Response to reading of Sheldon Pacotti's "Are We Doomed Yet?"

This article described different ways of thinking and feeling about how technology is advancing. It's really great to be able to do the things that are made possible by the latest technology! The leaps and bounds, and the ever-expanding possibilities are exciting! Everyone having access to SO much information, and communication, too. The more we learn, the more we realize there is to learn.

On the other hand, what about the increased potential of harm by malicious misuse?Upon becoming more familiar to the realm of the internet, I realized that privacy and security were at risk. So, I need a firewall, virus protection, and a pop-up control. (. . .and don't forget to delete your cookies, you know what I mean!) This article was interesting and thought provoking. Reading this article changed the focus my concern.

Mr. Pacotti's made a compaison of security hacking to completing levels on a video game. Security and surveillance cameras are everywhere we go; helicopters and satelites are in the sky. Used as deterants of crime, or for homeland security (or tracking those driver's license chips). Technology advances, knowledge will proceed, and understanding will move forward.


Big Brother is Watching (corrupt intelligence agency), and Thought Crimes (classified/dangerous knowledge), are prevailing ideas of this article. Mr. Pacotti says that ". . our best chance of survival lies not in criminalizing certain kinds of expertise or knowledge but in disseminating that knowledge as widely as possible, . ".

Avoiding an Orwellian future seems more important than protecting privacy. Although, I do think there is more to worry about than just a few `monkey wrench' throwers. Mr. Pacotti is too optimistic in that reguard.