Go to Holy Church of Blog
- Add a comment
- Go to Would it be ironic if religion saved me?
I was going to go into the mark of the beast tomorrow
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on October 29, 2006 at 8:21 PM
| link to this | reply
kidnykid and SuccessWarrior - let me start over with this subject
Where I agree that the potential for misuse of an embedded micro or RFID chip is enormous, I wonder if most people really understand what it being proposed? Part of the problem with the aspect of people looking at these types of identification security measures objectively, is that many people associate the use of this technology with ancient religious taboos. The "mark of the beast" myth being one example. The classic novel "1984" with its ominous predicitions of a malevolent "big brother" authoritarian government has also left its mark on people's thought processes concerning this.
There are two things that should be understood from the outset. As it is being proposed today, participation in any security ID program using micro chip technology is on a vulontary basis, with the recipient gaining something from joining any of the similar ID programs under consideration. The first implementation of this technology will almost certainly be for border crossing. Expansion into countless other areas where security is an issue is inevitable. Eventually safety, shopping convenience, health monitoring and location of missing persons (especially children) will be obvious areas of consideration as well. HERE is an interesting article on one such proposed use.
posted by
gomedome
on October 29, 2006 at 7:13 PM
| link to this | reply
Maybe I
am missing the point of your question. All I could think of were potential misuses of the system as you describe it - as far as I know, I answered appropriately, because that's all I could think of. I'm of the opinion that tyranny will win out if microchip technology becomes commonplace for human beings. I hope I have the courage to risk my life to refuse this technology.
posted by
kidnykid
on October 29, 2006 at 5:19 PM
| link to this | reply
My wife is on the side of "I have nothing to hide" feeling
I'm on the side of eventual tyranny.
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on October 29, 2006 at 4:33 PM
| link to this | reply
kidnykid - tracking of an individual will be by satellite, very similar to
the GPS systems used in cars already.
Information and data transfer would take place as you describe, at point of transaction but ultimately you did not answer the question that I posed. You are speaking of potential misuses of this central citizen registry system, which I tend to think are a very real possibility, even likely. At the same time however, I feel that most people do not fully understand what the basic premise is about and why it is being proposed. Homeland security is the single biggest factor. It separates the good guys from the bad guys, from the illegally landed guys and from anyone that would do us harm. Additionally, the system in theory is supposed to expedite a number of our daily routines, from boarding planes to crossing the boarder (something I do quite often) and even into the mundane tasks such as grocery shopping. The question we all face however; is to what level do we take the identification of our society's citizens, especially when we know that misuse of the system is inevitable?
posted by
gomedome
on October 29, 2006 at 11:27 AM
| link to this | reply
The way I figure...
A microchip makes it easier to follow a person all around the universe. Theoretically speaking, of course, it is possible to design buildings with sensors in them, and to retrofit existing buildings with those sensors. They could be adjusted or programmed or whatever, to pick up the signal from our microchips, tracking us wherever we go. Think of something similar to grocery-store scanners that are used now to read bar codes at the checkout station. Come to think of it, all you'd have to do at the supermarket would be to scan your microchip over the scanner instead of producing one of those plastic discount cards, and you'd get the discount - and they'd get tons of info on you in the process. If an unethical control freak (is there any other kind?) were to pick up on your whereabouts as revealed in this way (the building sensors and supermarket records), you may be facing the knock at the door, with an officer of the law carrying a pile of printed material proving that you were going places the state didn't like you to go to, and you find yourself detained (or worse).
posted by
kidnykid
on October 29, 2006 at 11:01 AM
| link to this | reply
kidnykid - how do you figure that the micro chip has anything to do with
the freedom of an individual to practice their religion or life philosophy?
At least in a direct sense? The rational fear of a central citizen registry facilitated by modern technology is its potential for misuse. The focus in determining if such a registry is both valid and palatable for a society that values freedom is in looking directly at the pros and cons. Is that which is given up in personal freedom worth the price of that which is gained?
posted by
gomedome
on October 29, 2006 at 10:33 AM
| link to this | reply
The fact that we don't share religious views is great
It would be a trajedy if we allowed big business to take that away from us.
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on October 29, 2006 at 10:28 AM
| link to this | reply
For those who don't know about the boiling frog...
If you put a frog in already-boiling water, it will likely know what hit it, and try its best to run for cover ASAP. However, put that same frog in a pan of cool water, then gradually increase the temperature of the water to boiling; the frog will be so used to the incremental temperature increase that he will not notice that he is being killed, and will die before he has a chance to escape.
Although I do not share all your religious values, I agree that this national-ID and mocrochip business is frightening. It means that neither one of us will end up with the right to practice our religion or life philosophy. That's not right.
posted by
kidnykid
on October 29, 2006 at 10:03 AM
| link to this | reply