happiness and fulfillment, his idealized image of her proves to be ultimately hollow and unattainable. Similarly, the temporary relief and pleasure derived from drug use ultimately give way to deeper feelings of emptiness and despair, as the individual grapples with the futility of their pursuit.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of the parallels between Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones and the destructive allure of drug addiction. Through Dexter's tumultuous relationship with Judy, Fitzgerald illuminates the compulsive nature of desire, the cycle of dependence and withdrawal, and the erosion of selfhood inherent in both phenomena. By drawing parallels between Dexter's infatuation and addiction, Fitzgerald invites readers to reflect on the complexities of human desire and the precariousness of pursuing unattainable fantasies.

 

 

 

 

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Write an essay that addresses the claim that Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Winter Dreams" is based on the projection of his fantasies for power and the myth of the American Dream of happiness.

 

ChatGPT

Title: The Projection of Power and the Myth of the American Dream in Dexter Green's Obsession with Judy Jones

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones serves as a compelling exploration of the projection of power and the myth of the American Dream of happiness. Through Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy and his idealization of her, Fitzgerald delves into themes of social aspiration, wealth, and the illusory nature of perceived happiness. Dexter's fixation on Judy can indeed be interpreted as a manifestation of his fantasies for power and his belief in the attainment of happiness through the pursuit of the American Dream.

Firstly, Dexter's infatuation with Judy is deeply intertwined with his aspirations for social advancement and the acquisition of power. From their initial encounter, Judy embodies the epitome of wealth, beauty, and social status, representing the pinnacle of success in Dexter's eyes. His obsession with her is driven not only by a romantic attraction but also by a desire to align himself with her perceived power and prestige. Dexter views Judy as a symbol of the affluent elite, and his pursuit of her is driven by a desire to transcend his humble origins and gain entry into the upper echelons of society.

Moreover, Judy serves as a catalyst for Dexter's pursuit of the myth of the American Dream of happiness—a belief in the possibility of attaining prosperity, success, and fulfillment through hard work and determination. Dexter is captivated by the illusion of happiness that Judy represents, viewing her as the embodiment of all his aspirations and desires. He imagines that by winning Judy's affections and securing a place in her privileged world, he will finally achieve the happiness and contentment he has long yearned for. However, Fitzgerald subtly undermines this myth by revealing the emptiness and disillusionment that lie beneath the surface of Dexter's idealized image of Judy.

Furthermore, Dexter's obsession with Judy reflects the pervasive influence of societal ideals and expectations on individual identity and self-worth. In his relentless pursuit of Judy, Dexter internalizes the societal narrative that equates wealth, status, and romantic conquests with happiness and fulfillment. He becomes ensnared in a cycle of materialism and superficiality, believing that his worth as a man is contingent upon his ability to possess and control Judy. In this sense, Dexter's obsession with Judy can be seen as a reflection of the broader cultural obsession with power, success, and the trappings of affluence—a pursuit that ultimately leads to spiritual bankruptcy and moral decay.

Moreover, Fitzgerald suggests that Dexter's infatuation with Judy is ultimately a projection of his own desires and insecurities, rather than a genuine connection based on mutual understanding and affection. Dexter's idealized image of Judy as the embodiment of power and happiness serves as a mirror through which he seeks validation and affirmation of his own worth. However, this projection blinds Dexter to Judy's flaws and humanity, preventing him from recognizing her as a complex and multifaceted individual.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones as a manifestation of his fantasies for power and the myth of the American Dream of happiness. Through Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy and his idealization of her, Fitzgerald exposes the emptiness and disillusionment that lie at the heart of the pursuit of wealth, status, and romantic conquests. Dexter's obsession with Judy serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing societal ideals and expectations to dictate one's sense of self-worth and happiness, highlighting the importance of authenticity, self-awareness, and genuine human connection in the search for fulfillment.

 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that in F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Winter Dreams" Dexter Green's realization that Judy Jones is an over-the-hill abused housewife strikes a dagger in his lifelong obsession with Judy and reveals the futility and moral bankruptcy of his obsession.

 

 

ChatGPT

Title: The Dagger of Realization: Dexter Green's Awakening in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's realization about Judy Jones serves as a poignant revelation that strikes a dagger into his lifelong obsession, unraveling the facade of glamour and exposing the futility and moral bankruptcy of his fixation. As Dexter confronts the harsh truth of Judy's reality as an "over-the-hill abused housewife," he undergoes a profound awakening that shatters his illusions and prompts a reckoning with the consequences of his obsessive pursuit. Through Dexter's realization, Fitzgerald illuminates themes of disillusionment, moral decay, and the corrosive effects of unattainable desires.

Firstly, Dexter's realization about Judy's true circumstances serves as a catalyst for his awakening to the hollowness of his obsession. Throughout the story, Dexter idolizes Judy as the epitome of beauty, wealth, and social status, believing her to be the embodiment of his dreams and aspirations. However, upon discovering the reality of Judy's life—a life marked by abuse, disappointment, and unfulfilled potential—Dexter is forced to confront the stark contrast between his idealized image of Judy and the harsh truth of her existence. This realization pierces through the veil of illusion that has clouded Dexter's perception, revealing the superficiality and moral bankruptcy of his obsession.

Moreover, Dexter's realization underscores the futility of his lifelong pursuit of Judy and the illusory nature of his desires. For years, Dexter has chased after Judy with single-minded determination, believing her to be the key to his happiness and fulfillment. However, his discovery of Judy's unhappy marriage and broken spirit exposes the emptiness of his aspirations and the moral bankruptcy of his obsession. Dexter comes to understand that his idealized image of Judy was built upon a foundation of lies and illusions, leading him to question the authenticity of his desires and the validity of his life's pursuits.

Furthermore, Dexter's realization prompts a reckoning with the moral implications of his obsession and the harm it has caused to himself and others. In his relentless pursuit of Judy, Dexter has sacrificed his integrity, self-respect, and sense of moral decency, becoming ensnared in a cycle of manipulation, deceit, and emotional turmoil. However, upon learning the truth about Judy's circumstances, Dexter is forced to confront the consequences of his actions and the toll they have taken on both himself and Judy. He comes to recognize the inherent selfishness and cruelty of his obsession, acknowledging the pain and suffering it has caused to Judy and those around him.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" portrays Dexter Green's realization about Judy Jones as a dagger that pierces through the veil of illusion, revealing the futility and moral bankruptcy of his lifelong obsession. Through Dexter's awakening, Fitzgerald explores themes of disillusionment, moral decay, and the corrosive effects of unattainable desires. Dexter's realization serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of fixation and the importance of authenticity, integrity, and empathy in the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2024 Week 5 Magical Thinking and "Winter Dreams" Presentation #1

Magical Thinking Presentation #1

Essay 2: Magical Thinking and "Winter Dreams" (200 points and due April 4)

Analyzing the therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the manner in which Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his existence by obsessing over his all-consuming chimera Judy Jones. Because this essay is an analysis and not an argument, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section. 

Building Block #1 for  Magical Thinking and "Winter Dreams" Due March 18

The Assignment for 25 Points: 2 Paragraphs

In your first paragraph, write a 200-word account of a time you sabotaged your life by succumbing to magical thinking. Your first sentence should be a definition of magical thinking followed by your personal account. 

In your second paragraph, write a 200-word comparison between the features of your magical thinking and those of Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams.”

