Fighting the world (& generally getting nowhere)

this is much of a continuation of the solitude thread, but I dont want to detract from the post's on that thread so here goes.

As someone who regards themself as a freethinker, the removal of civil liberties is something that makes me feel nervous. I've been feeling nervous a lot lately, the way the government is portraying the disabled and unemployed isn't sitting well. I saw this tonight and it makes me feel so angry: http://www.channel4.com/news/black-boxes-to-monitor-all-internet-and-phone-data

I like to read books that are controversial (even if I don't agree with thier sentiment). I'm into extremism, so at the moment Im thinking of buying Mein Kampf, and I like to read lot of right wing stuff. I hate the politics and philosophy's of these kind of books, but I do empathise that these people are social outcasts and not listened to (infact I relate to it). I also admire the passion poured into books by nut jobs. But the way things are getting monitored it just makes me uncomfortable purchasing stuff like this.

I've also been thinking of ways to make life more interesting and seeing what I can improve or acheive (beating myself up basically). So for some reason I fancy studying law/human rights laws/law relating to disability, I feel a empathy for marginalised folk. It's completely unachievable as I've already been to uni. I think it may just be a fantasy of sticking two fingers up at the world.

Parents

longman over 13 years ago

I think you probably have to be realistic - yes they are watching everybody in so many ways, some of them inconceivable or plain daft.
However they are watching because there are priorities around, and that's what takes up their time. Though some of their priorities are just as daft. I think back to the reports of innocent people going for a walk somewhere who left their car parked anywhere near where they were watching for hunt saboteurs for example (so their number plates went on file). Well hunt saboteurs break the law and damage the property of wealthy landowners, but there are bigger threats to worry about. Hopefully for that reason that kind of silly monitoring has died down.
There's plenty of literature around, on the web and in books about entrapment of peoples suspected of being *** in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Huge resources were expended on this, including building hiding places - being before security video cameras in the main, and whole divisions of police officers engaged in little else. The scale of this voyeuristic monitoring and surveillance suggests that with today's technology they are capable of unthinkable levels of intrusion.
So yes you probably are being checked, but unless you do something to catch attention, its probably a passing eye. A searchlight for example crossing terrain, may allow things to be seen, but only in passing and not doing any harm.
I think you have to do a sort of double think - yes they are watching, but no it doesn't bother me. But I recognise in practice that's hard to sustain. And we constantly hear about some of the things they get up to. But thank goodness we don't have the thought police and reporting networks that some countries have.
Also the lack of attention to the needs of people with disabilities suggests to me they aren't watching us particularly either. Maybe only able bodied people bother them. Now that's a potential miscalculation....

Reply

longman over 13 years ago

I think you probably have to be realistic - yes they are watching everybody in so many ways, some of them inconceivable or plain daft.
However they are watching because there are priorities around, and that's what takes up their time. Though some of their priorities are just as daft. I think back to the reports of innocent people going for a walk somewhere who left their car parked anywhere near where they were watching for hunt saboteurs for example (so their number plates went on file). Well hunt saboteurs break the law and damage the property of wealthy landowners, but there are bigger threats to worry about. Hopefully for that reason that kind of silly monitoring has died down.
There's plenty of literature around, on the web and in books about entrapment of peoples suspected of being *** in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Huge resources were expended on this, including building hiding places - being before security video cameras in the main, and whole divisions of police officers engaged in little else. The scale of this voyeuristic monitoring and surveillance suggests that with today's technology they are capable of unthinkable levels of intrusion.
So yes you probably are being checked, but unless you do something to catch attention, its probably a passing eye. A searchlight for example crossing terrain, may allow things to be seen, but only in passing and not doing any harm.
I think you have to do a sort of double think - yes they are watching, but no it doesn't bother me. But I recognise in practice that's hard to sustain. And we constantly hear about some of the things they get up to. But thank goodness we don't have the thought police and reporting networks that some countries have.
Also the lack of attention to the needs of people with disabilities suggests to me they aren't watching us particularly either. Maybe only able bodied people bother them. Now that's a potential miscalculation....

Children

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