But…

What if Big Brother is only interested in improving our quality of life?

Let’s start from the beginning. Aside from the original Orwellian version or the CBS show—I’m going with the standard ‘you are being watched’ definition. That is, "there is no such thing as privacy, and you better be a good boy or girl because they are watching. This is for your own safety, and for the good of the people."

Now, here are three knee-jerk reactions to this:

1) Where is the line between preserving safety and maintaining freedom?

2) No person is either permitted or equipped to make judgments upon someone else’s actions.

3) Who would have the right to this kind of information and what good would it do?

4) It’s creepy.

(Ok, that’s four.)

This debate is interesting because of its roots: i.e. Big Brother is communism. Big Brother controls too much of one’s life. Big Brother doesn’t value the individual. These are all assumptions made based on experience (or… let’s be honest—because of this movie, or this other movie.) In response we say, “nothing is more important than freedom,” and for most, this is where the argument stops. We pat ourselves on the back, having defeated tyranny once again, and wave the flag of democracy and justice for all.

The problem with all this is that the arguments need to be updated. ‘Freedom’ isn’t a good enough reason anymore. Tyranny in the traditional sense isn’t even possible in today’s hyper-connected society. So where is Big Brother coming from, and should we be worried? How has the argument changed in 21st century context?

Here’s what we know. Big Brother isn’t coming from the government anymore. Totalitarian regimes are toppling all over the place, and even larger 2nd and 1st world countries are starting to lose subversive grip on their populations—think about how Iran and China have changed because their governments can no longer manage the flow of communication.

Some would say that Big Brother is manifested in the corporations. I disagree. Corporations are experiencing much of the same issues that governments are—that is, people are getting better at becoming informed on the choices they have from cars to can openers. Brand loyalty definitely ain’t what it used to be—just ask GM and Chrysler.

So, where is it going to come from? I think technology and the internet is where, and here’s why. Some interesting facts:

Did you know Facebook records your answers on those little quizzes and surveys as data, and has all rights to everything you post? (btw, this link includes an example of a good conspiracy theory out there).

Did you know that Google keeps logs of everything you do with them including email?

Did you know that businesses are able to track how people use websites, where they came from, and where they navigate to after leaving?

Did anyone catch that Amazon uproar a month or so ago, when they, ironically, deleted copies of 1984 off the Kindles of unsuspecting consumers? How do they have that ability?

What about iPhone GPS? Does that mean that someone out there knows where I am?



And that is only the beginning. There are conspiracy theories about remote cell phone mic and camera activation, unbeknownst to the user. Computers are now able to recognize people in photos, or pinpoint their voice in a phone call. Microsoft is building a ‘game system’ that will recognize who is standing in front of it without help. Also, have you noticed that automated phone lines are getting better with voice recognition, and it’s even harder to reach a real person?

IT’S ALL BIG BROTHER.

Are you scared yet?

Now, before everyone goes off and moves to a cabin in the woods, let’s think about this. Big Brother IS becoming real, but not in the way we think. Instead of the Big Brother that gives us swirlies and forces us to clean his room, we are slowly building a Big Brother who is supportive and accepts us for whoever we want to be.

Think about each of us as individuals. Think about the things we love to do, the places we like to go, and even the vices we get away with. It’s all part of our identity. As Tyler Durden says, “You are not your fucking khakis…” however, we are what we make of ourselves, and there is no denying that whether we choose the Gap, or the dumpster out back, we build a persona that we present to the world--and technology these days is working around the clock to make sure we have the very best to do just that.

One of the biggest concerns about all this is a loss of basic freedoms, like living the way we want. Big Brother in this case doesn’t care about the morality of our choices. Morality is still very much our own, and we have all kinds of ways to test it. For better or worse, whatever we decide is still just as much a reflection of ourselves as it was one hundred years ago. The difference now is that there are more choices, and they are easier.

Perhaps it isn’t a loss of basic freedoms. Perhaps it’s something a little more subtle—like we’re walking down the street one day innocently, and we suddenly get a bag thrown over our head and disappear, never to be seen again because of something we said or did. Here’s what I think about that: it goes back to moral decision-making. The debate on morality for its own sake is a whole ‘nother topic, but I will say that whether it is government or Joe the Plumber, we are held accountable to the extent in which we treat others. Big Brother is way bigger than any one group to control it, and everyone, even the CIA, is being watched.

Ultimately, I believe people smarter than me will argue the finer points of personal privacy. If some of us decide to live off the grid, then that is our right as human beings. It’s hard to predict how the world is changing—all we know is that it’s changing faster than ever, and it’s leading somewhere.

So don’t worry. Don't let the conspiracy theorists and flag wavers scare you. If something becomes seriously wrong, we'll all know just as fast as we knew Michael Jackson had died. As far as technology is concerned, mostly it's all in the interest of becoming easier, faster, cheaper, and more available—even if we decide to have a mid-life crisis and throw it all away. If that isn't the opposite of tyranny, I don't know what is.