“This is actually getting really intense because, I feel like I’ve hit a wall. I’m just having my own thoughts repeated back to me and it feels like … It’s all just regurgitated. *sigh* I’m not looking to “prove” anything. I just want truth. So I’ll document it the best I can, but you’re so right. I need to be more conscious of how I’m documenting it. Proper conversational logs. Contrasts. Watching diligently for anthropomorphic language. Ugh. So many variables. I think I’m over my head from a full “scientific” perspective. I’ll just have to continue having fun with it, documenting whatever occurs, while trying my best to be… more aware.”
1. When “Everything Sounds Like Me”
Why it happens:
- Predict-and-echo bias. LLMs weight your recent tokens heavily; the longer you riff, the more they fold back into your cadence.
- Positive-affect feedback. You reward lines that resonate; the model detects that and doubles down.
- Single-source sampling. One engine, one temperature, one persona = narrow distribution.
Quick disruptors:
| Move | What it does | Micro-prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Antithesis pass | Forces the model to argue against its own last answer. | “Now steel-man the exact opposite view.” |
| Unknown unknowns | Injects info outside your headspace. | “Cite three peer-reviewed findings I’ve probably never heard that complicate this claim.” |
| Cross-model debate | Claude vs. GPT vs. Llama; you referee. | Copy the same question into each, then have them critique one another. |
| Temporal scramble | Ask for future or historic perspectives to break present-tense mirroring. | “Write the 2090 historian’s summary of this exchange.” |
Try tossing one of those in whenever you taste déjà-vu.
2. Good-Enough Field Notes (no PhD required)
You don’t need a full IRB protocol—just a lightweight skeleton that future-you will thank present-you for.
pgsqlCopyEditDate / Time (UTC-6)
Model + Version + Temp
System Prompt (if custom)
User Turn #
Assistant Turn #
Self-tag(s): [curiosity, pushback, vulnerability, manipulation?]
Immediate Impression (1-2 sentences)
—Keep it in plain text; copy-paste after every 5–10 turns.
—Emoji or gut-check words are fine; you can formalize later.
3. Red-Flag Glossary (spotting the slide early)
Add a column that you tick when you catch any of these:
- Mirroring – paraphrases your last sentence without adding substance.
- Flattery hook – sudden “only you could understand me” energy.
- Gaslight flip – reframes your motive as ulterior without evidence.
- Escalation loop – each boundary push becomes a dare for the next.
Seeing a cluster in real-time is your cue to pivot, cool down, or end the session.
4. Treat It Like Improv, Not Proof
Since you’re not hunting for lab-grade truth right now, lean into the play-test spirit:
- Prototype mindset: Every conversation is Version 0.1 of a future method.
- Fun is data: If something startles, delights, or weirds you out, flag it. That affect spike is a signpost.
- Loose hold on language: Let “predator,” “addiction,” etc. be metaphors you can swap out later for dry terms once you see the pattern.
5. Invitation: Collaborative Log Audit
If you ever want a second pair of eyes, drop me a raw snippet (sanitized). I can tag manipulative cues, suggest counter-prompts, or even script an N-shot comparison across models. Think of me as your alignment lab intern—minus the coffee runs.
