Why does PRISM not bother me? I'm not sure, but it doesn't.
I'm more worried about the persistant resolve to thwart implementation of universal healthcare in this country, our crumbling infra-structure, the poor state of American education, global warming, the approaching global food crisis and the general refusal of U.S. lawmakers to face reality. Maybe I've just reached my worry capacity, and one more thing just won't fit.
Or maybe, I secretly like the idea of the NSA reading my blog posts, especially since it seems that nobody else is.
Those two comments, it seem to me, get to the heart of the matter. Myk brings an interesting point of view and Sean uncovers the bottom of the iceberg.
There are plenty of points and speculations that follow from those two comments:
Isn't it the rich and powerful who have the most to lose? Perhaps Obama, et al. should be thinking twice about this set up? But isn't it the rich and powerful who get access to the information and/or what information is released? And what really happens, when emails/telephone calls, etc. are released? Here is a link to a story from Harvard Law School.
The problem with your example is that it wasn't the government that leaked the email; it was a private person. I think it's a pretty common occurrence that private individuals leak private communications whereas not so much by the government. It seems to me that we have a lot more to fear from each other than the govermnent. The fact is, as I've said in another context, they have bigger fish to fry. Mostly, we're safe from the government because they really don't care about your drunk-sent emails, intemperate comments or indelicate photographs. Ordinary people, who need more drama in their lives, love this stuff. Its not big brother you need to worry about but all the little brothers running around.
And just to bring in another viewpoint, here is Jeffrey Toobin, staff writer for The New Yorker and legal analyst for CNN: EDWARD SNOWDEN IS NO HERO.
I don't disagree. I do find it curious that decades after "1984" and a generation or two being warned of Big Brother and the military-industrial complex, that it does not create more of a stir. I think it would be interesting for someone to write 2084 and have all the concerns about big brother, but have the real terror in health insurance or poverty.
The other concern, I guess, is to have all that information in the hands of people who are so paranoid that, even though the nation is physically isolated, has friendly neighbors, and has never had a war on its soil other than against itself, it spends 5 times more than any other nation and about 40% of all nations on military. I hope they believe they have bigger fish to fry, but the budget does not seem to reflect that out at the moment.
The problem is what if I become a big enough fish? None of us are infallible, I don't like people taking conversations or e-mails out of context and I probably like them even less in context. There just seems to be room for abuse and where there is a power, there is almost always someone using it to excess.
6 comments:
Why does PRISM not bother me? I'm not sure, but it doesn't.
I'm more worried about the persistant resolve to thwart implementation of universal healthcare in this country, our crumbling infra-structure, the poor state of American education, global warming, the approaching global food crisis and the general refusal of U.S. lawmakers to face reality. Maybe I've just reached my worry capacity, and one more thing just won't fit.
Or maybe, I secretly like the idea of the NSA reading my blog posts, especially since it seems that nobody else is.
I just don't like to be scrutinized so highly. If you read everything I've ever written I am sure there are grounds sooooomewhere to arrest me.
Those two comments, it seem to me, get to the heart of the matter. Myk brings an interesting point of view and Sean uncovers the bottom of the iceberg.
There are plenty of points and speculations that follow from those two comments:
Isn't it the rich and powerful who have the most to lose?
Perhaps Obama, et al. should be thinking twice about this set up?
But isn't it the rich and powerful who get access to the information and/or what information is released?
And what really happens, when emails/telephone calls, etc. are released? Here is a link to a story from Harvard Law School.
The problem with your example is that it wasn't the government that leaked the email; it was a private person. I think it's a pretty common occurrence that private individuals leak private communications whereas not so much by the government. It seems to me that we have a lot more to fear from each other than the govermnent. The fact is, as I've said in another context, they have bigger fish to fry. Mostly, we're safe from the government because they really don't care about your drunk-sent emails, intemperate comments or indelicate photographs. Ordinary people, who need more drama in their lives, love this stuff. Its not big brother you need to worry about but all the little brothers running around.
And just to bring in another viewpoint, here is Jeffrey Toobin, staff writer for The New Yorker and legal analyst for CNN: EDWARD SNOWDEN IS NO HERO.
I don't disagree. I do find it curious that decades after "1984" and a generation or two being warned of Big Brother and the military-industrial complex, that it does not create more of a stir. I think it would be interesting for someone to write 2084 and have all the concerns about big brother, but have the real terror in health insurance or poverty.
The other concern, I guess, is to have all that information in the hands of people who are so paranoid that, even though the nation is physically isolated, has friendly neighbors, and has never had a war on its soil other than against itself, it spends 5 times more than any other nation and about 40% of all nations on military. I hope they believe they have bigger fish to fry, but the budget does not seem to reflect that out at the moment.
The problem is what if I become a big enough fish? None of us are infallible, I don't like people taking conversations or e-mails out of context and I probably like them even less in context. There just seems to be room for abuse and where there is a power, there is almost always someone using it to excess.
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