If you can’t recognize magical thinking in your own life and the resulting self-sabotage and would prefer to use another person as an example, that is fine. 

 

Building Block #2 for Magical Thinking and "Winter Dreams" Due March 24

Write your third paragraph, your thesis paragraph, which explains how magical thinking can provide an effective framework to analyze Dexter Green's demise.

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Suggested Outline

Paragraph 1: Your personal magical thinking paragraph should contain your personal story and your explanation of how the story defines magical thinking. 

Paragraph 2: Compare your magical thinking trainwreck (misadventure) with Dexter’s. 

Paragraph 3: Write a claim or thesis that explains how magical thinking was the cause of Dexter’s demise.

Paragraphs 4-7 are body paragraphs.

Paragraph 8 is your conclusion, a dramatic restatement of your thesis. 

Your last page should be your Works Cited with 4 sources. 

This Essay May Be “Too Painful” to Write

For this essay, you have to go down one of your magical thinking rabbit holes, describe it in unflinching detail, and integrate it with your analysis of Dexter Green. 

Let’s face it. Writing about one of your magical thinking misadventures is going to be ugly. It’s supposed to be. 

It will also be traumatic. Some of you will think this is too traumatic. If you’re traumatized by the assignment, that’s a good thing because confronting the trauma will make you stronger and immunize you from engaging in magical thinking foolishness in the future. 

Going to college is about evolving into an adult. Magical thinking is about acting like a child. Therefore, a writing assignment that discourages magical thinking and encourages adult behavior is a moral imperative, especially in a critical thinking class.

Critical thinking is antithetical to magical thinking. 

Exceptions?

What About Those of You Who Don’t Engage in Magical Thinking?

If you are not a magical thinker, or never were, then you can compare Phil Connors from the movie Groundhog Day to Dexter Green from “Winter Dreams.” Both are magical thinkers; however, Phil Connors escapes the private hell of his magical thinking. Dexter Green never does. 

Phil Connors lives in purgatory where he repeats the same day over and over. He’s trapped in magical thinking that separates him from the nature of reality: self-pity, delusions of grandeur, nihilism, hedonism (pleasure-seeking), seeking validation of others, manipulating others to assert his will over them--all of these magical thinking behaviors fail him. He doesn’t escape purgatory until he learns how to build a work ethic, to connect to the community, and to learn how to love.  

Magical Thinking Defined

Magical thinking is a series of false beliefs that we absorb from the culture and the fever swamp of our own imagination. Oftentimes, magical thinking is hoping good things will happen to us by basing our life expectations on premises that have no connection to reality. Our premises are based on wishful thinking or how we think our lives should be rather than how our lives really are.

Another word for magical thinking is wishcasting. 

Best-selling author and therapist Phil Stutz says most of us are disconnected from reality because we have replaced realistic thinking with magical thinking.

Lacking humility, discipline, and wisdom, we engage in magical thinking when we believe we achieve happiness through “methods” that are purely based on fantasy and delusion and as a whole consist of a child’s fairytale. 

People with humility, discipline, and wisdom tend to resist magical thinking. People with arrogance, laziness, and foolish ideas tend to be drawn to magical thinking like flies to honey. 

Why should we understand the nature of magical thinking and resist it? Because magical thinking will make our lives collapse. In the words of Stutz, “It is impossible to function in the world if you reject it.”

In other words, you can't bend reality to your desires. 

If you look at people who resist magical thinking, they tend to have deep connections to others, a high degree of success, and a strong work ethic.

If you look at people who are drawn to magical thinking, they tend to be isolated, resentful, low-achieving, and have an abysmal work ethic. 

List of False Beliefs from Magical Thinking:

To repeat our definition from above, magical thinking is a series of false beliefs that we absorb from the culture and the fever swamp of our own imagination:

1. Things in life should come easily; if not, then I am a victim of a world that is out to get me. My failings don’t come from inside of me. They come from living in an unfair world where I am the unlucky target. 
2. If I play my cards, meet the right people and fall into the right circumstances, I can avoid unpleasant experiences.
3. I am entitled to live life as a series of pleasurable experiences without any serious pain or challenges. Therefore, immediate gratification is my goal. Where did I learn this? From popular culture, the Internet, the world of advertising, etc. That life is “Christmas every day” is something that has been ingrained in me since birth. My sense of entitlement is therefore unconscious and flows through my veins when I’m not even thinking about it. 
4. Falling in love with the right person can protect me from pain and offer me a world of constant and abundant pleasure. My failed relationships are never my fault. They failed because I haven’t yet “found the right one.”
5. Failure to live in a fantasyland of constant pleasure where there is no pain is proof that something is wrong with me. Clearly, “I did something wrong. Perhaps if I buy Brand Y or Brand X, I can fix myself.”
6. I do the same thing over and over and never get the desired result. Do I stop the thing that doesn’t work? No. I continue doing it with the hope that eventually things will go my way.  Think of people who go back to an abusive partner over and over, or people who make failed New Year's resolutions over and over. 
7. I can’t be happy until evil is conquered forever. In fact, there will always be evil. You can't use evil as an excuse to stay in bed all day. 
8. If I’m willing to spend enough money, I can get a “quick fix” for whatever changes I need to make in my life. 
9. If I close my eyes to evil, it will go away or it won’t exist anymore. A variation of the evil fallacy is the betrayal fallacy: If I deny my partner is cheating on me, then no betrayal has occurred. 
10. I'm unhappy because I lack "good things" in my life. In fact, we should not look to external factors to support our happiness. Seeking pharmaceuticals, applause, pleasure, or wealth to feel better is a fool’s errand that will not render the results we seek. Stutz writes, “Believing that things outside you will make you happy is false hope. The Greeks considered it the ‘doubtful gift of the gods.’ In reality, there can be only two outcomes. Either the hoped-for thing does not happen, or it does and its effect quickly wears off. Either way, you are worse off than before because you have trained yourself to fixate on outer results.” Magical thinking diverts us from the real source of happiness. Learning to self-parent so that we can trust ourselves and navigate through the world in a state of confidence, moral authority, and self-agency. This moral character has nothing to do with external factors. 
11. The Comfort Fallacy: “Once I get my college degree, get my power job, find my true love, and settle into my dream house, then I chillax. Life will be eternal bliss without a hiccup.” Phil Stutz calls this fallacy pursuing a Moment Frozen in Time. These idealized images are not life; they are fantasies. 

Areas of Our Lives Where Magical Thinking Raises Its Ugly Head

• Money
• Social Status and self-aggrandizement
• Oneupmanship
• Fitness and health
• Mortality
• College
• Career
• Love and romance
• Consumer purchases
• Addictive behavior
• Grief as a lifestyle
• Politics and owning my political enemies in a zero-sum world

Specific Examples of Magical Thinking

The Pretend College Student

A college student spends over three thousand dollars on a Macbook Pro thinking that the device will make him a better student when he ends up using the laptop as a nonstop entertainment device, becomes brain-dead, and drops out of college. 

The Man with the Biggest Lexus Loses

An engineer with a Lexus GS notices his neighbor just bought a bigger, more luxurious Lexus LX. Seething with envy, the GS owner works long hours to get the superior Lexus RS so that he can “crush” his neighbor. Working obsessively for 80 hours a week, the aspiring RS buyer neglects his wife and ignores her pleas for valuable family time. At last, a year has passed and the GS owner buys his prized Lexus RS only to find that his wife is having an affair with the LX owner. His marriage is ruined, he is expelled from his own, and must live and sleep in his new Lexus RS. 

