Told'ya so!

I've been fortunate to surf some respectable futurists' sites, camp on some great technology links, and generally be informed of what's coming down the pike.

TSA AIT: Neked before the full-body scanners...I told'ya so!
Back in November of 2008, I was well aware of the whole scanning issue, but at that time no one wanted to throw down on it. At that time, my thinking was that the technology was invasive, that I was more conservative than I thought of my self previously.

Today, after hearing and reading too much about this whole thing, I've reached a new stand...

In Israel they do not have expensive hardware and high tech devices to check people out, they do it the old fashioned way--interrogation. Of course, civil libertarians have issues with racial profiling and facial recognition software that altogether seem to be targeting some people over others (the Israelis do not interrogate everyone thoroughly, only those who reveal "tells" in initial questioning). In many ways, I'm all for this. Ask away. If a would-be passenger has something to hide, has some reason to feel picked on or targeted, then they need a good talking to. My parents wouldn't let me go out with strangers until they had thoroughly vetted them.

On the other hand, since we have the technology, why not use it? TSA Advanced Imaging Technology works, and it's ready to run in over 450 applications. Fire them up. I have nothing to hide.

Boys and girls, this is nothing new! Behold, a clip from Total Recall, circa 1990, twenty years ago!




I think Americans are pretty prudish when it comes to nudity, whether it is in film or on a TSA AIT. What difference does it make--really? We're all just mammals, and we all have our shortcomings or bumps, ripples, or ridges that we generally hide under flattering clothing. Truth is, our raiment is irrelevant to who we really are.

So, snap my nads, scan my junk, shoot my noodle...I do not care. Put the images up on the web, big deal. Is it an invasion of privacy? Maybe. Does it make any difference? No...I can hear my dad's voice, however, forewarning, "Once they get away with that [fill in the blank], it's only a matter of time until..." and somewhere in the back of my mind, even though I have this carefree attitude toward nudity, I know he's got a point there. What's next?

While I'm in a Told'ya So Mood, I'll tell you what's next, or coming soon...

We already have neuro-marketing rearing its enterprising head, a sleeping giant of manipulation that will be able to push our buttons at a biological level we cannot resist. We already have forfeit our whereabouts, entirely, via GPS chips in cell phones. We have already given away our most intimate information on Facebook and blogs, Twitter and other online media. All this transparency and vulnerability will no doubt produce some tremendous backlash. We will be such easily controlled sheep, in the future.

Of course, as that evolves, I won't be able to tell you so, for I'll be among those led around by the nose. *sigh* You readers won't realize the control, either, in much the same way we fail to reckon with the power of the media and Patriot Act, today. *sigh*

So, what the hell...drop your trousers with me on National Opt-Out Day, November 24th. 'Might as well have some fun.