How to Think Like a Computer

May 21

Today, I discovered something very, very bad.

I was walking down the halls of the building, trying to find a library—since I was very bored. I don't think there was one, anyway, since I never found it. I walked back to my room. Then I stopped, because I saw someone I recognized.

"Cam!" I yelled.

He spun around, his eyes widening when he saw me.

"Torrin! Did—"

"Why are you here?" I asked, running up to him.

"I... oh, gosh, Torrin, I'm so sorry...."

"That isn't an answer. Why are you here? Did Caulkins make you come here as well?"

Cam paused. He finally said, "I suppose you could say that."

"Will you help me convince Caulkins that Alan isn't dangerous?"

He didn't say anything, just stared at me. I was getting a little bit worried—Cam usually smiled and talked a lot. Perhaps he was a "prisoner" as well.

"Torrin," Cam said in a slow, quiet voice, "I'm really, really sorry. You could've gotten in so much more trouble. I know, Caulkins has the wrong ideas and all, but I didn't know what he was going to do to you if I didn't—"

"What are you talking about?" This did not sound good.

"Oh."

"What!"

"Well...."

"Tell me."

Again, Cam paused. Then he said, "I told Caulkins about Alan."

I stared at him.

"If I hadn't, he wouldn't have gone easy on you," Cam explained quickly. He sounded like people do when they're trying to make excuses for doing something wrong. "If I hadn't, he would've found out somehow, and done so much—"

I didn't speak for about ten seconds. I needed to process the information. But I was already getting a sick feeling in my stomach.

"Are you working for the Luddites?" I asked slowly, afraid of the answer.

"No!" he protested. But as an afterthought: "Well...."

It was like when Caulkins came to my house—everything changed. But this was change in a different way. I backed away from Cam, and ran in the opposite direction. He called after me, but I ignored him.

When you get information, you assume it's all true. Then you get more and more information and you use it to build up an idea of the world. But if you find out that some of the information you received is false, you have to rebuild your worldview. It's like when you build a house of cards—if you remove one card, the structure falls down.

This is why I don't lie unless I have to.

This is why I wish other people didn't lie.

Especially people who I trust.