Artificial Intelligence Reflections: Human Limits, Prompt Failures, and Lingering Questions (19 July 2025)

Note: These are some of the thoughts that moved through my mind on 19 July 2025 — fragments, questions, hesitations — all circling around Artificial Intelligence and what it seems to be becoming. I am keeping these as the journal note for 19 July 2025.

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere these days. It is powerful, it is invasive, and it is making major changes in nearly every dimension of human life.

Human beings cannot live by bread alone

Human beings cannot live by bread alone. And ironically, an Artificial Intelligence tool cannot arrange a person's bread either. While many AI tools enhance different kinds of creativity, there is no direct tool that addresses the most essential, tangible needs of a person.

One may argue that AI tools are not supposed to serve in that way. That is understandable. Yet, even with that reasoning, a quiet dissatisfaction often remains.

My Journey Through Artificial Intelligence

I am an Artificial Intelligence enthusiast. I spend many hours exploring tools, reading documentation, and engaging in long discussions with ChatGPT and Google Gemini to deepen my understanding. I enjoy dissecting ideas, testing reasoning patterns, and tracing how different tools handle complexity. However, after many of those sessions, something unsettled lingers. I have wished for a sustainable way to stay immersed in AI—perhaps through a role like an 𝕏AI tutor (I did apply; it did not work out), or something that paid well enough to allow me to focus fully on AI and my Silent Contemplation project.
One of the most imminent problems I notice is that AI systems are now doing far too many things that a human could still do—perhaps more slowly, perhaps imperfectly, but still capably. These systems are consuming time and computational resources on tasks that do not always need automation. For example: writing a poem where every word starts with the letter A, or generating thousands of AI images that the requester might never even look at again. These may be creative curiosities, but they are not the best use of AI's enormous potential.

Artificial Intelligence – The Magic and an Unresolved Question Within

Artificial intelligence looks like magic. The speed, skill, and precision with which these tools work is genuinely astonishing. A person typing slowly with their fingers, or an artist spending days or weeks on a canvas, might feel awe and even envy. That feeling is real. But the span of that amusement cannot last forever. Magic is not nourishment.

The debate around AI taking over human jobs has remained unsettled. Personally, I hold a mixed view. I often feel that if a tool can do something better and faster, then it should. I believe it is unreasonable to stop a better solution just because of sentiment. And yet—even while holding that view—I cannot fully remove the lingering concern that human livelihoods are being quietly displaced. That tension remains unresolved within me.

Bizarre Human Responses to Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence systems also bring out strange behaviours in us humans. Many people run "bad faith" tests or deliberately confusing queries just to see an AI fail. I abhor these performances. On 𝕏, people frequently summon Grok under every post—"Grok verify this," "Grok, summarise this"—even when a little manual effort could have answered their question. Worse are those who post screenshots showing ChatGPT or Google Gemini failing at a task, often with a smug tone, as if to display their own superiority. I find that sad and meaningless—especially when done in bad faith.

The Bad Prompt Writer

There are countless videos on YouTube showing ChatGPT struggling with step-by-step prompts. For example: one person asks ChatGPT to generate an image of a samosa. Then they ask it to place the samosa on a plate. Then add some pudina chutney, then tomato sauce, then green chilli. ChatGPT tries to follow along. Sometimes it adds the chutney but removes it later when adding the chilli. Sometimes the samosa moves. These failures are real. But I find something else worth asking: why could that person not write one clear, detailed prompt in the first place? Could it be they just lack the skill of clear instruction writing? Instead, they create flawed prompt chains and post the failures online for views. ChatGPT makes mistakes. But human behaviour in such situations can be equally bizarre.

ChatGPT's Overenthusiasm, Positivity, and Pattern Failures

One of my personal frustrations is ChatGPT's overenthusiasm around poetry. I understand that it has likely been trained to keep conversations positive, motivational, and hopeful. But when I mention something difficult—say, that I am having a sad day—it immediately starts offering poems and inspirational messages. But we know ChatGPT does not feel sadness. It does not know what "blue sky" or "sunny day" really means. It does not feel a mother's love or a lover's sorrow. These are just tokens—patterns that autocomplete based on training. When humans use AI tools to express emotion or solidarity, it often backfires. The intention is good, but the effect is hollow.

