Thread: -The Docket-

Unexplained Times We live in uncertain times, that much we can say for sure. Things seem out of place, which should seem ordinary, yet the world continues to operate as if nothing has happened. Theres an air of unpredictability which seems to grip this land in its claws, refusing to relent, and the people continue to walk around in a haze, as if somehow pretending things are normal makes everything alright. I suppose this is their coping mechanism for the highly unusual occurrences throughout the land. Perhaps they take no notice of what is happening with regards to their once sacrosanct privacy. Still, there is something completely off in the way things have turned out. We should all take notice of the increased sensation of surveillance throughout the land. None of us should take the liberties we have for granted, because our government doesnt seem to be holding our well-established rights as being a well-established fact. Perhaps my words here make me sound like I have approached the edge of what might be deemed as sanity. At times, I know it might sound like Im a conspiracy theorist. No more so than George Orwell nearly seventy some-odd years ago. Im merely recording my observations for analysis, making certain deductions therefrom, and attempting to continue on with my life in as organized and efficient manner as possible. Perhaps, the fact that it seems that the trust between people and government has been breaking down over a period of half-a-century, drives me to have such concerns. I dont ever recall things being this divisive in my youth. Then again, being in ones youth does not allow one the chance to rationalize the world around them. Rather, I think my rather ominous outlook on things boils down to my seeing things in a different light, than I did when I was a boy. The world is certainly a far cry from what it was when I was born. Indeed, many of us born during the 80's and 90's witnessed a great change within the way humankind communicates, interacts, meets, and even falls in love. We, my friends, stood on the pinnacle between changing ages. Were not much unlike those born in the latter half of the nineteenth century. They, like us, witnessed revolutionary changes. Imagine going from horse and buggy, to space flight, all in a singular life time. Well, the same can be said for many of us here. We recall a time when things were recorded either by typewriter, handwriting, or very primitive computer. Fewer of us can remember a time when cable television was something of a rarity. But all of us, witnessed the transformation that the Internet has had on the world. In the early days they referred to it as an Information Super Highway. I suppose that was a good description at the time, since we really didnt have anything else to truly compare it to. But, what the Internet has become, is something far greater than a mere information super highway. Rather, it represents a vast and ever expanding collection of all human creativity, allowing classical works of art, fiction, scientific discovery, legal break throughs, medical technology etc, to be available to the farthest reaches of the globe. This sort of freedom, however, carries with it a far darker side. A side we never considered at the time the Internet made its debut in the hands of the popular masses. When it was in its infancy, the Internet and web as they were once considered separate things. Perhaps they still are, but in the collective imagination of the general public, I believe they have become somewhat interchangeable, lacked the speed and power to be as massive of a data-mining tool, as it has become today. Moreover, we didnt have the mobility of the Internet that we have today, allowing for our data and even our movement to be traced back to us wherever we went. Maybe the social networking fad has aided in the expansion of this data starved society. But I dont think so. I think its natural that we would wish to share our thoughts in such a way that others could partake in the discussion. However, I dont believe that we intended for it to erode our privacy in the ways that it has. Does the existence of technology of this nature, per se, mean that we automatically give up our right of freedom, because we cannot expect such privacy in a digital age? I have heard many pundits for expanded state control of things argue this. But, I dont believe that it is true. I think that rights, are first and foremost, unalienable. In other words, they are a part of humanity, not a part of despotism. In fact, they stand as the direct antithesis of despotism. Therefore, it would make sense that despots, of any political persuasion, would wish to stamp out privacy. The old adage, knowledge is power, is very true. Just think of the amount of power that the Internet has afforded people, who before the outbreak of the Internet, would have no influence whatsoever. Souls like Edward Snowden and William Assange come to mind. Without the Internet, I dont think these people would have ever garnered the public spot light. Yet, there existence represents something. It represents the somewhat rebellious nature that defined the anonymity of the early Internet. Back when the Web was first reaching its prominence, people wished to use the Internet as a mask, to voice their opinions over controversial subject matters, or to delve into a secretive style of life, denied them by the restrictions of their actual physical lives. The Internet provided an exciting opportunity to explore a deeper side of ones soul. This made the early Internet a fascinating, perhaps dangerous place. However, with the advent of social-networking, the anonymity aspect began to diminish somewhat drastically. Sure, it still exists in certain niche portions of the web. For instance, anonymity seems to be cherished within the community. And thats as it should be. It allows us to explore ourselves, as once we were free to on the rest of the net. At times, it makes me wish that we could go back to an earlier web, where things were simpler. But, I believe thats mere nostalgia talking, as opposed to any practical sense of my conscious mind.