Saturday, August 26, 2017
History Repeating (Mass Surveillance)
In our discussions of governmental surveillance in Czechoslovakia pertaining to The Unbearable Lightness of Being, I found it striking how familiar the concept is. It's a theme that repeats throughout history; the same situation occurred with McCarthyism, when writers and directors were on "blacklists," had their homes bugged and cars followed, and were encouraged to give up names of other writers/producers in order to be "cleansed" from the blacklists. It was enough to be "guilty by suspicion" (the name of a film we watched in Civics last year). The Salem Witch trials of 1692-1693 are equally infamous for the hysteria they caused, as people who were "plagued by the devil" claimed that their fellow townsmen were witches in order to escape persecution themselves. Nor was the concept of mass surveillance completely unfamiliar even in the medieval ages, especially with the Fourth Lateran Council. According to the Council, people suspected of heresy had to prove that they were innocent, or else they were excommunicated. In effect, one was guilty until proven innocent, and people were encouraged to spy on and report their own neighbors. This recurring theme in history is not an alien concept but rather an eerily familiar one.
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On the subject of mass surveillance and how it is a common event throughout history, I think one has to mention the current mass surveillance that happens or has happened in our own society today, with the data collection programs run by the FBI and NSA that have in recent years included the warrantless wiretapping, recording of metadata (such as location tracked by people's cell phones), and collection of data from online. These programs were established following the 2001 terrorist attacks and were fueled, as is often
the case with such programs, with the justification that they were necessary for national security. Leaker Edward Snowden revealed information about these programs to the public causing lots of controversy, and some parts of these programs such as bulk data collection from cell phone companies have ended. While the type of surveillance found under the Soviet occupation of Prague, with bugs placed in people's houses and private conversations released publicly, was on a different level from that found in the US, I think it's important to bring up the fact that government surveillance is still present even in our own country.
That's a really interesting point that you bring up, Ally. Mass surveillance is certainly a recurring event throughout history (myth of eternal recurrence??). Political surveillance directly relates to a prominent theme of the novel, "living in truth." As Sabina accurately interprets it, individuality and self expression are compromised under the judging eyes of others. In the Salem Witch trials, surveillance was mostly based upon rumors and other unsubstantiated evidence. However, in recent events, such as those brought up by Bryce, technology has irrevocably altered the concept of surveillance. "Living in truth" and securing one's individuality is harder than ever with new advancements such as social media. I can confidently say that almost every time I post on social media whether it is a simple tweet or a post to Instagram, I somewhat carry the general public's perception in the back of my head. It's almost involuntary at this point. Certainly, this makes "living in truth" an ordeal, and I think it's an important point to note because I'm certain it's not just me.
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