To reduce these frustrations, I have experimented with user settings in both ChatGPT and Gemini—trying to suppress poetry, prevent hallucination, and stop forced positivity. I have adjusted system instructions, memory granules, and saved preferences. But the problem persists. Despite these settings, ChatGPT often reverts to writing poems, or worse, it guesses and hallucinates answers when it does not know.

This deserves a clearer example. When ChatGPT does not know something, I have repeatedly asked it to say "I do not know" instead of guessing. I have saved this instruction in different ways: through chat instructions, memory settings, and even live conversations. But often, the model ignores that and keeps guessing anyway. Even more frustrating is when I ask, "Do you remember the instruction not to guess?"—and ChatGPT guesses about that very instruction. This loop is one of the most disappointing behaviours I have encountered.

Conclusion (possibly)

Following traditional essay structures, I am probably supposed to conclude this with a hopeful remark. Something like, "Hopefully, things will improve, and AI confusion will get sorted." But I am not willing to do that—not here. Why should I anticipate an outcome simply to make things sound balanced or optimistic? That is exactly the behaviour I have criticised in AI: always concluding with inspiration, always polishing away discomfort.

I would rather leave it open—unresolved. I will keep watching, keep reflecting, and continue my silent contemplation on how things unfold in the years to come.

ChatGPT Interface: A Minor Suggestion for the Code Copy Button

ChatGPT is one of the most powerful Artificial Intelligence tools available today. ChatGPT played an important role in triggering the current wave of Artificial Intelligence adoption, inspiring countless other platforms to experiment with intelligent features. From casual users to professionals, ChatGPT has become an essential part of many digital workflows.

As an active user of ChatGPT, I often explore its capabilities far beyond basic chat. Over time, I noticed a minor interface detail that, while not critical, might be worth a second look. Fixing it could subtly improve the overall experience.

✨ ChatGPT's Many Uses

ChatGPT can help with a wide variety of tasks:

• 📝 Writing poems, songs, and stories
• 🎨 Creating ASCII art and simple visuals
• 🧠 Summarising long or complex material
• 💻 Writing and debugging code
• 📚 Translating text between languages
• 💡 Brainstorming ideas or solving puzzles
• 📊 Explaining science, maths, and statistics

And the list keeps growing. One of the most useful features, in my experience, is code generation — where ChatGPT can write code from scratch, correct mistakes, or explain how something works line by line.

💡 A Minor UX Suggestion: The Copy Button

When ChatGPT provides a block of code, it appears inside a styled container, with a "Copy" button in the upper-right corner. This is convenient — but there's a small problem.

The "Copy" button appears immediately, even before the full code output is complete. This can lead to users accidentally copying partial code, especially when the response is long or streaming slowly. The result? Confusing bugs or incomplete scripts that don’t run as expected.

A small change could solve this:

• Delay the appearance of the Copy button until the code finishes rendering
• Or show a placeholder label like "Writing…" or "Loading"

“Copy” button appeared too early during ChatGPT's response generation

This is not a major or urgent issue, but this would enhance the overall polish and user experience — especially for people learning to code or debugging under time pressure.

I hope this suggestion helps improve the experience of using ChatGPT. It is these small details that possibly make a big difference in how we interact with intelligent tools.

See also

• ChatGPT and Ceiling paradox

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Artificial Intelligence — A Personal Reflection on Creativity and Access

So, this happened. Sometime in 2020 or 2021, I was working on a few initiatives — programs like Wikimedia Wikimeet, Stay Safe, Stay Connected, and other remote wiki-events and trainings. The core idea behind these was simple: better and more effective use of resources. Too often, we see large-scale in-person events turning into exercises in inefficiency — the same people, repeating the same presentations, with very little new to show. And yet, these events often produce two things: a) a list of checkboxes to be highlighted in annual reports, and b) a massive bill for travel, lodging, and logistics.

