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regarding the stuff they already have: doesn't whatever they have have huge historical value? it could be the difference between being a lost civilization and
by thrwaway190430 7y ago
regarding the stuff they already have: doesn't whatever they have have huge historical value? it could be the difference between being a lost civilization and being well-preserved.
I'm not saying it should continue but if I could vote between destroying it or putting it on mars in a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years I'd probably choose the latter. (not saying collection should continue.)
humanity has zero qualms about reading historical letters among famous people but these days it's all digital so we would be a lost civilization otherwise.
I don't know if it has access to this stuff but if it does wouldn't it be better to put it somewhere for the future? Though the way we have no qualms about opening Pharaohs' tombs in Egypt presumably we can't count on our direct descendents not opening it early either. I don't know how anyone can make a legit time capsule.
what do you think? better to destroy all that data?
- somebodythere 7y agoIf a government agency openly announced, today, that they would be indiscriminately collecting phone and internet data from Americans for the express purpose of putting it in a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years, would you be pleased? (FWIW, I would not.)
- thrwaway190430 7y agoNo. (And I think it should stop, if it's happening.) If a trove of private correspondence is found from an ancient civilization, that was clearly not meant for disseminatuon but intercepted unlawfully, do you think we should destroy it? I think it's okay to answer this question in the negative. But an argument could be made that people should have a right to privacy unbroken even by long posterity. What do you think of that question?
- acct1771 7y agoIf it's happening...? I stopped reading. Please educate yourself on the NSA's faculties and budget.