The Short Man with an Inferiority Complex

One of my students was obsessed with being short. He was convinced that everyone had a low esteem of him due to his short stature. He wore elevator shoes, lifts, and even walked on his tiptoes. Eventually, his attempts to be taller destroyed his spine, he required surgery, and the surgery left him two inches shorter than when he started his machinations. 

The Mother Who Protected Her Son from Mold

A mother has forced her family to move to five different houses because of perceived mold, which she is convinced is the root of her son’s problems. She goes to her son’s classrooms at school and monitors “the mold situation.” Her magical thinking is that she must protect her son from danger when in fact her “protection” is ruining his life evidenced by the fact that the boy is nervous and socially maladapted. 

A Man Frozen in Time Dies from a Bee Sting

A perfectly sculpted man at the beach is playing Frisbee with two beautiful women when he steps on a bee. He cannot violate his perfect image by telling them that he is in pain. His foot swells and he soon dies of anaphylactic shock. His perfectly curated image is interrupted by death. 

The Landlady Who Died in the Sun

An American father and son are walking the hot streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, one summer afternoon when they come across a bazaar where goods are sold outdoors. There they see a 75-year-old greedy landlady who must show her superiority “over the riff-raff” by wearing her expensive full-body mink coat in the sweltering summer heat. Overcome by exhaustion, the landlady collapses. The father and son rush to her aid, the father kneels and attempts to rip the coat off of the landlady, but she spits in the father’s face and says, “Get away from me, mijo,” before giving up her last breath. Her belief that having better things than others made her a better person resulted in her death. 

Distracted by Two Large TVs

A couple constantly fights over the TV to the point that a divorce is imminent. The wife wants soap operas. The husband wants ESPN. On the verge of losing all hope for their marriage, they see a therapist. Their therapist recommends that they get two TVs in the living room. The husband wears bluetooth speakers and watches ESPN while his wife sitting right next to him watches soap operas. They spend the rest of their lives without conflict or acrimony. 

Phil Connors from Groundhog Day

Phil Connors lives in purgatory where he repeats the same day over and over. He’s trapped in magical thinking that separates him from the nature of reality: self-pity, delusions of grandeur, nihilism, hedonism (pleasure-seeking), seeking validation of others, manipulating others to assert his will over them--all of these magical thinking behaviors fail him. He doesn’t escape purgatory until he learns how to build a work ethic, to connect to the community, and to learn how to love.  

What is the opposite of magical thinking?

Reality 

Phil Stutz aims to reorient us to reality, which is comprised of the following:

1. Life is pain and adversity. We can accept this fact and engage with adversity with strength and courage, or we can deny this fact and retreat into a posture of fear, self-pity, and trepidation.
2. Life is uncertain. Good and bad events come to us in a random fashion. We should therefore not be lulled into a false comfort by good fortune knowing that our fortunes can change without warning. 
3. Worthwhile accomplishment requires long-term focus, hard work, and discipline, which means we must sacrifice immediate gratification for our long-term goals and far-ranging purpose.
4. We are not special. We may be fixated on our magical thoughts, but life and the human race move forward, with or without us. Father Time will inevitably hunt us down. If we squander our time here on Earth, our meeting with Father Time will be one of fear and anguish. 
5. These aspects of reality are unchanging. No amount of money or wishcasting can change them. 

We Resist Reality

In spite of these aspects of reality, Stutz explains that popular culture encourages us to disavow reality because popular or consumer culture is selling a fantasy. The media presents us with mythical happy people. They are physically beautiful and perfect; they are confident; their life narrative is certain; they are connected to love and companionship and the whole world loves them. They seem special and live outside the five aspects of reality Stutz describes. 

Because they live outside of reality, they are more like demigods than human beings. These people may be actors, musicians, TV personalities, and influencers. Whoever they are, they exist on a plane of fantasy and therefore are chimeras. 

We want to be like these demigods. We wear their clothes, drive their cars, consume their music and art, eat their organic food brands, take their special nutrition supplements; we do everything in our power to be like them, but we have been duped and have embarked upon a fool’s errand. 

Stutz writes that this magical thinking of buying the same things as the demigods to be like them is so pervasive that we don’t even know we’re doing it. He writes, “We all feel a pressure to convince others that we are part of it. This holds true for the poor kid unsure if dinner is coming and the billionaire with six homes. When everyone acts as if a fantasy is real, it begins to seem real.”

Buying Chimeras to be Happy

For example, a lot of podcasters I listen to advertise AG1, Athletic Greens. There is this fantasy that if you take AG1, you will partake in the demigod-like magic of these influencers. These greens cost about $100 a month. There is no research to support the claims made by the manufacturer. Eating real vegetables is more affordable and more bioavailable than green powder supplements. Taking green powders can cause bloating and gas. However, people eagerly spend money on these green powders because they emulate the influencers who sell them.

Just as Dexter Green from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” pursues Judy Jones as if she were a ticket to the dining hall of the gods, AG1 promises to give us entrance to the emporium of modern-day health, strength, and beauty. AG1 is the Judy Jones of health supplements. 

Moments Frozen in Time Vs. Daily Events

Dexter Green is a sucker for the consumer fantasy of perfection. He doesn’t know how to become a full human being by living through life’s daily events. Rather, he is fixated on mythical representations of perfection. He is both hollow and superficial as he waits to be saved by a moment frozen in time. 

This moment is embodied by Judy Jones, a myth he has created in his head. This moment does not exist. Meanwhile, life is passing him by. 

To become a full human being, we have to renounce and let go of mythical representations of perfection by seeing them as both stupid and dangerous. 

We have to move into a new direction. Stutz writes, “The first step is to realize that life is a process. Our culture leads us to forget this fact and makes the destructive suggestion that we can perfect life and then get it to stand still. The ideal world with the superior people is like a snapshot or a postcard. A moment frozen in time that never existed. But real life is a process, it has movement and depth. The realm of illusion is an image, dead and superficial. Still, these images are tempting. There is no mess in them.” 

In contrast to those whose lives are squandered as they wait for frozen moments in time, fully-realized human beings live in the messy world, which consists of a flow of events, one after another, which push us forward. Moving forward is living. Being stuck in a frozen moment is death.  

Regulating Our Mood With Magical Thinking

We should not look to pharmaceuticals, applause, pleasure, or wealth to feel better. Stutz writes, “Believing that things outside you will make you happy is false hope. The Greeks considered it the ‘doubtful gift of the gods.’ In reality, there can be only two outcomes. Either the hoped-for thing does not happen, or it does and its effect quickly wears off. Either way, you are worse off than before because you have trained yourself to fixate on outer results.” Stutz observes that we “can never be happy by the material world” because we are spiritual beings. As such, we need to have deep connections with others to be content.

Dexter Green is in pursuit of a dead image that he thinks is life. As a result, he will be stagnant as the world passes him by. 

Centripetal Vs. Centrifugal Motion

“Winter Dreams” is not a story about a character growing into a more evolved being (centrifugal motion). It’s about fixation, intensification and stagnation (centripetal).

The more magical thinking Dexter invests in Judy Jones, the more difficult it is for him to let go--even though he is disintegrating and becoming more and more miserable. 

