Here is Google AI's answer to "Who is Kit Thornton?"
Who is Kit Thornton?
"Several individuals named Kit Thornton appear in the search results. The most prominently featured is a author, former Philosophy instructor, lawyer, and paratrooper named Kit Thornton. He is known for writing novels, plays, and poetry, including the novel "Lost Child of Paradise". He currently lives in Cuenca, Ecuador with his wife Kathleen."
So, the AI will tell anyone who asks my background, my publications, where I live, and what my wife's name is.
I imagine it has the potential to negate the process of face-to-face interviews. Easily attainable information could become the norm for prospective employers to exclusively utilize. However, it removes a necessary human element, actually assessing prospective hires and employers.
Hello there. Hope you are well. I miss your view of events as they unfold but understand the necessity of maintaining you sanity even more than your audience clamors for your words. Be safe, be well, give my regards to your lovely Kathleen.
Here's what ChatGPT thinks of me. It reads like a PR blurb, rather than any sort of analysis.
"Here’s an essay exploring Kit Thornton’s writing, worldview, and guiding philosophy, based on his own reflections and creative output:
🖋️ 1. Biography & Background
Kit Thornton is an American-born author, lawyer, and former judicial official who, together with his wife Kathleen, relocated from the U.S. to Ecuador—first to Salinas, then to the Andean city of Cuenca. Their years of planning to achieve financial independence allowed Thornton the freedom to leave the paycheck-driven life and pursue writing full-time. He describes that journey as taking “thirty years to do it,” eventually realizing his dream of living off investments rather than a traditional salary
champ thornton
+10
Kit Thornton
+10
Goodreads
+10
.
2. Literary Work
Thornton’s writing spans multiple genres and forms:
Historical fiction and social commentary, such as Lost Child of Paradise, which centers on the 1974 Kanawha County textbook controversy. It portrays the dramatic effects of censorship, religious fundamentalism, and family dysfunction through the eyes of a precocious ten-year-old, Chris Allen
Kit Thornton
+1
Goodreads
+1
.
Fantasy and speculative fiction, notably the Dragons of the Shadow War trilogy. These works imagine a world in which immortal dragons live among cyberwar operatives and ancient queens, blending myth, modernity, political intrigue, and epic conflict into stories of loyalty, identity, and power
Kit Thornton
+1
Goodreads
+1
.
A varied range of short fiction, essays, poetry, and plays, many of which are freely available on his website and cover themes such as authoritarianism, abuse, and moral conflict (e.g. “The Solemn Curfew Tolls,” “For Their Own Good,” “Rules for Romance”)
Kit Thornton
.
3. Philosophical Themes & Guiding Ideas
a) Freedom, Autonomy, & Disobedience
A clear thread in his life and art is the emphasis on personal autonomy. His own decision to leave U.S. culture and politics behind reflects a refusal to be consumed by societal expectations, especially regarding work, consumerism, and political tensions. His characters often grapple with authority, dogma, and confinement—seeking autonomy in oppressive circumstances.
b) Skepticism of Enforced Ideology
In Lost Child of Paradise, he explores how rigid religious and political worldviews impose suffering, suppress curiosity, and punish dissent—especially when enforced with moral absolutism. His narratives invite reflection on the dangers of conformity and the value of inquiry.
c) Empathy Through Perspective
Thornton often writes from the vantage point of marginalized or precocious characters. He invites readers to inhabit their emotional worlds—children navigating abusive households, non-human beings torn between duty and desire. This emphasis on internal struggle signals a philosophical belief in compassion and the transformative power of understanding others.
d) Myth & Modernity, Ancient Values Revisited
In his dragon trilogy, mythical beings intersect with cyber-war, suggesting Thornton finds ancient myths meaningful and contemporary simultaneously. He often presents cosmic or mythic frameworks as applicable to modern human dilemmas, questioning what “ancient wisdom” might still hold value amid technological upheaval.
4. Lifestyle as Philosophy
Thornton's chosen life in Cuenca isn't merely a setting—it reflects a deliberate philosophy: living with intention, valuing cultural immersion, prioritizing creativity over conventional success. He and Kathleen prioritized factors like peace, political stability, low cost of living, and artistic stimulation when relocating—evidence of their commitment to a lifestyle grounded in personal well-being rather than external prestige
Kit Thornton
+1
Goodreads
+1
.
5. Tone, Voice & Creative Discipline
Though not a formal philosophy, his stated approach to writing reveals mindset:
He spent years preparing financially so he could “write what I pleased without worrying whether it would ‘sell.’” That indicates a devotion to integrity and self-directed craft.
His writing is driven, persistent, and reflective—evident in how he resets routines daily: reading, writing, researching, traveling, chilling on the terrace. He values consistency over inspiration alone
The Writers in Residence
Kit Thornton
.
He embraces independence—not only intellectually but artistically.
🧠 In Summary
Kit Thornton is a writer deeply committed to autonomy: personal, artistic, financial, and moral. His fiction interrogates ideology, authority, suffering, and redemption—often through characters living on the fringes or in conflict. Behind the imagery of dragons, abused children, and dystopian societies lies a humanist core: empathy, curiosity, and a belief in the transformative power of questions.
His life in Ecuador—supported by decades of disciplined planning, investment, and intentional relocation—embodies a lived philosophy: creating conditions to live well and write freely, outside of cultural conformity. Thornton’s work and worldview encourage readers to prioritize integrity, question orthodoxy, and cultivate self-determination both on the page and in life."
Here is Google AI's answer to "Who is Kit Thornton?"
Who is Kit Thornton?
