LJI S11 w11 Wild Goose Chase
It starts when you're seven, and get your very own library card for the fist time.
Or even when you're born and your parents take you to the doctors. Get you a birth certificate.
It continues when you're twelve, with an email address, and all the world of the internet you then explore. The websites you sign up for, the comments you leave.
Actually, it probably starts younger than that these days, because although you are supposed to be thirteen before you are deemed worthy to use the internet unsupervised, you've probably been signed up to kids internet things, leading to general internet things, since you could talk. (Statistically, probably adult internet things too, unfortunately, but thankfully even if you've seen them, most of you aren't subscribed.)
Sixteen, or sooner, with a bank account, and the government issue you a number that you need for getting a job.
Adulthood, when you buy a house, a car, anything at all.
CCTV, and now face recognition technology, too. At any age.
Mailing lists.
It all multiplies. It multiplies, and multiplies, and multiplies. Until you drown in it.
The number of people who have information about you. The amount of paperwork you need to fill in. Terms and conditions you need to either read, or gamble on. Takes half your life. Information without relationship.
But the problem is, there's no reverse.
I mean you can try, with some things... but marching against the tide takes even more of your time and energy -- your life -- and it still won't get you very far. (For what is life, but the time and energy we are blessed with, and the decisions we make on how to spend them?)
And even if you do make headway, it won't achieve your actual aims to get to the stage of "Oh, the bit we aren't allowed to measure has moved, now!"
There's no way out. You could spend your whole life trying. Getting in a flap about it. Or spend half your life getting in a flap about doing it in the first place, and half on what you want. Or resign yourself. Those are the only real choices. Big Brother has got you!
Or even when you're born and your parents take you to the doctors. Get you a birth certificate.
It continues when you're twelve, with an email address, and all the world of the internet you then explore. The websites you sign up for, the comments you leave.
Actually, it probably starts younger than that these days, because although you are supposed to be thirteen before you are deemed worthy to use the internet unsupervised, you've probably been signed up to kids internet things, leading to general internet things, since you could talk. (Statistically, probably adult internet things too, unfortunately, but thankfully even if you've seen them, most of you aren't subscribed.)
Sixteen, or sooner, with a bank account, and the government issue you a number that you need for getting a job.
Adulthood, when you buy a house, a car, anything at all.
CCTV, and now face recognition technology, too. At any age.
Mailing lists.
It all multiplies. It multiplies, and multiplies, and multiplies. Until you drown in it.
The number of people who have information about you. The amount of paperwork you need to fill in. Terms and conditions you need to either read, or gamble on. Takes half your life. Information without relationship.
But the problem is, there's no reverse.
I mean you can try, with some things... but marching against the tide takes even more of your time and energy -- your life -- and it still won't get you very far. (For what is life, but the time and energy we are blessed with, and the decisions we make on how to spend them?)
And even if you do make headway, it won't achieve your actual aims to get to the stage of "Oh, the bit we aren't allowed to measure has moved, now!"
There's no way out. You could spend your whole life trying. Getting in a flap about it. Or spend half your life getting in a flap about doing it in the first place, and half on what you want. Or resign yourself. Those are the only real choices. Big Brother has got you!