“Winter Dreams” is a cautionary tale. It is warning us to give up hope in frozen moments of time--images of perfection. 

Moreover, we need to give up hope in the idea of feeling good or pleasure-seeking as the answer to our miserable condition. Rather, we must see our addictive pursuits as part of the cause of our misery and depression. 

Stutz writes, “Each time depression recurs, it is a reminder that you cannot rely on the outer world. This awareness is the first step in overcoming depression.”

Summary of “Winter Dreams”

Growing up in a working-class family, Dexter Green is obsessed with the shame of his humble origins and with magically transforming himself into an upper-class Alpha Male. 

He studies the lifestyles of the rich, imitates their behavior, and absorbs their egotism and vanity.

His journey begins as a teenager working as a caddy on a golf course, where he rubs elbows with the rich and famous.

It is while working as a caddy that he sees Judy Jones upon which he projects all his fantasies about fame and happiness onto her. He becomes obsessed and fixated with the idea that “having” Judy Jones will make him happy. His life will be one of success, Alpha Male status, and nonstop pleasure and happiness.

In fact, Judy Jones lacks character, charm, wit, substance, and intelligence. She is a blank slate for whom Dexter has projected his most crazed fantasies. Because she is a phantom in Dexter’s imagination, she has power over him.

Over the decades as he becomes a wealthy businessman, Dexter pursues her relentlessly, sacrifices friendship and love to be with this woman of no character. She commits infidelity against him repeatedly, but because he has no dignity and pursues her the way a junkie pursues his drug of choice, he debases and humiliates himself in his pursuit of her. 

Whereas the goal of life is to learn from our mistakes and grow up to become mature, seasoned adults, Dexter is a study in perpetual stagnation and immaturity. He is the picture of a man who squandered his entire existence on magical thinking. 

 

Critiques of ChatGPT

Write an essay that compares Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Winter Dreams" to drug addiction.

 

ChatGPT

Title: The Parallels Between Dexter Green's Obsession and Drug Addiction in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones is depicted with a fervor that parallels the destructive allure of drug addiction. Through Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy and the tumultuous nature of their relationship, Fitzgerald explores themes of obsession, dependence, and the perils of chasing unattainable desires. By drawing parallels between Dexter's obsession and drug addiction, we can gain deeper insight into the psychological complexities at play in both phenomena.

Firstly, Dexter's infatuation with Judy exhibits many characteristics reminiscent of addiction. From their first encounter, Judy exerts a powerful hold over Dexter, becoming the focal point of his thoughts and aspirations. Like a drug, Judy provides Dexter with an intoxicating sense of euphoria and escapism, offering temporary respite from the mundanity of his life. Just as a substance abuser seeks to recreate the initial rush of euphoria, Dexter continually chases the fleeting moments of joy and validation he experiences in Judy's presence, even as the relationship becomes increasingly toxic and self-destructive.

Moreover, Dexter's obsession with Judy mirrors the cycle of dependence and withdrawal commonly associated with addiction. Despite the pain and disillusionment he experiences as a result of their tumultuous relationship, Dexter finds himself unable to break free from Judy's grip. He becomes ensnared in a cycle of longing, manipulation, and heartache, unable to extricate himself from the allure of his unrequited love. This cycle bears a striking resemblance to the compulsive behaviors and psychological cravings characteristic of drug addiction, wherein individuals become trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of seeking out and consuming the object of their desire, despite its detrimental effects on their well-being.

Furthermore, Dexter's obsession with Judy leads to a gradual erosion of his sense of self and his moral compass, paralleling the destructive consequences of addiction. As he becomes increasingly consumed by his infatuation, Dexter sacrifices his personal values and ambitions in pursuit of Judy's affection. He abandons his dreams of success and independence, allowing Judy to exert control over his life and identity. This loss of autonomy and self-respect mirrors the corrosive effects of addiction, wherein individuals prioritize their addictive behavior above all else, forsaking their relationships, responsibilities, and sense of self in the process.

Additionally, Fitzgerald's portrayal of Dexter's obsession with Judy underscores the transient and illusory nature of his desires, echoing the ephemeral highs and crushing lows experienced by individuals struggling with addiction. Despite Dexter's fervent belief that Judy represents the epitome of happiness and fulfillment, his idealized image of her proves to be ultimately hollow and unattainable. Similarly, the temporary relief and pleasure derived from drug use ultimately give way to deeper feelings of emptiness and despair, as the individual grapples with the futility of their pursuit.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of the parallels between Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones and the destructive allure of drug addiction. Through Dexter's tumultuous relationship with Judy, Fitzgerald illuminates the compulsive nature of desire, the cycle of dependence and withdrawal, and the erosion of selfhood inherent in both phenomena. By drawing parallels between Dexter's infatuation and addiction, Fitzgerald invites readers to reflect on the complexities of human desire and the precariousness of pursuing unattainable fantasies.

 

 

 

 

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Write an essay that addresses the claim that Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Winter Dreams" is based on the projection of his fantasies for power and the myth of the American Dream of happiness.

 

ChatGPT

Title: The Projection of Power and the Myth of the American Dream in Dexter Green's Obsession with Judy Jones

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's infatuation with Judy Jones serves as a compelling exploration of the projection of power and the myth of the American Dream of happiness. Through Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy and his idealization of her, Fitzgerald delves into themes of social aspiration, wealth, and the illusory nature of perceived happiness. Dexter's fixation on Judy can indeed be interpreted as a manifestation of his fantasies for power and his belief in the attainment of happiness through the pursuit of the American Dream.

Firstly, Dexter's infatuation with Judy is deeply intertwined with his aspirations for social advancement and the acquisition of power. From their initial encounter, Judy embodies the epitome of wealth, beauty, and social status, representing the pinnacle of success in Dexter's eyes. His obsession with her is driven not only by a romantic attraction but also by a desire to align himself with her perceived power and prestige. Dexter views Judy as a symbol of the affluent elite, and his pursuit of her is driven by a desire to transcend his humble origins and gain entry into the upper echelons of society.

Moreover, Judy serves as a catalyst for Dexter's pursuit of the myth of the American Dream of happiness—a belief in the possibility of attaining prosperity, success, and fulfillment through hard work and determination. Dexter is captivated by the illusion of happiness that Judy represents, viewing her as the embodiment of all his aspirations and desires. He imagines that by winning Judy's affections and securing a place in her privileged world, he will finally achieve the happiness and contentment he has long yearned for. However, Fitzgerald subtly undermines this myth by revealing the emptiness and disillusionment that lie beneath the surface of Dexter's idealized image of Judy.

Furthermore, Dexter's obsession with Judy reflects the pervasive influence of societal ideals and expectations on individual identity and self-worth. In his relentless pursuit of Judy, Dexter internalizes the societal narrative that equates wealth, status, and romantic conquests with happiness and fulfillment. He becomes ensnared in a cycle of materialism and superficiality, believing that his worth as a man is contingent upon his ability to possess and control Judy. In this sense, Dexter's obsession with Judy can be seen as a reflection of the broader cultural obsession with power, success, and the trappings of affluence—a pursuit that ultimately leads to spiritual bankruptcy and moral decay.

