Agony Ayi

You’ve got questions? She’s got answers

(But you probably won’t like them)

Dear Ayi, all my colleagues are using ChatGPT at work, but I don’t trust machines and I’m scared it will make mistakes.What should I do?

Anxious Andy

ChatGPT is just like my 沒用的老公 (méiyòng de lǎogōng, good-for-nothing husband)—it can’t be trusted without supervision.Sure, he shows up with his 工資 (gōngzī, pay check) at the end of the month,but you have to check the numbers carefully in case he’s hiding any 私房錢 (sīfángqián, secret stash of money).Just like how my 沒良心的 (méi liángxīn de,heartless) husband might blow all our savings at the麻將桌 (májiàngzhuō, mahjong table), a robot could ruin your life when you least expected.

Use it like the 中藥 (zhōngyào, traditional Chinese medicine) herbal tea I take every day—it’s good for my health but I don’t expect it to cure everything.Why is everyone nowadays obsessed with trying to find shortcuts to doing a bit of 勞動 (láodòng, hard work), anyway?

Ayi, my grandmother is obsessed with her cellphone.All she does is watch Douyin,and even sends money to influencers on livestreams! How do I get her to stop?

Concerned granddaughter

You kids are so 自私 (zìsī, selfish)! My generation辛苦一輩子 (xīnkǔ yíbèizi, worked hard our whole life), aren’t we entitled to some leisure for once?Whether it’s square dancing or watching 短視頻(duǎnshìpín, short videos), your grandmother can do whatever makes her happy.What’s it to you if she spends some money? She’s not using your salary! Worried about your inheritance, huh?

And remind me, what’s the difference between grandparents buying things for our favorite 網紅 (wǎnghóng, influencer) and you youngsters spending thousands on 演唱會門票 (yǎnchànghuì ménpiào, concert tickets) to see 小鮮肉 (xiǎo xiānròu, “little fresh meat” or young male celebrities) from 100 rows back? At least I get some use out of the stuff I buy online.Look at this wall of 廁紙 (cèzhǐ, toilet paper) I bought during雙十一 (Shuāng Shíyī, Singles Day).I got them for next to nothing!