I find it interesting, the outrage, that we would spy not only on our enemies, but on our friends as well. Doesn't it make sense that if our Government spied on its own citizens that there wouldn't be too big of a moral objection to spy on just about anyone? Our invasion of privacy is justified simply on the belief that there is power in knowledge, specifically knowledge that only those being spied upon have, might have, or might one day stumble upon. I'd further hazard a guess that the industry has grown so large that it has actually grown cumbersome and somewhat useless. I might be wrong, but good lord, if you're listening to just about every conversation in the frickin’ universe, even picking up on key words, I’d think you’d miss more than you’d get.
Now that said, I’ve heard rumors, and they are only rumors (but I did read it on the Internet) that the level of privacy invasion has reached such a technological point that our Government is not only able to track your every keystroke but watch your every move through your personal web cam, and there are those of you that should be ashamed of yourselves.
I gave up my right to privacy years ago when I got married, and when the kids started knowing everything I did as well, the thought was validated. When I think about it though, there’s really not an expectation of privacy at any point in your life. Hell, I remember that old bat down the road calling my parents and yipping about how bad I was riding my banana bike through her garden. Of course, it wasn't me, it was my brother Greg, and it illustrates the problem with privacy invasions, truth and context, both being hard to come by.
Fact is, we are a nation of individuals that just like to get down and dirty with our rumor mongering and gossip. Our athletes and our celebrities don’t have the right to privacy, so why should anyone else? Speaking of facts, the NSA is the largest employer of mathematicians. I just thought I'd throw that out there. I think the reason for that is most mathematicians are dry, boring people and no one would really think to spy on a mathematician so the employment of a lot of smart wonky types is actually a security function, and kind of an ingenious one at that.
Yup, it just ain't my damn nosy neighbors looking in my windows. It's all my relatives just havin’ to know what I’m up too, all my friends asking about what I’m up too, all my co workers are in on that as well. Damn, hide the grow lights will, ya! What, I didn’t post that on Face book.
Well, the only question I have, is I know someone is watching the watchers, and I can’t but help wonder who they would be, but I do have my ideas.