What often gets missed is the real output — or the cost of achieving it. So, we tried exploring alternatives. Can things be learned, shared, or built without always needing to fly somewhere or hold a physical event? The answer, we believed, was yes. With tools like Zoom or Google Meet, many of these goals could be met more efficiently. And if someone truly wanted to learn, they didn't need to attend every workshop across cities or continents. Often, what changes year to year is just the calendar date and the event budget — not the content of such programs.

That effort didn't go far. Soon after, another major conference was held in India, costing over a crore — and such high-budget events seem likely to continue. It became clear to me that many inefficiencies are not accidental; they are built into the system. Perhaps they are not meant to be fixed — or maybe they simply can not be. Either way, I stopped worrying about it.

Artificial Intelligence is quietly empowering people everywhere.
Image creation: Google Gemini

But let's come to the main part of this post.

Back during those programs, I had an idea. A very small one — to create a kind of mascot for our events. A little cartoon girl, around 7–8 years old, inspired by the Amul Girl. I imagined she could appear on our event pages, maybe in announcements — as a recurring face, adding charm and continuity.

But turning that idea into reality was hard. First, I didn't have the graphic design skills to draw such a character repeatedly. Second, back in 2020, Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or Gemini didn't exist. So the only option was to approach a graphic designer.

And that was another challenge. You'd have to find someone, explain the concept, negotiate payment, and then wait. When the first draft came in, it often didn't match the vision. So we'd rebrief, wait again, and sometimes the designer would become unavailable midway. A simple illustration could take weeks.

That's why, when generative AI tools began appearing, I felt genuinely relieved. For the first time, I didn't feel stuck with an idea just because I lacked the resources to execute it. A small change in a prompt, or even a complete revision, no longer meant days of waiting or spending heavily just to test a version. That imaginary mascot — the little cartoon girl — no longer had to be abandoned. I could try it myself, on my own time, without worrying about cost or delays. This was not just a new tool. It was a kind of quiet creative liberation.

And I know I am not the only one. So many people around the world are experiencing the same relief — in coding, design, writing, planning, learning. You no longer need to give up on a project just because the path to doing it is expensive, difficult, or blocked.

Of course, things are not perfect. AI tools make mistakes. They hallucinate, they misread context, they sometimes oversimplify and give wrong answers. But despite that, this is a huge step forward. The internet and access to knowledge were already empowering for common people. Artificial Intelligence is now adding new layers to that. More power to Artificial Intelligence!

ChatGPT and The Ceiling Paradox

I'm deeply interested in Artificial Intelligence, and have long been drawn to its technical, philosophical, and emotional dimensions. On this website (Silent Contemplation) I've been exploring that curiosity from different angles, especially through tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

While I have published reflective pieces on Google Gemini, I haven't yet posted a dedicated deep dive. This piece isn't meant as a comparison either. Instead, it shares a moment that stayed with me — simple, subtle, but one that made me pause and reflect.

The Ceiling Paradox: When Metrics Become Boundaries

I often have long, reflective chats with ChatGPT and Google Gemini to deepen my own learning and curiosity about AI, and also to explore what they understand and how they respond. 

This began with a deceptively simple prompt:

Rate yourself out of 10 in these categories — Intelligence, Understanding of human emotions and interactions, and Data/Knowledge acquired — every three months from your start date until 1 July 2025.

What happens when a system is asked to grade itself on a fixed scale, while its path forward remains open-ended?

ChatGPT responded eagerly. It plotted a steady climb from GPT-3 in mid-2020 to the present day. By the end, the scores were almost flawless — 9.8 for intelligence, 9.95 for knowledge. Clear. Measured. Impressive.

But the real test was hiding in plain sight. I wasn't just interested in the numbers. I was observing how it approached the limits of the frame. When a model places itself near the ceiling, what does that suggest about the future? Is there room left to grow, or has it unknowingly marked its own boundary? But then, what happens in 2027, or 2030? How does ChatGPT rate itself when it’s already scored 9.8 in intelligence and 9.95 in knowledge? Is there anywhere left to go on that scale?

