George Orwell's novel 1984 depicts a dystopian future where the people are oppressed by a technologically-advanced omnipotent government. Ordinary citizens are scared to even think in opposition their all-seeing and all-knowing rulers. In the book, this extreme surveillance and policing program is known as "Big Brother".
It's an incredibly dark story, but for many years it was considered just that a story. A fictional version of the future. However, as time has passed there are growing concerns that our society is indeed headed in the direction of 1984. Now, in the wake of recent events, these cries of alarm have taken on new relevance.
The All-Seeing Eye
In early March, WikiLeaks published a brand-new trove of over 8,700 CIA documents and files which expose a massive global surveillance and hacking program. Many people were disturbed to learn that the CIA has access to electronic devices all over the globe. From smart TVs, to cell phones, and even the popular Amazon device Alexa anything that is connected to the internet can be accessed remotely by government officials. If your device has a speaker attached, they can listen to you. If it has a camera, they can watch you. Similar to the world portrayed in 1984, "Big Brother" has the power to track and record everything you do.
The Invisible Hand
These latest leaks come after the bombshell report back in 2013 which exposed the NSA and its mass-spying program. Since then, the issue of government surveillance has essentially been put on the back burner. Many people simply accept that there is nothing they can do about it, so they don't bother. However, the CIA leaks confirm what some vocal critics have long suspected: the government has far more power than it lets on.
Perhaps the most stunning revelation, though, involves the cars we drive. Since all modern vehicles are computer-controlled, the government can use technology to hack the controls of any car they wish. The can make a vehicle break down instantly or, more sinisterly make it crash at high speeds in order to kill those inside. This unprecedented power brings forth a host of troubling issues.
The Role of an Omnipotent Government
As citizens, we all depend on our government for the stability and security that allows us to live peaceful lives. They ought to have the tools to keep everyone safe. However, in an age of rapidly expanding technology and spying capability, the line between privacy and security becomes blurry. Unlike governments of the past, this new 21st century government is in danger of morphing into a God-like being, an all-powerful deity that keeps careful tabs on its people.
Life Under Surveillance
What does the future hold? On the one hand, we live in an unparalleled age of technological freedom. Limitless information sits at our fingertips. However, this freedom goes both ways. Through these same devices that make our lives easier, higher powers can now learn all about us. We are indebted to the conveniences of technology, while at the same time victims of its formidable capabilities.
In any event, it is strange to think that our government agencies possess powers of observation which rival that of God(s). Are you comfortable living under an all-seeing government? Will these surveillance tactics help to make us safer?
15 comments
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eric k
Scary
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Ed
This expands on what people who have some knowledge beyond what the MSM have known. SECRET FISA courts, where they rubber stamp the spying. The Obama admin expanding on Bush era spying, including spending several million dollars fighting lawsuits for FOIA, and thus, became the least transparent admin in history.
You have "stop and frisk," which violates the 4th: "Do you have your papers?" like in Nazi Germany.
If you want a decorum of privacy, then give up Google, and use startpage or duckduckgo. If you want better privacy, then use TOR. There's also I2P, and the freenet project; though living in a rural area, they may not be as available.
And if you want a decent and secure system, either keep it offline, or use TAILS OS, a Linux OS which goes entirely off of a flash drive, so there's nothing stored on a HD. And if you need to store things, use another USB drive, and encrypt, encrypt, encrypt. You should be using an email program like Thunder Bird, with PGP/GPG for your encryption.
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Christopher W. Corleone
Good tip, I totally forgot about Thunderbird til you mentioned it. By the way where can one find a good pgp encryption for thunderbird?
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Rev paul
They have the stinger technolgy that can swallow all of your cell phone messages and can see what you post on social media and can record your phone calls i can live with this even though i do not like it
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jason bender
TOR --that's where they hide the good stuff, huh?
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Brother John
It's amazing how many Americans still prattle on about the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, freedom and democracy. Instead of investing some time in education, many people choose to cling to the beliefs that they've been taught (and are the most comforting).
Here's the reality. If the links provided are not trusted as accurate, do your own research.
The "government" is a facade presented to the public. Control and power is in the hands of unelected bureaucrats. http://billmoyers.com/2014/02/21/anatomy-of-the-deep-state/
The USA is neither a democracy or a republic. It's a corporation. http://www.wakingtimes.com/2014/07/04/independence-day-corporation-united-states-america/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50cB5yhKR98
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Amber
We just can't seem to get away from the whole separation of religion and government, can we. Both are separate but controlling entities in the states in particular right now. Religion tends to keep people praying and giving money to the church so it can expand, grow, continue whatever goals it has. Government just wants service to its ever shifting goals in whatever its goals are at the time, usually tax money to fuel their own needs, sometimes just for the power trip and feeding a control issue (present admin notwithstanding). When paranoia invades either, the rest of us will be targeted as possible threats even if we support it. Eventually such things harshly turn on those who ushered it in.
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Valerie
God has the last word
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Mark Araujo
Yawns.on earth is a mess.
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Rev paul
Amen valerie
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Sandra Holcombe
Funny yet they still cannot catch the bad guys
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A druid
This is the land of the free.. but we're not. and the home of the brave. but if we were, we'd be more free. let big brother frighten you with bogeymen and you sign away your birthright.
Gives a whole new slant to the word (and meaning) - freedom.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you.
I agree with you
they rarely are. paranoia is nothing but paranoia almost always. those who should be paranoid usualy are not.