This Thread Has No Title

Hello people of ATS. I have no title because the original article I was reading spurred a memory of something I had been looking at before and my original thought for post became expanded to a point where I could not discern what I felt was an acceptable title for the post. I hope those that take the time to read enjoy it.
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Gesture based computing is evolving in ways that would make George Orwell proud.
Touching, pinching, voice command, and now, coming soon to a theater near you (pun intended) eye tracking.

We have PlayStation Move, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox all deploying systems that interact with our gestures via various methods.

Military hardware also utilizes various systems and we have facial scans and software algorithms that analyze and calculate emotions. Where will it all end? Will we have portable small FMRI systems that scan your brain while in public? Formed energy waves (sound or light) that can influence behavior?

Increasingly reliant on technology, and how it’s used and interacted with, is taking many of us away from a basic skillset– i.e. planting, hunting - in short, survival skills. Our queen bee seems to be technology and the parameters that are set forth in such workings.

Now we will see computers in the next few years that can be controlled by eye movement. This is great for people that have limited physical movement, but I would also hedge that this technology will be coupled with screen maps to gauge and perhaps pitch advertising. This will be a boon for marketers, getting virtually real time feedback on campaigns.

Windows 8 Meets Eye-Tracking At CES 2012

Even billboards are being utilized to watch and gauge our reactions. See link for some basic info on eye tracking/sensing in bill boards. (circa 2001!)

Attentive Biilboards @ ResearchGate.net

Saying that ‘big brother is watching’ may cause some (still) to think fringe, conspiracy level, tin-foil hat wearing mentality folks are at it again. But are we?

To this I say not only no, but hell no. I appreciate technology and its comforts and conveniences, but have concerns where it affects behavior en masse. It seems to reduce the skill sets mentioned above and basically enslaves us to its teat. And boy howdy, do we suckle from that teat. Mmmmm, suckle suckle!

Who is Big Brother? It’s your neighbor, your priest, your butcher, your wife – collectively we are all part of ‘Big Brother’.



In effect, we are creating our own prison, governed by the very code and parameters that we employ in our technologies. Are we trying to recreate God? The ten commandments? Are those that make the parameters and governing codes of technology virtuous, altruistic, and philanthropic? I think we may speculate the answer…

We, as humans are alarmingly susceptible to subtle and overtly obvious manipulation. Where does freedom come into play with this? Freedom to market and ascribe to the masses someone else’s version of what should be is where Freedom seems to be currently.

I’d like to quote Orwell here:

" Pacifism is objectively pro-fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side, you automatically help out that of the other. Nor is there any real way of remaining outside such a war as the present one. In practice, 'he that is not with me is against me. "

See link for more quotes: Orwell Quotes

He that is not with me is against me? Does this ring any bells? It is not that far in the past to be insignificant in my opinion.

Maybe this is just one big rant, maybe it’s dis-info, maybe it’s tin foil hat wearing conspiracy drivel – make of it what you will – personally, I agree with Mr. Orwell. What a visionary, may he RIP.

Your thread does have a title.

I read it.

Who is Big Brother? It’s your neighbor, your priest, your butcher, your wife – collectively we are all part of ‘Big Brother’.

I may have people suspect that I am Big Brother now.

Originally posted by butcherguy
I may have people suspect that I am Big Brother now

Totally unintended - I apologize.