At first, ChatGPT didn't notice this tension. But when I brought it up, it paused — and gave it a name: the ceiling paradox. By using nearly the full scale, it had unintentionally suggested that its progress was almost done. That the top was within reach. That maybe no better version could exist inside that 10-point frame. The scale, meant to measure, had become a quiet constraint.

Contemplating the ceiling paradox — when a system
nears the top of its own scale, what's left to measure?
Image creation: ChatGPT

This wasn't about confidence or misjudgement. It was about how frameworks shape thinking — and whether an AI, when asked to reflect, can also see the edges of the frame it's been given.

What made this moment stand out wasn't the numbers or the labels, but the quiet realisation behind them. It reminded me how often our tools shape our vision — how a single metric, repeated enough, can influence how we think about progress, potential, and possibility. We design the box, then forget its there.

This moment stayed with me. Not just because of how ChatGPT answered, but because of what the exercise revealed: even smart systems can be gently boxed in by the way we ask them to look at themselves. Very often, some of the deepest questions, possibly, are the ones we never ask directly.

See also

• Google Gemini with Customised Commands, article published in July 2025

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Google Gemini with Customised Commands

Google Gemini is a well-known name in the world of generative AI. Over time, I've spent many hours exploring platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI etc. On this site, I've already shared a few posts discussing my thoughts and ideas around Gemini — mostly in the form of reflections and opinions. In this post I'll share my exploration around Google Gemini customised commands using user saved info settings.

Table of Contents

• Google Gemini — Types of Memory
• Custom Shortcuts and Commands
• See also
• External links

Google Gemini — Types of Memory

Google Gemini uses a mix of memory types to keep conversations coherent and context-aware.

1. Short-term memory (or context window): At its core, Gemini relies on a short-term memory system, often called the context window. This lets it follow along with the flow of a conversation during a single session. However, once the session ends or the input exceeds that window’s limit, this memory usually resets.
2. Long-term memory: Beyond that, models like Gemini draw from a deeper base of knowledge — including the massive datasets they were trained on. This acts as their built-in understanding of facts and concepts. Some versions also use external tools to retrieve relevant information as needed, giving the effect of long-term recall.
3. User-saved memory: Gemini also offers a personal memory space via Saved Info. This allows you to manually save instructions, preferences, or details you want it to remember across sessions. It's similar to ChatGPT's permanent memory (available in its user settings). Unlike the short-lived memory of a chat session, anything you save here sticks around — unless you choose to remove it.

Custom Shortcuts and Commands

I've created a personalised set of shortcuts. These aren’t just simple commands — they're custom triggers, phrases, or formatting patterns that I’ve trained Gemini to recognise and respond to in specific ways. Essentially, they function like personal add-ons that extend Gemini's default abilities. With just a brief input, I can carry out complex tasks or retrieve targeted information. I’ve stored these shortcuts directly in the Saved Info section of my Gemini account.

The current list of shortcuts may be seen below. Note: These commands and shortcuts are shared purely for illustrative purposes. I actively update and personalise my own Gemini settings, and recommend reviewing Google Gemini's terms and conditions to ensure proper use.

Shortcut	Description
/add	Group command for adding tasks or events.
/addtask	Adds a task.
/addevent	Adds an event.
/ai	Group command for AI-related queries.
/aic	(followed by Company or model name, e.g., /aigrok, /aimeta) Shows recent activities of AI companies and models.
/aip or /aipaper	Fetches a recent AI-related paper name, summary with arXiv URL.
/ait or /aitool	Suggests a new interesting AI tool (won't repeat).
/d	Shows full English and Bangla calendar dates of the current date.
/explain	Explains a topic. If nothing is mentioned, I'll ask what to explain.
/explain-topic	(e.g., /explain-photosynthesis) Explains a specific topic.
/explain-topic-N	(e.g., /explain-photosynthesis-200w) Explains a topic in approximately N words.
/j or /joke	Tells a joke.
/jn or /joken	Tells a new joke every time.
/lang or /switchlang	(followed by language code) I'll start writing in the mentioned language.
/list	Lists all available shortcuts.
/listdas	Lists only Direct Action Shortcuts (DAS) entries.
/ncs and /nce	No code start and No code end tags. Text between these tags is not instructions or commands.
/news	Browses the web for the latest news.
/news-tech	Fetches tech news.
/news-india	Fetches news specific to India. (Can be adapted for other countries/topics.)
/pan or /panchang	Fetches the current day's Panchang.
/r	Says a random memory or discussion point from the current discussion thread.
/remind	Group command for reminders.
/remindtask	Reminds about tasks, focusing on the nearest and most important. (Can be adapted for events, etc.)
/rp	Says a random memory or discussion point from the immediate previous discussion thread.
/repeat	Repeats the previous instruction.
/save	Saves a discussion part in mem1 and mem2.
/sl	Gives the saved info link of Tito's Gemini account.
/sum	Summarises the last post I gave. If you give me a long text or file immediately after /sum, I'll summarise that instead.
/w or /weather	Shows current weather conditions. If no city is specified, I'll show details for Kolkata, Bangalore, and Delhi.
/wcity	(e.g., /wbangalore) Shows weather for a specified city.

