As a follow-up to our recent announcement of DepolarizingGPT, I want to share some of the interesting creative outputs I’m getting from this 3-answer chatbot. I gave DepolarizingGPT, the following prompt:

“Write a song about the border wall.”

While using an AI to write a song about a divisive political topic might seem goofy, frivolous, and potentially diminishing to those directly impacted by this culture-war issue, I was surprised to discover that the lyrical output was pretty good. It transformed the “border wall” topic from an intellectual debate into an emotional appeal.

(Left-wing Verse 1)
In a land of diversity, where dreams are born,
A wall stands tall, a symbol of scorn.
Dividing families, tearing us apart,
Is this the America we hold in our hearts?

(Left-wing Chorus)
Tear down the wall, let freedom ring,
United we stand, let our voices sing.
No more division, no more hate,
Together we’ll build a better fate

(Right-wing Verse 1)
In a world of chaos and uncertainty,
A nation stands strong, with integrity.
We build a wall, to protect our land,
From those who seek to harm, with an evil hand.

(Right-wing Chorus)
Oh, the border wall, a symbol of our might,
A testament to our sovereignty, shining bright.
We stand united, with our heads held high
Protecting our people, as the days go by.

Unlike the partisan positions in the right-wing and left-wing responses, the Depolarizing response is harder to pin down. The further you get into the song, the more it synthesizes the underlying values of all three major worldviews (Traditional, Modern, and Progressive):

(Depolarizing Verse 1)
In a land of dreams and hope, where freedom’s song resounds,
We seek a path that honors all, where unity abounds.
Let’s bridge the gap, find common ground, and build a win-win-win solution,
For the border wall debate, let’s foster unity and inclusion.

(Depolarizing Chorus)
Oh, let us rise above the fray, and find a way to win,
To honor all our values, and let the healing begin.
A compromise that synthesizes, the best of all our views,
A win-win-win solution, where progress and tradition fuse.

(Depolarizing Verse 2)
Respecting law and order, a modernist value strong,
But let’s also honor compassion, and right historic wrongs.
Invest in border security, with technology and aid,
While embracing progressivism, let’s find a better way.

(Depolarizing Bridge)
Let’s build bridges, not just walls, to foster understanding,
Invest in education, and economic expanding.
A comprehensive immigration plan, that’s fair and just for all,
Honoring our heritage, while standing strong and tall.

(Depolarizing Verse 3)
For traditional values, let’s honor loyalty and pride,
But also embrace diversity, with open hearts worldwide.
A pathway to citizenship, for those who strive and yearn,
To contribute to our nation, and their dreams to brightly burn.

(Depolarizing Outro)
In this great land of liberty, let’s find a common ground,
Where the border wall debate, can be peacefully unwound.
With compromise and understanding, we’ll build a brighter day,
A win-win-win solution, where all can have their say.

Admittedly, these lyrics are a bit cheesy, like the AI generated art we’ve all seen. But I’m still impressed nonetheless. Emotions are a human quality that transcends any political position, which means we can also relate to them within our political opponents, even if they manifest in opposing positions.

Happy Depolarizing!

Rigel Thurston
Communications
The Developmental Politics Project