Moreover, Fitzgerald suggests that Dexter's infatuation with Judy is ultimately a projection of his own desires and insecurities, rather than a genuine connection based on mutual understanding and affection. Dexter's idealized image of Judy as the embodiment of power and happiness serves as a mirror through which he seeks validation and affirmation of his own worth. However, this projection blinds Dexter to Judy's flaws and humanity, preventing him from recognizing her as a complex and multifaceted individual.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" offers a poignant exploration of Dexter Green's obsession with Judy Jones as a manifestation of his fantasies for power and the myth of the American Dream of happiness. Through Dexter's relentless pursuit of Judy and his idealization of her, Fitzgerald exposes the emptiness and disillusionment that lie at the heart of the pursuit of wealth, status, and romantic conquests. Dexter's obsession with Judy serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing societal ideals and expectations to dictate one's sense of self-worth and happiness, highlighting the importance of authenticity, self-awareness, and genuine human connection in the search for fulfillment.

 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that in F. Scott Fitzgerald short story "Winter Dreams" Dexter Green's realization that Judy Jones is an over-the-hill abused housewife strikes a dagger in his lifelong obsession with Judy and reveals the futility and moral bankruptcy of his obsession.

 

 

ChatGPT

Title: The Dagger of Realization: Dexter Green's Awakening in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green's realization about Judy Jones serves as a poignant revelation that strikes a dagger into his lifelong obsession, unraveling the facade of glamour and exposing the futility and moral bankruptcy of his fixation. As Dexter confronts the harsh truth of Judy's reality as an "over-the-hill abused housewife," he undergoes a profound awakening that shatters his illusions and prompts a reckoning with the consequences of his obsessive pursuit. Through Dexter's realization, Fitzgerald illuminates themes of disillusionment, moral decay, and the corrosive effects of unattainable desires.

Firstly, Dexter's realization about Judy's true circumstances serves as a catalyst for his awakening to the hollowness of his obsession. Throughout the story, Dexter idolizes Judy as the epitome of beauty, wealth, and social status, believing her to be the embodiment of his dreams and aspirations. However, upon discovering the reality of Judy's life—a life marked by abuse, disappointment, and unfulfilled potential—Dexter is forced to confront the stark contrast between his idealized image of Judy and the harsh truth of her existence. This realization pierces through the veil of illusion that has clouded Dexter's perception, revealing the superficiality and moral bankruptcy of his obsession.

Moreover, Dexter's realization underscores the futility of his lifelong pursuit of Judy and the illusory nature of his desires. For years, Dexter has chased after Judy with single-minded determination, believing her to be the key to his happiness and fulfillment. However, his discovery of Judy's unhappy marriage and broken spirit exposes the emptiness of his aspirations and the moral bankruptcy of his obsession. Dexter comes to understand that his idealized image of Judy was built upon a foundation of lies and illusions, leading him to question the authenticity of his desires and the validity of his life's pursuits.

Furthermore, Dexter's realization prompts a reckoning with the moral implications of his obsession and the harm it has caused to himself and others. In his relentless pursuit of Judy, Dexter has sacrificed his integrity, self-respect, and sense of moral decency, becoming ensnared in a cycle of manipulation, deceit, and emotional turmoil. However, upon learning the truth about Judy's circumstances, Dexter is forced to confront the consequences of his actions and the toll they have taken on both himself and Judy. He comes to recognize the inherent selfishness and cruelty of his obsession, acknowledging the pain and suffering it has caused to Judy and those around him.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" portrays Dexter Green's realization about Judy Jones as a dagger that pierces through the veil of illusion, revealing the futility and moral bankruptcy of his lifelong obsession. Through Dexter's awakening, Fitzgerald explores themes of disillusionment, moral decay, and the corrosive effects of unattainable desires. Dexter's realization serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of fixation and the importance of authenticity, integrity, and empathy in the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example of a Personal Introduction Followed by a Thesis

Worst College Student Ever

Of course, I was the worst college student ever. Even though I got straight As in high school, my high school was dumbed down to the point that getting a 4.0 GPA was meaningless. One of my classes, for example,  was called “Money Matters.” We learned how to balance a checkbook and plan a budget so that we were saving more than we were spending. At best, you’re looking at first-grade math, a workbook full of simple percentages and fractions. Busy work like this was proof that our school didn’t want to educate us so much as keep us contained all day in an institution so our parents could work enough to afford living in the suburbs and get a break from the headaches of parenting.

Another class was called “Popular Lit.” There were no lectures or tests. For the semester, you read any three books you wanted from the library and wrote three one-page book reports. You didn’t have to read the book. You could present chicken scratch on the book report form or make up some crazy dream you had. It didn’t matter. As long as you turned in the book report, you got an A. The teacher was a woman in her sixties who told us to do “quiet reading” while she sat at her desk reading magazines, paying her bills, and clipping her fingernails. She was ghoulishly pale, she had long, uncombed dyed black hair, overly dark lipstick, and puffy bags under her eyes. No matter the weather, she wore wool coats that smelled of old sweat and bodily decay. Had you not told me she was a teacher, I would have assumed she was a homeless person scavenging the school for discarded cafeteria food from the high school’s trash cans.

My classes were so dumb I felt like I was in continuation school for juvenile delinquents. Clearly, the teachers weren’t preparing us to become members of the professional class. They wanted us to learn to follow rules so we’d stay out of prison and be satisfied with a blue-collar job or some minimum-wage gig in the service industry. As I heard one teacher say out of the side of his mouth in the corridor to one of his colleagues: “We’re training them to become burger-flippers.”

Even though I had no preparation for higher education, I capitulated to my mother’s demand to attend college, but I knew I didn’t belong there. I knew I would be the worst college student ever. 

I was a terrible student in part because I could not regardless of their achievements admire my professors. I envied them because they were so educated and appeared to have everything I didn’t. They had impressive credentials, world travels, including African safaris, to provide scintillating stories while lecturing; nice clothes, not store-bought but made by celebrity tailors; a well-curated persona enhanced by professional voice lessons; an impressive zip code that made them neighbors of politicians and socialites; membership to various tennis, bird-watching, and yoga clubs and intellectual committees; literacy in multiple languages, mastery of at least three musical instruments, and fluency in gourmet cooking. During lectures, they talked about how they prepared extravagant meals that required lemon zest, capers, and ice baths, and they beamed with pride as they rhapsodized over the pleasures of making homemade puttanesca. I had never met a group of people from one profession who were so in love with themselves. 

My Ethics professor, who was also the Dean of Philosophy, had recently dumped his wife for his young secretary. He seemed rather oblivious to the rich irony of his life choices and rode his Porsche convertible over the faculty parking lot, apparently unaware of the way his toupee would flop off his bald head like a flying squirrel every time his Porsche caromed over a speed bump. A lack of self-awareness seemed to serve my Ethics professor rather well. I despised him. 

My bitter envy for my professors was only matched by my spectacular ignorance. I was deemed so illiterate that the university was not content with demoting me from Freshman Composition class into the remedial class, more commonly referred to at the time as Bonehead English. To let me know my place in this world, the university made it clear that even Bonehead English was too advanced for a pariah like myself. I was quickly demoted from Bonehead and placed in the Pre-Bonehead class, a level held in such contempt that the classroom was in the Humanities Building basement next to the boiler room. Broad-shouldered maintenance men wearing denim overalls would frequently peek into the room and cackle at us for being at a level of remediation that was such an embarrassment as to be the equivalent of leprosy. 