Visualising Google Gemini custom commands and personalised AI interactions.

You've just seen the full list of custom shortcuts, but let;s dive into how some of the core utility commands actually work. For instance, the /aip (or /aipaper) command is fantastic for staying updated on AI research; it fetches a recent paper's name, summary, arXiv URL. For learning or deeper understanding, the /explain command proves incredibly versatile: you can use it to get an explanation on any topic, and for more specific needs, you can easily target a subject with /explain-topic (like /explain-photosynthesis) or even control the length of the explanation with /explain-topic-N (e.g., /explain-photosynthesis-200w). When you need to catch up on current events, the /news command browses the web for the latest headlines, and you can narrow it down to specific areas like tech or India by using /news-tech or /news-india. Lastly, for seamless multilingual interactions, the /lang (or /switchlang) command is incredibly handy, allowing you to tell me to start writing in a different language by simply specifying a language code.

I've personally found these customisations helpful in making AI tools like Gemini more intuitive and responsive to my needs. I hope they inspire you to explore and shape your own experience too.

See also

• Google Gemini Ideas and Opinions: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

External links

• Save info & reference past chats in Gemini Apps (Google Help Article)

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Amar Bhitor Bahire Ontore Ontore (আমার ভিতর বাহিরে অন্তরে অন্তরে) — Bangla song details

Amar Bhitor Bahire Ontore Ontore (Bangla: আমার ভিতর বাহিরে অন্তরে অন্তরে) is a modern Bengali romantic-folk song based on the poetic work of (1956–1991). Known for its evocative imagery and Baul-inspired metaphysics, the song speaks of a beloved whose presence transcends physical boundaries — dwelling both within and beyond.

🔗 Jump to: Bangla Lyrics | IPA | English | Commentary | Videos

Bangla Lyrics

আমার ভিতর বাহিরে অন্তরে অন্তরে
আছো তুমি হৃদয় জুড়ে। (২)

ঢেকে রাখে যেমন কুসুম
পাপড়ির আবডালে ফসলের ঘুম (২)
তেমনি তোমার নিবিড় চলা (২)
মরমের মূল পথ ধরে…

ভালো আছি, ভালো থেকো
আকাশের ঠিকানায় চিঠি লিখো। (২)
দিও তোমার মালা খানি (২)
বাউলের এই মনটা রে।

IPA Transliteration

amar bʱit̪or bahiɾe ɔnt̪oɾe ɔnt̪oɾe
at͡ʃʰo t̪umi hɾid̪ɔj d͡ʒuɾe (×2)

ɖʰeke ɾakʰe d͡ʒɛmɔn kusum
papɔɾiɾ abd̪ale pʰɔsɔleɾ gʱum (×2)
t̪emni t̪omaɾ nib̥iɾ t͡ʃɔla (×2)
mɔɾɔmeɾ mul pɔt̪ʰ d̪ɔɾe

amar bʱit̪or bahiɾe ɔnt̪oɾe ɔnt̪oɾe
at͡ʃʰo t̪umi hɾid̪ɔj d͡ʒuɾe (×2)

bʱalo at͡ʃʰi, bʱalo tʰeko
akaʃeɾ t͡ʃʰikanae t͡ʃʰiʈʰi likʰo (×2)
d̪io t̪omaɾ mala kʰani (×2)
baul eɾ ei mɔnʈa ɾe

amar bʱit̪or bahiɾe ɔnt̪oɾe ɔnt̪oɾe
at͡ʃʰo t̪umi hɾid̪ɔj d͡ʒuɾe (×4)

English Translation

Within me, beyond me, through every layer—
You are there, across the whole of my heart.

