As one opposed to a totalitarian state, I find some comfort in the notion of the ratio of recorded data vs. the time required to observe it. Big brother simply doesn't have enough time to read all our diaries; to find out what we were doing in that bathroom stall.
It could get spookier if the relentless video cameras were tweaked to notice "suspicious behavior" as it was occurring...and to sound alarms on the spot.
When 7-11's started to put up notices to the effect of "Report suspicious behavior", my gut reaction was that the sign itself constituted suspicious behavior, and needed to be reported. I discovered I had a minority opinion on this.
The most overt way that 1984 style big-brother has appeared in my life, has been the war on drugs. It doesn't effect me, but I find it almost hilarious that I know people working minimum wage jobs that have to endure random drug tests. Its mostly pot smokers that deal with this heavy hand...either quitting the use of the offensive herb to keep their crappy job...or going through bizarre histrionics to provide clean urine.
The sad part of this, to me, is that these cracker factory workers actually feel like they've pulled one over on "The Man" when they employ one of the many test cheating devices, offered on the internet...and they get away with having a few tokes on saturday night, without getting fired from their horrible, monotonous job!
Yee-haw!
Me?
I'm against having my pee inspected, unless the job pays mega-bucks.
(Which, oddly enough, is when the heavy-handed intrusion stops.)
As an aging boomer fart, I grew up on Candid Camera...and it was fun...though potentially embarrassing. The consolation prize for the concept of being possibly spied on, was the money you got for letting the Candid Camera people exploit you in this way.
I recall it being somewhat controversial; this idea of maybe being filmed without your prior knowledge. It was invasive. Yet, it was a funny TV show. We let it ride. We laughed at the foolish dupes, and even admired the money they got as compensation for having their privacy violated.
I'm still laughing.
It keeps the tears at bay.
Another small victory for freedom.