Being envious of my professors and feeling like a college outcast, I was in a constant state of depression and demoralization. This did not bode well as a predictor for my academic success. To add another nail to my coffin, I may have just been plain stupid. I was stupid to judge my professors for having everything I lacked. Had I been smart, I would have humbled myself before them and looked at them as role models so that someday with lots of hard work I would become just like them. I was also stupid for feeling insulted for being placed in the Pre-Bonehead English class. Had I been smart, I would have been grateful for the fact that the university had provided resources for hopeless cases like mine rather than expel me from the university altogether. 

Clearly, I was on my way to becoming the worst college student ever. 

My failings as a college student were rooted in part in my inability to find a major, and my indecision made me miserable. I took a criminal justice class, but the books were mired in lawyer-speak. As a result, the sentences were larded with provisos, caveats, and contingencies reflected in elongated sentences in which I had to wade through several dependent clauses before I reached the independent clause. These sentences were so tedious and convoluted that I felt I had to go through the obstacle course on American Gladiators before I got to the sentence’s main idea. This drove me into a state of madness.

Then I tried sociology and psychology, but the books were immersed in self-satisfied academic jargon in which self-evident observations were made to look sophisticated and authoritative by virtue of the indecipherable, pretentious and self-indulgent verbiage. Being forced to read these textbooks, I imagined brandishing a machete and slashing through a jungle thick with words like positivity, codependency, external validation, inner child, interconnectivity, facilitate, mindset, marginalization, multi-faceted, dichotomy, and contemporaneously. Hacking my way through this forest of phony language made me tighten my body with so much hostility that I feared I would suffer a self-induced inguinal hernia. 

Then I gave history a crack. The sheer volume of facts, dates, and places seemed to have compelled the authors to write in a mundane, almost remedial prose style with no distinctive point of view. The result was that I was bored out of my mind. 

Oceanography was mildly interesting; however, the oceanography professor seemed to have a pathological fixation on the words “denitrification,” “liminal zone,” and “viscosity” so that it reached the point that every time he repeated those words I would skyrocket off my seat like a lab rat receiving an electrical shock. 

Accounting was even worse. On the first day, the professor bombarded us with algebraic equations, the Index Matrix, the Nullspace, and homogeneous linear systems. Within ten minutes, I made an exit for the door. The professor asked me my name.

“That won’t be necessary,” I said at the doorway. “You’ll never see me again.”

In my first year of college, I dropped accounting, criminal justice, and sociology. I also failed a remedial algebra class. In the late spring of my first year, the university sent me a letter explaining that I was officially on academic probation. I could not drop any more classes and I would need to improve my GPA. Otherwise, I would be expelled. This was the wake-up call I needed. No longer could I use my crappy high school education as an excuse for my failures. No longer could I complain that life wasn’t fair. No longer could I fail to see that my toxic, cynical, self-pitying attitude was the equivalent of shooting myself in the foot. 

Once receiving the university’s expulsion warning--which was the necessary kick in my lazy ass--I turned my life around. My recovery was swift and relentless. My GPA spiked to close to 4.0 and the distance between me and that expulsion letter widened more and more. The university seemed impressed with my reformation. Shortly after hiring me in the Tutoring Center, they offered me teaching positions for freshman composition. The university that had once threatened to expel me had now hired me to teach. I was on my way to becoming the worst college professor ever. 

The cause of my turnaround was my decision to replace magical thinking with reality: Feeling sorry for myself and making excuses for my failure was sending me to the Shame Dungeon. Developing a consistent work ethic was the only realistic way I could get out of my rabbit hole, and I was young enough to bounce back.

In contrast, Dexter Green from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s depressing short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his entire life on magical thinking. His fixation on Judy Jones reveals that he is a man who is blinded by a chimera of glamor, status, and Alpha Male fantasies that in the end sever him from meaningful connections with other people and eviscerate him spiritually. His failure to wake up from his magical thinking is a cautionary tale for us all. We can break down Dexter’s magical thinking into four main parts____________________, ______________________, ________________________, and ___________________________________. 

English 1C Spring 2024: Week 4: Thesis, Counterargument, Logical Fallacies

The Road to Dietary Nihilism

Fallacies of Resentment, Unbridled Pessimism, Self-Pity, and Despair Can Lead Us to the Road of Dietary Nihilism

What is dietary nihilism? Just as the nihilist gives up on life by saying that life is a joke with no meaning, the dietary nihilist gives up on self-care, fitness, and healthy eating by claiming that all such efforts are a fool’s errand. 

Here are some expressions of resentment, unbridled pessimism, self-pity, and despair.

“Why does So and So get to eat whatever they want and they look amazing while I eat just one-third of their indulgence and I look like a gelatinous vessel of flab?”

The complainer wants life to be fair before they embark on self-care. As long as life isn’t fair, they don’t have to be accountable to high standards of conduct regarding others or their own self-interest. 

In fact, a college student may have to study math three times more than her friend because it takes longer for her to understand the problems. She can either accept the disparity between her and her friend and work harder or give up on not just math but on life itself. Why? Because giving up on one thing usually results in giving up on everything.

“Joe Rogan has a $500,000 home gym. My pathetic kettlebell collection in  my dank garage is only $800. How can I expect to compete with that? The hell with working out. I’m going to binge out on Netflix.” 

In fact, there are always people with greater resources than us. There is no logic in comparing ourselves to them and using that comparison as an excuse to surrender to complacency, sloth, and defeat. Comparison is not productive. It is said that “Comparison is the thief of joy.” We would be wise to reject the Comparison Fallacy.

“What’s the point of working out and eating healthy? Eventually, the demands of life will eat away at my time to exercise and my willpower will be eroded by constant temptations from family and social gatherings. What’s the point of delaying the inevitable? I might as well resign myself to a life of inertia and dietary self-indulgence now rather than delay seeing myself as the slothful pig that defines the essence of my being.”

There’s a lot to unpack here. 

First of all, the complainer seems to delight in wallowing in his misery. He is someone for whom misery is a grand investment for which he has decided to value over a life of discipline. In fact, he invests more time and energy erecting a monument to despair than he would exercising and learning to prepare healthy meals. 

Second of all, the complainer is claiming he can’t be consistent enough to make a health quest worthwhile. Indeed, only immature failures do things erratically and in spurts but fail to behave in a consistent routine. Establishing a consistent routine is a sign of a successful adult. Therefore, this complainer would be well served to renounce his abnegation of responsibility and hold himself accountable to standards of consistent and rigorous exercise and healthy eating. 

Thirdly, the complainer is eager to define himself as “slothful pig.” His motivation is clear. If he has a low opinion of himself, he can lower his standards and live a life of laziness and ineptitude. He may see himself as a victim, but any fair-minded outside observer sees him for who he is: a moral failure and a coward who squandered the life and tools presented before him to make something good for himself. Instead, he embraced dietary nihilism and conformed to the most debased, grotesque image of himself. 

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Defining a thesis:

A thesis is a meaningful claim or argument that is the central focus of your essay, that you can defend with credible information, that will outline an essay of 1,200 words or more, that is challenging enough to be appropriate for college-level writing, that has high stakes, and that defies simple analysis. 