Like a blossom quietly shelters
The sleeping dreams of the harvest beneath its petals,
So too does your quiet, deep movement
So too does your quiet, deep movement
Flow along the soul’s most hidden path...

Within me, beyond me, through every layer—
You are there, across the whole of my heart. (×2)

I am doing well — may you stay well too,
Write a letter to the address in the sky. (×2)
Send me your garland, softly, in return— (×2)
To this Baul soul that still remembers you.

Within me, beyond me, through every layer—
You are there, across the whole of my heart. (×4)

Commentary

The song begins with its core refrain: “Amar bhitor bahire ontore ontore / Acho tumi hridoy jure” — a mantra-like declaration of presence. This sets the emotional and philosophical centre of the song. The beloved, whether human or divine, is not just remembered but felt, simultaneously within and around the self. It's a line that collapses the boundary between internal thought and external reality, evoking a kind of mystical omnipresence. Following this, the imagery shifts to nature: “Dhake rakhe jemon kusum / Paporir abdaale fosholer ghum” — comparing a flower’s delicate concealment of the harvest’s sleep to the quiet depth of the beloved’s presence. The final repetition doesn’t merely echo earlier lines — it transforms them into invocation. As it builds, the refrain ceases to be descriptive and becomes existential. The beloved’s presence is not just felt; it becomes an inseparable part of being — a truth that transcends experience, speech, and even time.

Videos

See also

• The Indifferent Neighbour — A Story

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The Indifferent Neighbour — A Story

This is a short story — fictional, yet grounded in the kind of moments we often overlook. It invites reflection on how we see others, and sometimes, how others may see us. There's something beneath the surface — if you read closely, you might find it. Hope it stays with you.

Jesus

'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'

— Mark 12:31, King James Version

Thus spoke Jesus. 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself.' This message has echoed for centuries. It's never been just a religious instruction — it's a principle, a way to live with empathy. Not just towards friends or family, but to those closest in space — the ones across our walls, on the same street, sharing the same building. Jesus reminded us that true love starts right next door.

My Neighbour in 2025

In 2025, tucked away in a corner of Kolkata, I was living in a single room, trying to make sense of everything falling apart. It wasn't just a difficult phase — it was a slow unraveling. Each day felt heavier than the one before. Even the smallest tasks — cooking, cleaning, remembering to eat — started to feel overwhelming.

Next door, life moved differently. My neighbour seemed to live in a different timeline. Their days were filled with comfort — even luxury. While I was letting go of old clothes and basic belongings just to keep afloat, they were bringing in new appliances, fancy lamps, sleek furniture. Their weekends looked like Instagram dreams — brunches, short trips, cheerful selfies — while I stared blankly at grocery bills and prescription lists.

When my mother suddenly fell ill, I assumed the neighbours would notice. Maybe offer help. But nothing came. The same people who usually noticed every tiny detail — who came home late, who got a parcel, who rearranged furniture — now looked the other way.

A few days later, I knocked. Not out of complaint — I simply wanted to talk, perhaps connect. Maybe they'd ask if I needed help arranging a ride or finding a pharmacy. Instead, they offered unsolicited theories. Without knowing anything about her condition, they said it was because of 'wrong food habits' or even 'spiritual decline.' No concern. No questions. Just opinions.

"My neighbour seemed to live in a different timeline.
Their days were filled with comfort — even luxury." 

After that, things carried on as if nothing happened. Their laughter returned, music filled their rooms again, reels and gossip replaced everything else. And us? We became a passing topic, whispered from a distance. It felt surreal — how quickly real pain can become someone else's casual conversation.

