I guess if you really think about it "Big Brother" exists in all sorts of ways. It's like with the more technology we get the more we lose our privacy. I think a lot of things about technology are awesome but when it comes to the issue of privacy it is almost as if I want no more of it. I forget when I first heard this talked about in school but one of my teachers was talking about how the bonus card that you use at Giant is a form of surveillance. After this instance I remember like one or two other teachers mentioning this as well. I guess it is a form of surveillance because they know what you pick up when you go to the grocery store and from that they know what you eat, drink, or even what magazines you may read. Before my teacher brought this to our attention I never thought of the bonus card in that way. In fact, I never took the time to think about the bonus card. Or even if I did I never had a negative view of it. But now it is pretty weird to think that the corporation has a record on you and what you may buy everyday. I don't have a problem with the bonus card but I guess this is just an example of how easy it is to not notice how closely we are being watched or even watched at all.
Knowing that cameras are appearing in more and more public places is pretty creepy because we do not even know where they are located anymore. I mean when we were younger there might have been a couple of cameras here and there for places such as convenience stores or other stores in general and those cameras were often in plain sight. Now because of the advanced technology we have today they can be well hidden. Like it was said in class, who know when and where we are being watched. Big Brother definitely exists today and in more and more places each and everyday.
I think we have lost our right to privacy in a lot of ways but I think it is becoming more and more difficult to draw a distinct line between how and when we should be watched and when we should not be for the reason of security. In 1984 the characters have basically no privacy whatsoever and I hope that we will never have to end up with that consequence. I think the issue of security is so important but how much more can we do until we end up in a situation similar to the characters in 1984?
Our group talked a lot about how terrible it was that Winston along with the others in the novel felt fearful of doing almost anything. They couldn't be themselves for fear of being watched by the telescreens or being caught by the Thought Police for a simple thought. Our group said how everything they did was for the Party, that is all they thought about. They couldn't trust anyone not even their kids. I hope we never have to face this in the future!
I never thought about a store savings card as a form of surveillance. You make a really great point that a lot of people don't even think about a store savings card like that. It never even crossed my mind. It's kind of weird to think about. I do agree that they are defiantly more cameras today than there were when we were younger, but I don't think it will ever get to the point it does in 1984. I can't see government mandating cameras into our homes. And I feel if they did, there would be a great deal of protesting. It would be scary to think everything you did, everything you said, and every impulse you had was being watched and listened to.
ReplyDeleteI really like your point about technology and the more technology we have the less privacy we have. It seems like everything we talk about in this class comes right back to technology and how is affects our society today. I hope that we never get to the point where we are fearful for our lives to sing or talk to certain people.
ReplyDeleteYou have many good points in your blog. The point that stuck out to me was your point on the further we develop technology the less privacy we have. I totally agree with that statement. It is very true. Just look at society today, we are getting pretty advanced in technology and the government can pretty much watch our every move.
ReplyDeleteWow. Your blog really opened me up to something I've never though of before. I use a Giant, and Weis, card. I always thought it was just a way of getting rewards and saving a little money. I never thought of the fact that they could keep track of everything we buy, and then offer us rewards and coupons based on what we use. That is really creepy when you think about it, but I guess it makes sense, because then they know how to get our money. Weird.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea about the giant and weis cards. But what about banks? I work at a bank and you can see everything about everybody. Social security numbers, address, phone numbers and account information. That is an invasion of privacy but i guess that is why i work there because they trust me. Technology is starting to get better with privacy but people still get their identities stolen and what not. It's all just a double standard to me.
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