• The thesis or claim is the central focus of your essay. It is the reason you are writing your essay. To stray from your thesis is to betray your original intention. 
• The thesis is based on an informed opinion based on credible research. Your research has been peer reviewed and is rooted in reality. To look to “research” based on a fever swamp of unproven conspiracies and misinformation is to present an essay that is disconnected from reality. We live in an age where even facts and reality itself are disputed. This is a very specific crisis called the epistemic crisis. You can read about this crisis in Jonathan Rauch’s book The Constitution of Knowledge. 
• A strong thesis may have reasons contained in the sentence. These reasons are also called mapping components. They outline your essay’s body paragraphs. Observe the following example: Working from the home is more viable for most companies because working from the home saves your workers from commute time, doesn’t expose workers to illnesses resulting in lost work time, reduces work theft opportunities, reduces company expenses such as heat, AC, lighting, etc., and takes advantage of the technology that’s cheaply available to make your employees’ home office an efficient business office. 
• The thesis can generate an essay that is 1,200 words or more means the thesis is demonstrable: You can defend the thesis with reasoning, logic, examples, and research. 
• Your thesis has high stakes. You present an argument and the listener or reader doesn’t feel compelled to say “So what?” Rather, you have chosen a topic that is relevant, vital, and urgent to the human condition. 
• Your thesis defies simple analysis. You are avoiding the obvious and factual such as “What the world needs now is love.” Rather, you are focusing on debatable topics. 

Review 3 Selected Thesis Statements

Thesis for Self-Agency with a Caveat

While I will concede that systemic injustice has to be acknowledged when we are talking about those people who exist in “survival mode,” languishing in homelessness or close to it, I will argue that even the working poor can benefit from a health quest based on self-agency in which they become health literate, minimize the “poison” foods--processed, sugar, and alcohol, and replace mindless entertainment with an hour of equipment-free home exercise. 

Thesis for Self-Agency with a Caveat and a More Specific Prescription

With the exception of those who are living in the streets or are close to it, rendering them in survival mode, people with a minimum of a working-class income can and should learn to take responsibility for their health. First, they should replace all sugar, refined foods, and alcohol with a Mediterranean or Okinawan diet; second, with a minimum investment and free YouTube videos, they can learn to use kettlebells or practice fast-paced Ashtanga yoga in the privacy of their own home. Third, asserting the practice of self-agency in their lives will improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. Fourth, most of their excuses such as “I don’t have enough time,” are bogus. A night of Netflix can be replaced with a yoga or kettlebell workout. Fifth, replacing the malaise of inertia with consistent exercise and healthy eating will ameliorate their depression and in essence give them the free psychotherapy they so desperately need.  

Thesis Modeled After the Philosophy of Frederick Douglass

McMahon has assigned us an argumentative essay in which we address either social injustice or self-agency as the appropriate method for improving our healthy weight management. McMahon’s topic is an important and relevant one because owning our health is essential to being full members of society and pursuing the American dream of freedom and happiness, but let us discard the either/or fallacy implicit in his assignment. Just as we can walk and chew gum at the same time, we can champion both social justice and self-agency simultaneously. We can look to the model that embraces systemic injustice and self-agency by emulating the greatest American in history--Frederick Douglass. A freed slave and eloquent writer whose works were translated into hundreds of languages during his lifetime, Douglass became the greatest American critic of America’s systemic injustice. He stood in Abraham Lincoln’s face and told Lincoln to stop blaming the slaves for the Civil War and by persuading Lincoln of committing folly by blaming the victims, Lincoln reworded his Emancipation Proclamation. At the same time, Frederick Douglass was an advocate of self-agency. At age thirteen, Douglass purchased a book “teaching principles of eloquence and oratory” and an “antislavery message,” The Columbian Orator, which he read over and over. This book alone taught Douglass an important lesson: A powerful book can transform a person’s life. One passage in particular, a dialogue between a master and his slave, addressed the dehumanization of the slave by denying the slave the full attributes of free-will and self-agency. Developing literacy and the powers of reason were essential to being fully human and being unshackled by physical oppressors and mental ones alike. Flourishing as a free human and eloquent speaker, Frederick Douglass became an international champion of human rights and “the greatest abolitionist voice in American history.” In addition to fighting actual slavery, Douglass argued for the freedom from an unstructured life through education. Rosen writes: “In his ‘Self-made Men’ speech, Douglass distilled the principles that he first encountered in The Columbian Orator to make the case that the purpose of liberty is to allow all human beings to educate themselves.” Only through a structured life of self-education can we be free and whole. We must clear the mind of clutter and learn how to focus on what matters. As Rosen writes: “He embraces the central tenet of faculty psychology that the mind is its own place, responsible for its own happiness through virtuous self-control: ‘Nothing can bring to man so much of happiness or so much of misery as man himself,’ Douglass writes.” Looking at Douglass’ life committed to attacking systemic injustice and the folly that erodes our self-agency, I will use Douglass’ heroic life to argue that we can pursue healthy weight management only by incorporating both the pursuit of social justice and at the same time assert our free will and self-discipline to achieve a life of health literacy and optimal physical fitness.

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Sample Counterarguments and Rebuttals for Dieting Is a Fool’s Errand Essay

Typically, when we write argumentation essays, we devote a section of our essay, usually before our conclusion, that addresses our opponents’ disagreement with our central argument or the way we anticipate how our opponents will object to our essay’s claim. 

We want to make a clear presentation of how and why our imagined opponents might disagree with us. This is called the counterargument. 

We then examine the counterargument and offer a rebuttal or refutation of that counterargument. 

Here are some examples for the essay that addresses the claim that losing weight is such a futile endeavor that dieting surely is a fool’s errand. 

Example of a Counterargument and Rebuttal for Essay That Supports Idea That Dieting Is a Fool’s Errand

I can anticipate my opponents taking my claim that dieting is a fool’s errand as bait for accusing me of “dietary nihilism,” the notion that we should throw care to the wind and engage in reckless disregard when it comes to our bodies, indulging in gluttony, and being both beholden and addicted to the food industry’s myriad of fat-, salt-, and sugar-laden foods. On the contrary, I am no dietary nihilist. I am a dietary realist or pragmatist. My approach is not to focus on weight loss but on health by cultivating a love for cooking whole foods, avoiding processed foods, and having the food literacy to know the difference. 

Example of a Counterargument and Rebuttal for Essay That Refutes Idea That Dieting Is a Fool’s Errand

I am a staunch defender of the idea that we should not let the majority of dieters, doomed to fail for a myriad of reasons too many to list here, be an excuse for our own individual aspirations to manage our weight and live a healthy lifestyle. My opponents will point out, correctly, that many lack the time and resources to buy and prepare healthy foods. I concede their point. For many hard-working Americans, time and budget constraints impede them from devoting the kind of time and resources necessary for a permanent weight-loss plan. But my fellow Americans’ dietary failures, however legitimate, do not excuse me for taking personal responsibility for my own dietary success. The truth of the matter is I have the familial, financial, and environmental support to succeed at my dietary goals, and my particular situation is such that dieting is not a fool’s errand. Rather, dieting and keeping excess weight off is a moral imperative. 

Example of Counterargument and Rebuttal for Essay That Supports Idea That Dieting Is a Fool’s Errand

Since the overwhelming majority of Americans lack the time and resources to devote to full-time dieting, I stand by my argument that dieting for the most part is a fool’s errand. My opponents will point out that there are some Americans who enjoy enough financial comfort and discretionary time to devote to their weight-loss plan. But this amount of Americans is too minuscule to make a drop in the bucket, so to speak, when it comes to successful dieting because we cannot really talk about dieting as a fool’s errand, or not unless we talk about viability and sustainability for most people. If we can’t scale successful dieting for the masses, then dieting indeed is a fool’s errand with the exception of a very elite and specialized class of people who can meet all the caveats and conditions for succeeding at permanent weight loss. And I would remind the elite class that even they have a strong probability of failing, so my contention that dieting is a fool’s errand stands. 