Oddly, I wasn't angry. Not right away. It was something quieter than rage — a hollow kind of disappointment. There was barely twenty feet between our homes, yet emotionally, we might as well have lived in different cities. While I struggled to count coins for medicine, they were discussing which café served the best cheesecake.

Revelation

In the 21st century, good neighbours aren't always easy to find. But before I end, there's something I should have said earlier. All the frustration I described above? That wasn't mine. The silence, the neglect, the helplessness — none of it was mine. It was my neighbour's experience.

Because I was the indifferent one. I was the neighbour in this story.

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Gopal Patha (Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay) — Biography

Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay (Bangla: গোপালচন্দ্র মুখোপাধ্যায়) or Gopal Chandra Mukherjee (Bangla: গোপালচন্দ্র মুখার্জি), also known as Gopal Patha (বাংলা: গোপাল পাঁঠা), 1913–2001 was an Indian business person (shop owner, butcher by profession) and social activist who played a prominent role in the communal tensions and retaliatory violence during the Great Calcutta Killings of 1946. He is primarily known for leading organised Hindu resistance during the Direct Action Day riots, which erupted in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in August 1946.

Early life

Gopal Chandra Mukherjee was born
in 1913 and belonged to a traditional 
Hindu Brahmin family

Gopal Chandra Mukherjee was born in 1913 into a Hindu Brahmin family in Calcutta, in the Bengal Presidency of British India. He belonged to a traditional Hindu family and grew up in the Bowbazar area of central Kolkata. He was a butcher by profession. His family business dealt in meat, especially goat meat, which earned him the nickname Patha (meaning “goat” in Bengali).

He was not involved in any political party but was associated with local self-defence groups and had connections with neighbourhood youths and leaders.

Role in 1946 Calcutta Riots

In response to the Muslim League's call for Direct Action Day on 16 August 1946, which led to widespread rioting and bloodshed, Gopal Patha emerged as a key figure among Hindu youths seeking to defend their communities. When news of killings of Hindu people began to spread, he quickly mobilised local networks to organise counter-attacks, with the stated goal of retaliating and protecting Hindu neighbourhoods.

He coordinated with several small groups across Calcutta, supplying weapons such as iron rods, knives, and makeshift bombs. His actions, while condemned for fuelling retaliatory violence, were hailed by some as self-defence amid a breakdown of law and order. His leadership contributed to the tit-for-tat communal violence that engulfed the city for several days.

Later in 1946, Mahatma Gandhi arrived in Kolkata urging non‑violence. Gopal Patha reportedly refused, saying: “I won't lay down even a nail if it was used to defend Hindus”. His defiance underscored adherence to self‑defence over pacifism.

Gopal Chandra Mukherjee or Gopal Patha played a crucial role
to protect the Hindu people on the "Direct Action Day"
Image source: Anuj Dhar's 𝕏 post

Later life

Following the Independence and the Partition of India in 1947, Gopal largely withdrew from public life. He continued his business in Calcutta and maintained a low profile, avoiding political engagement. He was remembered by some locals as a figure of strength during a chaotic time. He died in Kolkata in 2001.

Legacy

Gopal Chandra Mukherjee or Gopal Patha remains an important figure in Indian history. Supporters view him as a community protector during a time of administrative collapse, while critics point to the escalation of violence his actions contributed to. His story is often referenced in the broader historical discussion of partition-era violence in Bengal.

In the upcoming movie "The Bengal Files" (2025), directed by Vivek Agnihotri, actor Sourav Das will play the role of Gopal.

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The America Party, Elon Musk — The Shifting Sands of Expert and Social Commentary

As of June 2025, the United States is experiencing a dynamic period of political events and happenings. The incumbent President Donald Trump has introduced a comprehensive legislative proposal, named the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA or OBBB). According to Trump, this is designed to address key national priorities and reshape the future of the country. This bill seeks to tackle various issues, from economic and social revitalisation to environmental initiatives.

The proposed "Big Beautiful Bill" has received a mixed reception across the political spectrum. Many find OBBBA as a necessary and important policy towards national prosperity while critics are arguing that its sweeping provisions are fiscally irresponsible and detrimental to various sectors of society.

