Future Scenario - What Will You Do?

May 27, 2003

First off, I apologize for the thread categories. Honestly wasn't sure where this would fit.

If someone feels this should be moved to another sig, that's ok with me.

AND...this isn't a fishing expedition. So, if you feel uncomfortable with the topic...please DO NOT respond on here. DO think about the possibilities. I won't be in the least bit offended if noone responds.
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All righty, here's the deal.

Most everyone on here knows that I am an avid technology watcher as applicable to our privacy and rights as individuals. I've seen quite a bit of movement over these past few years. The technologies being employed by both governmental & private industries (and the traceable & corresponding overlap) have taken off at an even greater rate over the past few months. Much of the movement presently underway, I find very troubling.

Much of the impetus for this explosion has been the whole terrorism issue. It has given many of these struggling IT companies a footing that previously they didn't have. In fact, these companies are now prospering through contracts with our government to R&D new methods to identify us, regulate our access & movement, & track our daily activities. (For those not up to speed...do a review of past articles posted here...not only by myself, but also by many other of our members).

The argument is of course, do they have the capabilities to do the tracking, to the extent they want to...now? There are two camps with opinions on this issue...they yays and the nays...and though I sit in the "yes, they have the technology & capabilities now" camp...I will admit my opposites toss up some pretty good arguments that the perfect "big brother" system ...ain't quite there yet. Both sides admit that many features are still in the development stage. I don't however, believe that this proposed system is very far off.

The point is...at some future point...it will be fully functional.

So, here's the scenario of this future time to come (going by news items & voiced desires of our government....and also developments internationally)...

How do you survive in a world, and where do you live in a world... where you have no job, no land/homeownership, no personal property, no ability to engage in commerce or even travel?...

because to do so requires that you either recieve the PLD (GPS implantable chip) or use smart contactless card, iris scans (or pick another trendy method) for all of your daily functions and be fully tracked in every facet of your life.

Already we see developments in banking, insurance, shopping (smart stores), medical care, welfare benefits, public transportation (subway, ferry, bus, train), air travel, travel abroad, parking meters, RFID paper money (proposal) check cashing, casinos, supermarkets, amusement & recreational organizations, government workers & military usage, gas heat for the home....

where use of smart cards or biometric identifier, is encouraged for fast, easy and traceable transactions.

In fact many industries across the spectrum, have indicated a future switch-over to completely cashless transactions for various reasons. Additionally, where money doesn't change hands, these same smart contactless cards are the preferable future options as they will be tied into easy-access databases where the operator may instantly find out any tidbit of information that they need...or want...about you. All of this to be done in the name of security, of course. Interestingly enough....(edit: gross/accidental inaccuracy on my part...the old noggin merged two related facets of these movements into one of my own invention, source for correction: http://australianit.news.com.au/art...Enbv%5E,00.html ...this text/thread now reads correctly) "The card giants have set a 2006 deadline for banks and merchants to adopt chip-standard systems or wear the cost of "chargebacks" if a customer denies responsibility for purchases made on their cards."

There has been enough exposure lately on transaction tracking as mandated by the Patriot Act, to not go into this area at length...it does deserve a mention however.

Daily movement is already seeing tremendous moves in physically tracking our whereabouts. Our government (on national on down to local levels) is on the forefront of the thrust to be able to identify folks by their facial structures & body language. In many instances, these technologies have been used on large segments of the population, without their prior knowledge. Anyone noticed the explosion of traffic cameras? ...or understand that your location can be triangulated through your cell phone? Different usage and abilities but, realistically...it is all related and are just small parts of the future system.

Back to the point and away from my rambling (though I did leave out about a million technologies presently being researched and/or launched)...

What are you going to do, if you choose to opt out?

Society won't have a place for you. Now it does...all of these measures are optional...either/or. Someday...what if it ISN'T optional (here's that scenario part I've been dancing around ). Like I said...you'd have no place in society.

In this future scenario:

You will be unable to hold a conventional job, bank or cash checks or other benefits, make conventional purchases of any type, own or even insure property, carry a driver's license, travel, enter buildings, pay for utilties, get medical care....the list goes on.

Obviously, this future scenario will seem far fetched and needlessly "hysterical" (I believe is the word I've seen used quite a bit) to many readers of this thread. "So what's so wrong with all of these developments?" That's a vague and misleading question and unfortunately, if you don't "get it," me spending time on here trying to explain it...isn't going to help a bit, other than to raise blood-pressures and waste time. AND, as I said...this is a what-if. It is however, a very probable one.

To others however, who find this topic to have some potential as applicable to their viewpoints and beliefs; what are you going to do? Where are you going to go? (Those are rhetorical questions...this thread is meant to get the reader to "think" about it.)

I've seen it mentioned numerous times that "Mexico" or some other country is "looking good." Sorry, to have to tell you this...but internationally, we are pretty behind the overall label & track movement. Even third world countries are issuing "national i.d.'s" with conformation to future standards in mind. Recently, mention was made of streamlining i.d.'s on an international level. There are other nations not even as far along as we are, eventually though; all will carry the same technologies. They'll have to or be isolated completely. So, you aren't going to run from it in this future scenario.

Basically, inspite of what many may think of my viewpoints and stance on this topic (basically, I could care less if you think I'm stark-raving-mad), I feel it necessary to shout out to folks that may not have thought of it....that there may be a time coming that your individuality, your ownership of self, freedom of movement & actions.... AND YOUR PRIVACY as we now know it...could be gone.

Start thinking about how this affects you and your principals. Start making provisions as where your line in the sand is, and how you plan on surviving once that line has been crossed. Basically, if you opt out of the system, you would become a non-entity. A scrub, a vagrant (incidently, they are issuing I.D. cards to the homeless in many areas) an outcast. Literally, you will be the very lowest of the low....by society's standards. You will also have to be very self-sufficient and at the very least...semi-nomadic. In the beginning, I don't see the government forcing anyone to do anything on the "make the vagrants" comply angle. Everyone would pretty much leave you alone (other than running you off public & private property). Eventually, however; I see government & public opinion becoming very openly negative towards the holdouts that won't conform to the automated, cashless & utopian society...in this scenario.

So. Start thinking about this possible future, and ways to adapt...on your terms and in ways that won't compromise your beliefs.

The old phrase, "living off the land" takes on new significance in this scenario. Better figure out how to barter, the basics of the underground railroad (yes, from what I've read...there is a network), communication (study hobo movement) and etc. and so on. Lotsa topics out there, lotsa information...that should get you started for our future "what-if."

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