Louis XIV and his declaration of "I am the state" somehow feels familiar and close to home. But shouldn't we be striving for the opposite - we are the state, by which I mean we collectively, we as in a democratic society? It truly feels like we are moving in the other direction.
I'm in Cafe Nero the other evening enjoying coffee and a catch-up with a friend of mine. A conversation of no interest or significance to anyone else, and yet there it is recorded for god knows who to see on their surveillance system... You might think that my questioning this is socially irresponsible, but I'd argue that we're reprehensibly for not raising the issue. Why is there CCTV in cafes, buses, shops, pubs, bars... where does the information go? Who's using it? How long is it kept for? The manager in the cafe couldn't tell me, he even seemed put out by the fact that I had asked. What are the implications for privacy laws? no one has asked my permission... data protection?
I am in total agreement with anyone who believes that George Orwell just got the date wrong: Britain is 'surveillance society'.
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