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| Detail from a piece by Tara Austin. |
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of younger Americans becoming more accepting of government surveillance. This is in contrast to older generations, who are more likely to be concerned about the erosion of privacy, and threats to our freedom.
This is the article that caught my eye: "Why Are So Many Younger Americans OK With Big Brother Monitoring Their Homes?" (J.D. Tuccille, Reason, 7 June 2023) The subhead reads, "Children raised in an atmosphere of fear become adults who prioritize security over liberty."
Tuccille specializes in government overreach, so he's especially attuned to these kinds of threats. What he strives to get across is that that this is becoming a growing trend among young people. I see it as an extension of the ideas put forth in Coddling of the American Mind, which Tuccille references later in his piece. (See: Are Children Being Raised Too Safe To Succeed?"
There are a number of reasons why younger Americans may be more accepting of Big Brother. One reason is that they have grown up in a world where surveillance is more commonplace. They are used to having their online activity tracked and their movements monitored. As a result, they are less likely to see surveillance as a threat to their privacy.
Another reason why younger Americans are more accepting of Big Brother is that they believe it can make them safer. They see surveillance as a way to deter crime and protect them from harm. They are also more likely to trust the government to use surveillance responsibly.
These rationales don't hold water for a large swath my generation.
Although some younger Americans are concerned about the potential for government surveillance to be abused, it seems they are in the minority. For the most part, it's a trade-off. I give up my privacy for the perceived security of knowing that I am being watched.
Tuccille cites research from the Cato Institute: "Americans under the age of 30 stand out when it comes to 1984‐style in‐home government surveillance cameras. 3 in 10 (29 percent) Americans under 30 favor 'the government installing surveillance cameras in every household' in order to 'reduce domestic violence, abuse, and other illegal activity,'" the Cato Institute's Emily Ekins and Jordan Gygi wrote last week. "Support declines with age, dropping to 20 percent among 30–44 year olds and dropping considerably to 6 percent among those over the age of 45."
When I was young, Orwell's 1984 was required reading. I'm curious if he's been left behind. This book (and its companion, Animal Farm) is very much worth reading again because of the warnings it provides.
Implications
There are a number of implications of this trend. One implication is that it could lead to a more authoritarian society. If younger Americans are more accepting of government surveillance, then it is more likely that the government will use surveillance to crack down on dissent and control its citizens.
Another implication is that it could lead to a more unequal society. If the government is able to track and monitor the activities of its citizens, then it will be able to target those who are seen as a threat to the status quo. This could lead to a society where the government is able to suppress dissent and maintain its power.
Privacy matters. Freedom of speech matters, but even more important is freedom of thought. It is important to be aware of the implications of this disconcerting trend.
If younger Americans are more accepting of Big Brother, then it is more likely that the government will use surveillance to erode our privacy and control our lives. There's no such thing as a benevolent Big Brother.
Much has already been written about the rise of "smart homes." ("Alexa, go to sleep.") It is easy to become paranoid about how much data they gather from our movements, our conversations and our email. Yet a growing percentage of young people are comfortable with this.
Likewise the increased use of facial recognition technology. On my recent flight to Italy the airline used a facial recognition system to identify me as I boarded. They had me hold my unopened passport in my hand just to show that I had one but they never opened it or looked at it. The Delta staff seemed apologetic about the use of this system which made some people squeamish.
Scenes from a couple Hollywood films come to mind. I'm thinking especially of Tom Cruise striving to navigate the maze of cameras and sensors in the film Minority Report. The degree to which our phones track us might surprise you, especially if you're on the wrong side of the law.
For most of us, there's hopefully little reason to lose sleep over this. I like the title of Banksy's book in this regard: You Are An Acceptable Level of Threat and if You Were Not You Would Know About it.
What do you think?
