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0 pointsbrokentone14y ago0 comments

This is true, what we know of the government's use of technology is rather inefficient, but it misses the point. Inefficient does not equal non-invasive. My takeaways from both, 1984 and this article, were not that of an efficient government, but a totalitarian government. Further, I'm less concerned about the things we know about than the things we don't.

Here is one of the edges of reality I'm concerned about (specifically their interaction with AT&T): https://www.eff.org/issues/nsa-spying

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dennisgorelik14y ago· 2 in thread

Why wiretapping by government is such a concern?

My concern is about government needlessly restricting freedom of people (long lines in airports, unreasonable restrictions of what can be taken on board, interrogations, arrests, shutting down information resources, etc).

Wiretapping by itself does not restrict freedom of people.

Government can be totalitarian without wiretapping.

Total wiretapping can be not totalitarian at all.

dpark14y ago

Because privacy is a form of freedom. It's freedom from prying eyes, freedom to live without worrying about Big Brother's watchful gaze.

dennisgorelik14y ago

Why worry about Big Brother watching me in the first place?

Big Brother watching me actually adds safety to me and adds safety to people doing business with me.

Please don't confuse watching with restricting my actions though. I know quite well why it's bad when government restricts my actions.

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