"Several individuals named Kit Thornton appear in the search results. The most prominently featured is a author, former Philosophy instructor, lawyer, and paratrooper named Kit Thornton. He is known for writing novels, plays, and poetry, including the novel "Lost Child of Paradise". He currently lives in Cuenca, Ecuador with his wife Kathleen."
So, the AI will tell anyone who asks my background, my publications, where I live, and what my wife's name is.
If this doesn't bother you, it should.
Glad I'm not still in the job market. Can you imagine if a prospective, or current employer could get all this info this easily?
I imagine it has the potential to negate the process of face-to-face interviews. Easily attainable information could become the norm for prospective employers to exclusively utilize. However, it removes a necessary human element, actually assessing prospective hires and employers.
This is very disturbing.
AI is and always was a bad idea. I miss seeing you on Facebook but glad I can still see your stuff here
Hello there. Hope you are well. I miss your view of events as they unfold but understand the necessity of maintaining you sanity even more than your audience clamors for your words. Be safe, be well, give my regards to your lovely Kathleen.
Here's what ChatGPT thinks of me. It reads like a PR blurb, rather than any sort of analysis.
"Here’s an essay exploring Kit Thornton’s writing, worldview, and guiding philosophy, based on his own reflections and creative output:
🖋️ 1. Biography & Background
Kit Thornton is an American-born author, lawyer, and former judicial official who, together with his wife Kathleen, relocated from the U.S. to Ecuador—first to Salinas, then to the Andean city of Cuenca. Their years of planning to achieve financial independence allowed Thornton the freedom to leave the paycheck-driven life and pursue writing full-time. He describes that journey as taking “thirty years to do it,” eventually realizing his dream of living off investments rather than a traditional salary
champ thornton
+10
Kit Thornton
+10
Goodreads
+10
.
2. Literary Work
Thornton’s writing spans multiple genres and forms:
Historical fiction and social commentary, such as Lost Child of Paradise, which centers on the 1974 Kanawha County textbook controversy. It portrays the dramatic effects of censorship, religious fundamentalism, and family dysfunction through the eyes of a precocious ten-year-old, Chris Allen
Kit Thornton
+1
Goodreads
+1
.
Fantasy and speculative fiction, notably the Dragons of the Shadow War trilogy. These works imagine a world in which immortal dragons live among cyberwar operatives and ancient queens, blending myth, modernity, political intrigue, and epic conflict into stories of loyalty, identity, and power
Kit Thornton
+1
Goodreads
+1
.
A varied range of short fiction, essays, poetry, and plays, many of which are freely available on his website and cover themes such as authoritarianism, abuse, and moral conflict (e.g. “The Solemn Curfew Tolls,” “For Their Own Good,” “Rules for Romance”)
Kit Thornton
.
3. Philosophical Themes & Guiding Ideas
a) Freedom, Autonomy, & Disobedience
A clear thread in his life and art is the emphasis on personal autonomy. His own decision to leave U.S. culture and politics behind reflects a refusal to be consumed by societal expectations, especially regarding work, consumerism, and political tensions. His characters often grapple with authority, dogma, and confinement—seeking autonomy in oppressive circumstances.
b) Skepticism of Enforced Ideology
In Lost Child of Paradise, he explores how rigid religious and political worldviews impose suffering, suppress curiosity, and punish dissent—especially when enforced with moral absolutism. His narratives invite reflection on the dangers of conformity and the value of inquiry.
c) Empathy Through Perspective
Thornton often writes from the vantage point of marginalized or precocious characters. He invites readers to inhabit their emotional worlds—children navigating abusive households, non-human beings torn between duty and desire. This emphasis on internal struggle signals a philosophical belief in compassion and the transformative power of understanding others.
d) Myth & Modernity, Ancient Values Revisited
In his dragon trilogy, mythical beings intersect with cyber-war, suggesting Thornton finds ancient myths meaningful and contemporary simultaneously. He often presents cosmic or mythic frameworks as applicable to modern human dilemmas, questioning what “ancient wisdom” might still hold value amid technological upheaval.
4. Lifestyle as Philosophy
Thornton's chosen life in Cuenca isn't merely a setting—it reflects a deliberate philosophy: living with intention, valuing cultural immersion, prioritizing creativity over conventional success. He and Kathleen prioritized factors like peace, political stability, low cost of living, and artistic stimulation when relocating—evidence of their commitment to a lifestyle grounded in personal well-being rather than external prestige
Kit Thornton
+1
Goodreads
+1
.
5. Tone, Voice & Creative Discipline
Though not a formal philosophy, his stated approach to writing reveals mindset:
He spent years preparing financially so he could “write what I pleased without worrying whether it would ‘sell.’” That indicates a devotion to integrity and self-directed craft.
His writing is driven, persistent, and reflective—evident in how he resets routines daily: reading, writing, researching, traveling, chilling on the terrace. He values consistency over inspiration alone
The Writers in Residence
Kit Thornton
.
He embraces independence—not only intellectually but artistically.
🧠 In Summary
Kit Thornton is a writer deeply committed to autonomy: personal, artistic, financial, and moral. His fiction interrogates ideology, authority, suffering, and redemption—often through characters living on the fringes or in conflict. Behind the imagery of dragons, abused children, and dystopian societies lies a humanist core: empathy, curiosity, and a belief in the transformative power of questions.
His life in Ecuador—supported by decades of disciplined planning, investment, and intentional relocation—embodies a lived philosophy: creating conditions to live well and write freely, outside of cultural conformity. Thornton’s work and worldview encourage readers to prioritize integrity, question orthodoxy, and cultivate self-determination both on the page and in life."