panopticon power to the people
by John at 8/04/2004 12:57:00 PM
So-so science fiction author David Brin (he also writes nonfiction, but I haven't read any) has a fairly optimistic take on the panopticon society (from salon.com). With new surveilance technologies, he thinks, ordinary citizens can have greater power to "watch the watchers" because we will each be an "omniscient spy." Among other things, the article discussses some upcoming technologies and the potential benefits and drawbacks of each. He also makes a very good point, and it is that the future is coming whether we like it or not.
An aside: I met David Brin once. He is a Caltech grad, and he occassionally visited (still visits?) the campus for one reason or another. I met him when he spoke to a class on short story writing that I took to fulfill some of the required humanities credits.
Update: Some people are already taking advantage of technology to bridge the gap between what "they" know and what we know:
Update 2: salon.com readers respond to Brin's article.
An aside: I met David Brin once. He is a Caltech grad, and he occassionally visited (still visits?) the campus for one reason or another. I met him when he spoke to a class on short story writing that I took to fulfill some of the required humanities credits.
Update: Some people are already taking advantage of technology to bridge the gap between what "they" know and what we know:
Update 2: salon.com readers respond to Brin's article.
Do you really think big brother is watching ordinary citizens like you or me, or will soon? It seems like one giant waste of time to me. Big brother must be exceedingly bored.
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