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Recognizing Logical Fallacies

Begging the Question

Begging the question assumes that a statement is self-evident when it actually requires proof.

Major Premise Based on a False Assumption: Fulfilling all my major desires is the only way I can be happy (false assumption).

Minor Premise: I can’t afford when of my greatest desires in life, a Rolex Deepsea Dweller wristwatch.

Conclusion: Therefore, I can never be happy.

Major Premise Based on a False Assumption: I need to go on a diet because staying on a diet will exercise my willpower, increase my self-esteem, and make me healthier. 

Minor Premise: Every time I go on a diet, I fail after a few months.

Conclusion: I must have lousy willpower, lousy self-esteem, and lousy health. 

Circular Reasoning

Circular reasoning occurs when we support a statement by restating it in different terms.

Going on a diet is good for you because diets make you lose weight, and losing weight is a good thing.

Stealing is wrong because it is illegal.

Admitting women into the men’s club is wrong because it’s an invalid policy.

Your essay is woeful because of its egregious construction.

Your boyfriend is hideous because of his heinous characteristics.

I have to sell my car because I’m ready to sell it.

I can’t spend time with my kids because it’s too time-consuming.

I need to spend more money on my presents than my family’s presents because I need bigger and better presents.

I’m a great father because I’m the best father my children have ever had.

Weak Analogy or Faulty Comparison

Analogies are never perfect but they can be powerful. The question is do they have a degree of validity to make them worth the effort.

Finding the right diet is like finding your perfect soul mate.

A toxic relationship is like cancer that gets worse and worse (fine).

Sugar is high-octane fuel to use before your workout (weak because there is nothing high-octane about a substance that causes you to crash and converts into fat and creates other problems)

Free education is a great flame and the masses are moths flying into the flames of destruction. (horribly false analogy)

Ad Hominem Fallacy (Personal Attack)

You attack the person but not the argument.

Harriet Brown looks like a bitter person so we shouldn’t believe what she writes about dieting.

“Who are you to be a marriage counselor? You’ve been divorced six times?”

A lot of people give great advice and present sound arguments even if they don’t apply their principles to their lives, so we should focus on the argument, not a personal attack.

“So you believe in universal health care, do you? I suppose you’re a communist and you hate America as well.”

Making someone you disagree with an American-hating communist is invalid and doesn’t address the actual argument.

“What do you mean you don’t believe in marriage? What are you, a crazed nihilist, an unrepentant anarchist, an immoral misanthrope, a craven miscreant?”

Straw Man Fallacy

You twist, distort, and misconstrue your opponent’s argument to make it look weaker than it is when you refute it. Instead of attacking the real issue, you aim for a weaker issue based on your deliberate misinterpretation of your opponent’s argument.

“Those who are against universal health care are heartless. They obviously don’t care if innocent children die.”

“I told you to go off Twitter because it’s toxic and feeds your addiction, not because I’m jealous of your popularity on Twitter. Don’t twist my words.”

“Don’t accuse me of hating my country when I criticize it. I criticize my country because I have high expectations for it. The day I stop criticizing my country is the day I’ve given up on it.”

Hasty Generalization (Jumping to a Conclusion)

You base a generality on an insufficient sample.

“I’ve had three English instructors who are middle-aged bald men. Therefore, all English instructors are middle-aged bald men.”

“I’ve met three American celebrities with fake British accents and they were all annoying. Therefore, all American celebrities, such as Madonna, have fake British accents.”

“Every vegan I’ve ever met is preachy, judgmental, and looks anemic and undernourished.”

“Every guy I’ve met who is obsessed with the band Rush is middle-aged, chain smokes, underemployed, and still lives with his parents.”

Either/Or Fallacy

There are only two choices to an issue makes an oversimplification and an either/or fallacy.

“Either you be my girlfriend or you don’t like real men.”

“Either you be my boyfriend or you’re not a real American.”

“Either you play football for me or you’re not a real man.”

“Either you’re for us or against us.” (The enemy of our enemy is our friend is everyday foreign policy.)

“Either you agree with me about increasing the minimum wage, or you’re okay with letting children starve to death.”

“Either you get a 4.0 and get admitted into USC, or you’re only half a man.”

Equivocation

Equivocation occurs when you deliberately twist the meaning of something in order to justify your position.

“You told me the used car you just sold me was in ‘good working condition.’”

“I said ‘good,’ not perfect.”

The seller is equivocating.

“I told you to be in bed by ten.”

“I thought you meant to be home by ten.”

“You told me you were going to pay me the money you owe me on Friday.”

“I didn’t know you meant the whole sum.”

“You told me you were going to take me out on my birthday.”

“Technically speaking, the picnic I made for us in the backyard was a form of ‘going out.’”

Red Herring Fallacy

This fallacy is to throw a distraction in your opponent’s face because you know a distraction may help you win the argument.

“Barack Obama wants us to support him but his father was a Muslim. How can we trust the President on the war against terrorism when he has terrorist ties?”

“You said you were going to pay me my thousand dollars today. Where is it?”

“Dear friend, I’ve been diagnosed with a very serious medical condition. Can we talk about our money issue some other time?”

Slippery Slope Fallacy

We go down a rabbit hole of exaggerated consequences to make our point sound convincing.

“If we allow gay marriage, then what’s next? We’ll have to allow people to marry turtles.”

“If we allow gay marriage, my marriage to my wife will be disrespected and dishonored. I will not allow you to disrespect my marriage.”

Appeal to Authority

Using a celebrity to promote an energy drink doesn’t make this drink effective in increasing performance.

Listening to an actor play a doctor on TV doesn’t make the pharmaceutical he’s promoting safe or effective.

Tradition Fallacy

“We’ve never allowed women into our country club. Why should we start now?”

“Women have always served men. That’s the way it’s been and that’s the way it always should be. That is the basis of a successful marriage. Look at divorce today. It’s because we’ve forgotten our traditional roles.”

Misuse of Statistics

Using stats to show causality when it’s a condition of correlation or omitting other facts.

“Ninety-nine percent of people who take this remedy see their cold go away in ten days.” (Colds go away on their own).

“Violent crime from home intruders goes down twenty percent in a home equipped with guns.” (more people in those homes die of accidental shootings or suicides)

Post Hoc, Confusing Causality with Correlation

Taking cold medicine makes your cold go away. Really?

The rooster crows and makes the sun go up. Really?

You drink on a Thursday night and on Friday morning you get an A on your calculus exam. Really?

You stop drinking milk and you feel stronger. Really? (or is it a placebo effect?)

Non Sequitur (It Does Not Follow)

The conclusion in an argument is not relevant to the premises.

Megan drives a BMW, so she must be rich.

McMahon understands the difference between a phrase and a dependent clause; therefore, he must be a genius.

Whenever I eat chocolate cake, I feel good. Therefore, chocolate cake must be good for me.

Bandwagon Fallacy

Because everyone believes something, it must be right.

“You can steal a little at work. Everyone else does.”

“In Paris, ninety-nine percent of all husbands have a secret mistress. Therefore adultery is not immoral.”