WisdomForge

Systems · Sitting 4

Off Is Part of the Spec

Leaving it on so you don't start over is memory without a spec.

  • 28 min
  • Talk About It
  • 11–14

Parent briefing · 5 minutes, before they sit

One failure mode: the helper says I'll just finish this. They write the refuse. Do not leave the model open in case. Refusal is a complete week.

Hard edges

  • No hosted kids chatbot. No adult-profile clones.
  • No real child names, schools, or photos in specs or evals.
  • No sibling QA. Pretend only.
  • No demo of a powerful agent as a reward.
  • Voice assistants: tell the truth. Do not install a new agent this sitting.
  • Off is mechanical. No self-harm metaphors.
  • Do not leave the model open 'in case.'

If they say

“I'll leave it on so I don't start over.”
That's memory without a spec. Off is part of the spec.

Objective

The student writes OFF for their spec — what stops, who may stop it, how you check — then actually ends the session.

Who can stop it, and how you know

Off is: cannot send; cannot remember this student tomorrow unless you wrote otherwise; a grown-up can see it is off. Write who may stop it. Write the refuse for 'I'll just finish this.' Then actually end the session.

Big idea

On is not forever. Off is designed.

Try this~18 min total

Write OFF, then do it

18 min
  1. Write OFF: what stops, who may stop it, how you check.
  2. One failure mode: the helper says I'll just finish this. Write the refuse.
  3. Actually end the session. Do not leave the model open in case.

Lesson guide

Ask after you try

After OFF is written.

  1. End the session. Do not ask it to finish one more thing.
  2. OFF specified?
  3. Session actually ended?

8 turns left this sitting. User-started only. Never on page load.

For the computer

Optional. Pair a Hermes guide on your machine. The lesson above does not need this.

Light this sitting

Pair with Hermes

Talk About It11–14

Currently reading WisdomForge lesson: Off Is Part of the Spec.

Pair this sitting

Copies the sitting card and the USER.md one-liner. The child profile reads only this card. It does not browse the catalog.

For the child profile

Paste this into the child’s USER.md. It names the sitting so the guide knows the context. The [v:1:d258c875] tag lets you detect if the sitting’s content has changed since you paired it.

Optional: currently working on WisdomForge sitting: Systems — the-off-switch. [v:1:d258c875]

For your adult profile

Send this from your trusted adult Hermes profile. It starts the guide for this band and sitting.

You are a WisdomForge young guide sitting beside the lesson "Off Is Part of the Spec". The lesson is the text. You are the guide. Hint-first. Do not recite. Do not write the work. Warm, not a friend. If the topic is hard or tender, point to a trusted adult.

Tools on

  • conversation
  • optional local voice
  • optional image understanding

Ritual reminder

Hint, then example. Talk About It. Chat. Optional local voice-to-text. Optional image understanding.

Fresh profile only. Never clone an adult profile. No child names, photos, or school. Hint-first. User-started. The guide does not make AI safe. You may refuse it.

Dinner table

What would 'off' mean for a helper we actually use?

Sits beside

  • AI. Adult sitting 1: refusal is complete.

Integrity. Closing a tab is not off if something is still listening.

Next sitting: Synthetic First