How to Defeat A Machine

Writing A Personal Genealogy of Machines

I must have been about ten years old when I encountered my first smart machine. It was supposed to be a lie detector device. A friend thought I had stolen one of their toys and goaded me to take a test to prove my innocence. Their dad had an electronics repair shop, and so when they brought out this rectangular metal box with wires hanging off of it, it was believable. It is 1981, before the invention of the personal computer, but this didn't prevent me from believing that this box could shock me. Even though I knew that I hadn't taken the toy, I refused to be hooked up to the machine, and lived with the consequences of being an assumed little thief, at least for a few weeks.

Although I falsely believed it was a lie detector machine, ultimately I didn’t trust that it wouldn’t erroneously shock me. And because I didn’t trust it, I withdrew my participation. Withdrawing my consent defeated the machine, which failed to do its work of getting me to confess falsely out of intimidation or fear.