Party Like It's 1984

Big Brother is certainly alive and kicking today, just not (yet) to the extent that Winston experiences it in the book. You're being filmed everywhere you go with the hopes of keeping society safe, but that is a scenario that could be misused very easily, should it fall into the wrong hands. Normally, nobody really cares about the video logs of the dumpster behind Sheetz, but I know I'd be a lot more paranoid just walking in the alley nearby if I knew there was a government official on the other side of that, watching my every move. It's not like I have anything I'd try to hide, but what if they think I do? I could end up in the basement of the Ministry of Love in no time at all!

Before I start to sound like I should be wearing a tin foil helmet, I want to stress the fact that I do believe privacy still exists, you just have to look for it or know where to go to get it. For instance, right now it's late at night and my roommates are all asleep. Their doors are closed and I have no clue what any of them are doing. They also have no idea what I'm up to. I could not be wearing pants right now and nobody would know the difference. Any place where I can go to and confidently say "I would feel comfortable pantsless right now" is a place that is private enough in my mind. But who's to say that I'm not being watched by some robotic fly camera or through some pinhole in the wall? Well, to an extent, I think privacy can exist largely in one's own mind. There are tangibles behind privacy, but it is also a feeling. If I feel safe and private, I'll be content.

It's hard to decide how much privacy I'm willing to sacrifice in order to feel safe. On one hand, it would be great if Big Brother was purely Mr. Nice Guy, and only looked after us because they want what's best for us. Unfortunately, in 1984 that's not the case. Big Brother wants what's best for Big Brother, and if you don't like it you can just shut the hell up. Their privacy is being invaded as opposed to being sacrificed for a greater personal good. I guess I wouldn't mind if telescreens were everywhere (except in my house), or if there was a Feed in my head, because that has potential to be epically cool. It just sucks that as soon as somebody gets a sweet idea like internet in your brain, jerks have to come and exploit it and ruin everyone's good time.