when i wrote these next two pieces, i was keenly aware how few knew where we were or how we'd gotten there. since snowden's revelations, which came a couple of years later, things have changed, but they haven't changed much. while it's a fire that is spreading, it's still only a candle in the dark. and i still find it fascinating that so many are still unfazed by the understanding that their privacy has been fundamentally compromised. that there has yet to be a sudden sense of revulsion at the idea, let alone the reality, of mass surveillance. i suspect it's a herd mentality that keeps the majority on board; the mentality of prey--the notion of safety in numbers. but finding comfort from safety in numbers means you're all right with your own survival at the cost of a neighbor. curiously, such an ostensibly selfish strategy also firmly implies the realization that you are no more or less important than anyone else.
how positively democratic!