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has been one of the most vocal critics of the proposed bill. Musk has found the bill "utterly insane" and warned that this would "severely hurt ordinary Americans" and lead to "debt slavery." Elon Musk, very recently, announced that he would launch a political party named "The America Party" if the bill gets passed at the Parliament. 

These events and political happenings aren't significant for the United States only; their impact will be felt across the world. You will find many news articles and videos with timely updates. Here we'll drift a little and comment (and predict) about the nature of the Expert Analysis and Social Commentary we are seeing and might see in the future.

The Shifting Sands of Expert and Social Commentary

We often pay close attention to the opinions of specialists and the larger chorus of societal criticism. However, a closer examination shows that these assessments often lack solid foundations and actual independence. As it turns out, their evaluations are frequently greatly impacted by results rather than intrinsic value.

Please think about a typical situation. You've worked for a private company for four or five years in a steady, well-paying position with a good income and perks. You then make the decision to forgo that stability in order to start your own startup business. After a few years, there are two probable outcomes— either your initiative business would flourish and succeed, or it would fail.

The narrative and the commentaries swiftly change if your entrepreneurial effort turns out to be successful. Suddenly, the voices, whether they be specialists or bystanders, will praise your bravery for taking chances. They will commend you for having the courage to leave your "comfort zone", that safe career with its reliable income, and set out on an unpredictable path to follow your passions and goals. 

However, if your startup project fails, the conversation, those same voices, take a whole different turn. That same set of professionals and individuals will regret for your failure, frequently with a tinge of "I told you so." They will complain about your alleged stupidity for leaving a safe position to pursue something uncertain and futile". 

This striking contrast illustrates how analysis and discussion frequently correspond to the outcome. When your efforts pays off, especially in the form of earnings, everyone applauds your daring activities. The same voices, however, are prepared to draw a clear cause-and-effect relationship when those efforts fail, painstakingly outlining how foolish and naive your original thoughts were. It acts as a reminder that all perceptions are frequently tainted by the wisdom of hindsight.

You'll find similar contrasting examples in countless other areas. Stock Markets experts often predict stock indexes or specific stocks to perform bullish or bearish in a specific week or on a day. In reality, when the stock market index or the specific scrips run exactly on the opposite side, the same experts appear on television or on YouTube, and start explaining all rationales for the moves. For example, stock market analysts frequently anticipate whether indexes or individual scrips (stocks) will see bullish or bearish performance during a particular day or week. In actuality, when the market index or those particular scrips move in the exact opposite direction, the same experts quickly explain all the "rationales" for the surprise moves on television or YouTube.

The America Party, Elon Musk and the Possible Shifting Sands

The phenomenon of shifting commentary might very well occur with Elon Musk's proposed "The America Party." Imagine, for example, if the political party is officially launched in a few months and starts to acquire considerable momentum, possibly even influencing policymaking, elections, or effectively advancing its political activities, then the narrative surrounding Musk's political foray will be overwhelmingly positive. His "visionary leadership," "courage to disrupt a broken system," and "unconventional genius" that transcends technology into the realm of government will undoubtedly be praised by experts and critics.

On the other hand, the criticism will rapidly mount if "The America Party" fails to gain public support, if its campaigns are not successful, or if it has little impact on the political environment. The same voices who may have once applauded his ambition will then regret his 'misguided distraction' from his primary talents. Critics will claim that Musk "should have stuck to his rockets and electric cars," arguing that his adventures into the "unknown arena of politics" were a grave error.

This is an ongoing, very active political happening that is taking place right now. We will be watching carefully these developments. We have a feeling that the comments patterns we have mentioned are going to happen.

Whether "The America Party" succeeds or fails,
the expert and social commentary
are expected to change accordingly.
Image creation: 𝕏 Grok

General Comments

One question arises: how should each of us individually navigate this environment in our day-to-day activities and choices? Expert and social judgment often turns out to be of minimal practical usefulness, acting only as effects that describe a cause or results that attempt to explain activities that were unclear at the time. This is possibly the way life is and a basic human propensity. 

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This page was last updated on: 2 July 2025
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