Who’s Watching?

Yesterday I saw a report on the news about a company that is microchipping their employees, eliminating the need to wear a badge. The microchip in their wrist gives them access to everything from entry into the building, use of the copy machine, and even the vending machine. Some people embrace the idea, others not so much. I’m one of the others.

Perhaps it’s the generation I grew up in, or how I was raised. We read 1984 in high school English, learned about Nazi Germany and the Gestapo, and most importantly the mark of the beast in the book of Revelations. You say you want to put a microchip in my wrist so I won’t have the burden of carrying a wallet or a badge? I don’t think so! Not happening!

Homeland Security came under attack after 9/11, trying to balance security with personal privacy, yet ironically we voluntarily post everything about where we are, what we’re doing, who we’re with, whether we’re working out, or pigging out, our political views, what we find funny, you name it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and whatever else is out there. We’ve all checked out webcams on the city pier, on the beach, of downtown, the local ski resort, or any other place of interest. Drones are so popular now that the FAA is having to come up with regulations for their use, and who hasn’t been annoyed with these “hobbyist” who invade our personal space and privacy? The government doesn’t have to watch us. They don’t have to tap our phones, or read our emails. We’re feeding the information to them with all our gadgets! Does that make me a conspiracy theorist, a cynic, or a realist?

My daughter-in-law pointed out that these things are edgy, suspect, and objectionable to us, but by the time my grandson grows up they might be as common place as a cell phone. Perhaps, but I hope not. There is a line in Jurassic Park, “Scientists are actually pre-occupied with accomplishment. So they are focused on whether they can do something. They never stop to ask if they should do something.” Whether or not they should be doing this is secondary to whether or not we should be lining up to let them, just because it’s the latest tech gadget.

We’ve all seen the commercials for the Echo gadget that answers to the name of Alexa. You can ask her any question. She is your own personal encyclopedia of information. Like anyone knows what an encyclopedia is anymore. Google it! She can turn on your lawn sprinklers, place an order, play games with your kids, control your t.v., control your smart home. Whoa! I don’t want a device that can control my home. Sounds too much like sci-fy to me! 2001 Space Odyssey, The Terminator, Battlestar Gallactica, The Matrix, and Minority Report. Those movies never ended well for those that didn’t join, “The Resistance”.