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I would argue that paranoia about the intelligence services and spying helped create the situation we're currently in. We feel like we're living in a police sta
by okreallywtf 10y ago
I would argue that paranoia about the intelligence services and spying helped create the situation we're currently in. We feel like we're living in a police state and that feeling is going to cause us to sit back and watch a true police state be implemented.
That isn't to say that spying and warrentless wiretapping isn't/wasn't a problem, but I think we'll come to realize that it was nothing compared to what we've done now.
- wahern 10y agos/paranoia/cynicism/ and you explain everything that's wrong with the current political atmosphere. And why it's not going to get any better. If you have no trust in government, nor even any faith that a non-corrupt, functioning government is a practical possibility, then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We're spiraling toward the state of affairs in Russia and Venezuela. People don't see widespread government surveillance as a policy failure which requires increasing one's civic participation. They see it as a validation and even vindication of their cynical view of government. The problem with the latter is that it excuses them from doing anything about it. Worse, it excuses them for voting for "anti-government" politicians. Chavez was and Putin still is radically anti-government. That's basically like 80% of their political messaging.