I’m the lead programmer for the Content Spooling Network. We send out article ghostwriting requests to Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. The process is so modularized that 50-100 turk workers typically have their hand in each article and article rewrite job.

The interface between computers and humans can often produce humorous results.

The latest incident involved a task request we sent to the turk for 4 variations of the phrase “Be Yourself.” Due to a programming problem, we inadvertently rejected them all and kept sending more requests to make up for the rejections.

I caught it 5 days later, fixed the code, and just paid out 15 cents each to the 78 turk workers for the mistaken rejections.

Here’s the 78 variations of “Be Yourself,” straight from the turks (some duplicates):

Do not change.
Be on your own.
Don’t hide yourself.
Be you.
Always Practice uniqueness.
Stay you.
Keep It Real.
Act like the individual that you are.
Act without pretense
Always remember to be yourself!
Be Natural.
Just be yourself.
Act naturally.
Act like you!
Remain original.
Keep your individuality.
Just be you.
Yourself Be.
Achieve personal integrity.
Act Like You.
Act like you.
Just be honest.
Don’t be fake.
Remain true.
Just be yourself.
Exist as You.
Just be yourself!
Be An Individual.
Always be yourself.
The true you.
Act Independent.
Act naturally.
Do not try to imitate others.
Just be you!
Stay real.
Be Original.
Your way.
Just be yourself.
Don’t be phony!
Don’t imitate.
Be what you are.
Stay the Same.
Stay true.
Retain your identity.
Be True.
Act naturally.
Let yourself shine.
Be spontaneous.
Be your own.
Don’t be fake.
Relax. Have fun.
Act like yourself.
Act natural.
Behave as yourself.
Be authentic.
Express your Individuality.
Be your own
Keep it real.
Be you
Don’t Change.
Be You.
Yourself. That’s righ!
Just be you.
Act as yourself
Stay True.
Don’t conform.
Be You.
Avoid pretence.
Don’t change yourself.
Act Natural.
Express Your Individuality.
Live authentically.
Be true to yourself by being yourself.
Just be you.
Just be you.
Be an individual.
Be you.
Behave Sincerely.