Friday, May 1, 2009

The third biggest fear of the enemy class

Out of everything I have written and ever will write on this blog, this is probably the most important. I hope you understand this and I really hope you understand the ramifications of it. Part II. Read Part I here.

He who controls the flow of information also controls the world - this I do believe most of you out there understand. Still most of you sit quite and say nothing when the flow of information get tightened more and more with restrictions and regulations being imposed almost on a daily basis. And those that are supposed to monitor the power elite, journalists, does hardly nothing. I promise you all that there are lots of fun stories to be found if you just search a little. An old lady being stalked out by the secret police for writing “Hitler” in an email or some poor smuck being black-listed for reading about bombs online and without knowing it hardly ever getting a job again. Things like this have already happened or are happening right now. Promise. How can I be sure without having proof? Because this is how the government and its thugs “works”. Not only are “mistakes” like the ones mentioned going to happen, sometimes they will be intentional because agencies and the surveillance system needs to show results. If they cannot find any terrorists, they need to show they are putting the money to good use so they don’t get less founding the next year. As I have written before, this is one of biggest absurdities of our entire system. A governmental entity needs to show it is doing stuff, show results and needs justification towards other entities and the best way to do this is to waste money.

IPRED; ACTA and FRA and other laws to control information is just the start, no person in their right mind will believe anything else. Firstly “mistakes” will happen, those need to be “corrected” hence not only correcting within the governmental entities doing the prodding and monitoring, the laws also needs readjusting. Secondly technology evolves therefore new laws will be required. Thirdly the economical crisis will continue, maybe even worsen or maybe even real terrorist attack will happen and from that we need harder punishments and more laws to “protect us” and so on. And lastly, and most importantly; He who controls the flow of information also controls the world.

This is what’s at stake when we are talking about Piratebay, file-sharing, 1984-society or anything else you might read about. It is not about some thief’s trying to watch a movie for free; it is not about catching terrorists or finding child-molesters. It is about control. No matter how anyone tries to explain it, no matter how many lawyers or entertainment executives say’s anything different, it is about control. Think about the latest swine flu thingy or any other news with potential to be “scary”. If you cannot visit certain sites, if all information that comes is from government, how will you ever find out the truth? And even if you still do, do you have the guts to write it? You domain might be closed down, a sudden new law might make you liable for slander, or just the fact that agencies might be reading and visiting you might be enough to keep you quite. There are already voices being heard that want to outlaw certain bloggers and/or certain opionions online. Do you really think those voices are the last ones?

Even if you think all this sounds like I’m one of those believing a giant hedgehog is stalking me, imagine all the laws and all these new/enhanced agencies and then imagine a economic depression with all the political turmoil that comes with it or that some well-spoken totalitarian gains control at the parliament. And then imagine all this surveillance in those hands and situations.

The third biggest fear of the enemy class is that people thinks for themselves, that you, all of us, have access to free information and can formed opinions faster than the propaganda can tell it’s version. And it is a justified fear because informed and well educated people are far less inclined to believe in what journalists or governments tell them. Don’t let them take this away from us. And to you journalists out there, start digging, use your mandate and go do your job, you will find fun stuff, promise.

3 comments:

  1. Wonderful article, you are spot on! I am horrified over how people in general tend to think that in our enlightened times we do not need legal protection from the authority. They are wrong, without protection we are theirs for the taking. Unfortunatly, every other 50 years or so, the whole world gets caught up in a massive war, forcing average Joe to take a stand. And this generation has not yet shed blood for their democratic rights, thus we are once again forced to experience the atrocities of war.

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  2. You make a really important point, and I don't think you're the only Swede who is coming to the conclusion that the government control, which really has been legendary outside of Sweden, is getting to be a bit scary on some level.

    As an immigrant in Sweden, though granted, an American immigrant, I'm still constantly aware of the fact that the government has complete access to any of my information at any time. I think that's a tad scary. On the other hand, the right to privacy isn't necessarily guaranteed in Swedish law, and I think that's something that is probably going to have to be remedied if laws like FRA, ACTA and IPRED are going to be repealed.

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  3. spot on!..Wy would u give power away when u can gain more. FRA,ACTA,IPRED makes it so much easier to controll it all. Watch out they are watching!

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