Ol' Si doesn't do politics. I consider it the result of too much time in College and not enough time making a living. It tends to create polarizing leaders of dubious moral character. But, the American people need something to believe in. 'Themselves' is apparently not an option. God left the building a generation ago. Need to fill the void. So, we have the NFL, American Idol, and politics. Take your pick!
A young friend asked what my take is on all the NSA/spying mess? I doubt that we can blame the 49ers or JLo for the Prism program. Guess I will have to touch on politics here.
Scott McNealy, the founder of Sun Microsystems, said it best. 'Privacy is gone, get over it', or words to that effect. And, he is right. Oh, that means trust is out the window also. We see what a 16 year old Russian kid can do to your expensive Windows based commerce server -- borrow a few million credit card numbers. Hollywood doesn't trust The Valley and our invincible technology since that Danish teen broke the 'unbreakable' DVD code, and unleashed pirated copies of Star Wars movies all over China.
Trust is gone, privacy is gone. The US government can read all your emails, listen to all of your phone calls, and, via millions of cameras, watch virtually your every move. Driving to Iowa? Cameras along the way are recording your license plate...
Does this bother Ol' Si? Yes, but not for the reasons it bothers younger people. I grew up in a generation where the young people lost faith in the governments and large institutions around the world. At the time, it was based on war, oil politics, and race. A generation of my peers dreamed they would change the world. But, instead, they became lazy and settled back into the same jobs that they reviled in their youth...corporate and government. What is easier and better than a job at the government. Yep, climb the ladder, get the power. Bennies and 40 hour weeks. Hard work not needed. Easy to prep for in college, no Calculus or Thermodynamics classes, just 'study' Comparative Poetry with a Prof who likes to look down girls' dresses. Smoke a joint with him and get an "A".
Apple and Microsoft suddenly took off. Steve Jobs was on the cover of Time magazine, the ultimate statement (back then) that tech mattered! All these guys and gals were making billions in Apricot orchards south of San Francisco. They didn't mind 80 hour weeks, and were actually changing the world. And, the power they had! Suddenly, that job with Uncle Sam wasn't so hot. They were heros, and you... just another bureaucrat. Need to get some of that lightening in a bottle to enhance MY power. Don't want to have to learn to code, however. Would cut into time better used for cocktail party schmozing. But some in Washington were watching closely. Ol' Si saw first hand what the intelligence community thought when they saw what teenagers can do with a $600 Apple II. They flipped out.
So, through the magic of DARPA funding, the two forces merged and we have the NSA. Provides a valuable service, I believe. The ability to project power in a the cold war was one thing, in an age of random loonies blowing up things, quite another. How better for the government to find out what the bad guys are going to doing before they do it? The Valley could turn out technology to deal with ALL communications on the planet. Just throw lots of money at them.
I have attacked my generation for being lazy and overly concerned with power politics, yet have justified use of unlimited power -- the power to grab all data short of brain waves. Didn't I pay attention in the general ed class on Logic? And, what does this have to do with The Valley now?
We have created a monster with Valley technology. But it is OUR monster, at least now. The EU will scream, the Russians will scream. Of course, they will scramble back underneath their rocks if/when NSA ever released data on the vast amount of industrial espionage being done by our 'friends' in Japan, France, Germany, and other places.
To those who are shocked at the need for spying, I would ask the value of a human life if/when interceptions prevent a terrorist incident. Lots of innocents in NY city can tell you. To those shocked at the amount and potential abuse of spying, I would ask them to look in the mirror. Tell yourself that you made the right choices of political leaders for the right reasons. Race, nice looking family, cool ranch, ability to play the Sax are NOT valid reasons.
It bothers me is that we have the power to destroyed privacy. We do and we cannot go back. But, it bothers me even more that we cannot elect leaders that have the wisdom to use that power wisely for it's intended purpose. We are too lazy to think through all of the issues and demand answers from our political candidates. And, that assumes we even KNOW who the people in elected office are. Ask any urban voter "who is the top point guard in the NBA?" Now ask them to name their elected official in the House of Representatives. There is the real problem. We are back to the lazy thing...
Ol' Si? I have accepted that there is no privacy. My strategy for getting around the NSA is to have such a boring life, that monitoring it would put any spook to sleep within 5 minutes.
So far, my strategy seems to be working. The IRS hasn't called in years.
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