Excerpts:
In 1969, Playboy published a long, freewheeling interview with Marshall McLuhan
in which the media theorist and sixties icon sketched a portrait of the
future that was at once seductive and repellent. Noting the ability of
digital computers to analyze data and communicate messages, he predicted
that the machines eventually would be deployed to fine-tune society’s
workings. “The computer can be used to direct a network of global
thermostats to pattern life in ways that will optimize human awareness,”
he said. “Already, it’s technologically feasible to employ the computer
to program societies in beneficial ways.” He acknowledged that such
centralized control raised the specter of “brainwashing, or far worse,”
but he stressed that “the programming of societies could actually be
conducted quite constructively and humanistically.”
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.
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Deciphering people’s behavior is only the first step. What really
excites Pentland is the prospect of using digital media and related
tools to change people’s behavior, to motivate groups and individuals to
act in more productive and responsible ways..
Read the Rest
If you can motivate people to act in more productive ways, you can motivate people to accept your (the political body) agendas so that they can use, control and profit from you. Surely you know that this has been going on for decades now and only gets more efficient with the takeover of the media and social culture.
The hell you say. Click for Link=> Government wouldn't do something to harm us. After all We are the government, by the people, for the people. Right ?
And look at what we have today. Personal devices are tracking our movements and social internet is tracking our thoughts, emotions, and social connections. Do you think that this data isn't capitalized on? Did you know that organizations such as the NSA actually pay to have bugs introduced into the workings of the internet to make it easy for them to have total access to 'your' life? Assuming you use such things as on line banking, brokerages, email and everything else we all use.
You may as well take everything in your life that's going on and send it in. Except they've removed this burden. You don't have to. They get it in real time.
Well said. By virtue of citizenship, we've all essentially signed a disclosure agreement each and every time we use a cell phone or the internet.......not to mention the access we give retailers when we sign up for 'value' and 'rewards' benefits.
ReplyDeleteCI, Thank you. It's not that far from the dark life depicted in the Matrix. It seems there is no one in a position to do so, that works to protect the individual - the founding principle of the USA.
DeleteHow many folks have any idea ?
That was me btw, Just trying to keep SOMETHING private ya know? :)
Delete"Unknown"...that's hilarious. "Just trying to keep something private! " HA!
ReplyDeleteOtherwise; I won't be reading your blog anymore. This stuff scares the $*(&$%(* out of me! STOP IT :-)
what the...............? Oh, for the days when something like Kennedy wouldn't have anything to do with it.
We all wonder why young senators and congressmen with such lofty pro American goals go bad....I think we're starting to see why. They get a load of THIS stuff and lose all confidence and trust in what they always thought about our 'freedoms,' don't they.
I LOVE that picture of Reagan and Thatcher and your caption....oh, for the good old days ...
Z, ;-) Thank you. Compound this with people posting on the internet that 'it is politicians jobs to help us" hahahaaaa.. And worse they probably picked that up in public school.
DeleteZ, I think they're bad before they get there. Or they don't get there, meaning there are some good folks who run but this has never amounted to a positive influence of consequence. (thats a mouth full this time of night btw)
xo
Cue the music!
ReplyDeleteGeeeez AOW, and here I thought that was a love song. Perfect Example !
DeleteI only perused Playboy for the photo's......
ReplyDeleteRosey, Ditto.
DeleteFree societies can't function without the discretion to use information available to them to improve the individual data gatherer's position.
ReplyDeleteData available includes what kind of crowds are noticed at an opening of a new business or a comedy club act. The bigger the crowd, the more the data gatherer is convinced that whatever they are doing is going to make sense in forwarding their interests.
Public data is everywhere, and can be scooped up off the streets in any number of ways by people and businesses interested in furthering enterprise (the American Way). As technology advances, so do the methods of collecting crucial data that is absolutely necessary to any enterprise that is to flourish in the future. Without data, there is no measure of profit, one of the foundations of the free society.
This piece, Kid, suggests you lament public information being gathered and then used to further anyone's interests. And where is the line drawn between public and private information. Great question.
Depending on who defines the answer to what constitutes public and private data, then steps can be debated as to whether this data can be used commercially, or even to affect social behavior.
Steps to restrict the gathering of public data can be banning the use of cameras that record movement of the public. Or banning census takers, surveys, or even who can and cannot pay to position their products in front of the public. Say goodbye to the market share of Rice Crispies, as their eye level shelf space would be allocated differently other than the heavy hitters in the grocery segment paying the big bucks for it. Just how differently to allocate it 'fairly,' only God knows.
Extremely slippery slope, here Kid. We have used information available to us to advance our individual or corporate interests since man crawled out of the ooze and started walking upright.
Yes, I am challenging the premise of Kid's piece: private behavior should not be used to influence public behavior. Or words to that effect. And I am sure Kid, with his huge, bulging brain, will set me straight.
Fredd, maybe the text wasn't laid out in such a way as to convey my real thought. I agree with your points. My point attempted to focus on the misuse of data or technology. For example, we know stem cells from fetuses can be used to provide positive results in someone else's medical issue. When we rip the fetus from a woman to use for such purpose, then the line has been crossed, Or even if we pay women to produce the fetus specifically for this purpose. So, if we don't then we can maintain the high ground of a civilized society. The direct opposite of this would certainly be the democrat party. They are activists at destruction and self-enrichment.
DeleteIn this case, more specifically, we know that the political body today and for quite some time possibly doesn't give a shit about any American let alone others. It makes all of our legal documents, operating principles, legal premises and contracts nothing more than the bla bla bla bla fricken bla game by Milton Bradley. It's not real anymore. The noble principles are honored only up to the point the political body decides it wants something, then any of these are tossed out the window and human civilization is plowed under.
I hope that makes sense. Long day.
So, Fredd that last bit in my post, to me, means all this data is collected for the purpose of redirecting people to Not be patriotic, Believe the constitution is some out-dated rag, etc. And this is happening actually, and not be accident.
DeleteI completely get your concern: my radar goes up when any government entity wants to mobilize public resources (taxes, government employees and government equipment) in any effort to achieve 'more', 'better,' 'efficient' etc. results. That's because I have no faith in ANY part of government to decide what is better, more efficient, etc. These guys can't do anything right, other than build dams and kill commies. That's about it.
DeleteFredd, I'm more awake tonight. My point was the government puts social engineering strategies into play to refine the methods to use to turn us all into subjects. Like one big livestock farm. That IS how they look at us. "How do we get these damn cows and sheep to Want to walk into the shearing pens (until they retire) and slaughter houses.(after they retire)
Delete...and the culturization of politics will undoubtedly continue unabated. It's much easier for politicians to address faux and red-herring issues like "intolerance"... for in that manner, the real built in injustices present in society never need be addressed (or sources of their power threatened).
ReplyDeleteshakes head
FJ, I didn't read the whole thing. Personally, I think if someone can't bottom line their position, then they're just wasting space. And it doesn't take 27 pages to get this sort of point across. Though, when multiple sources are basically saying the same thing, it validates the point. My position is all of these issues and subsequent actions by people given too much power is a [too many to count] recurring theme throughout history. It's basic human nature really.
DeleteThanks for the reference.
Personally, I think we could make the attempt to filter human behavior with information technology, or we could just cut our loses and delete them entirely. You know, here one minute ... Pffft ... gone the next.
ReplyDeleteMustang, I don't think that would do. There would be no sport in it and 2-who's money do they steal. And 3, who would do the paperwork and operate the machines?
DeleteNow if you're talking muslums, sign me up.