I would just point out, widespread mask-usage is a thorn in the side of any surveillance state. If there were a way to verify it, I would be willing to bet that the anti-mask sentiment is the result of a successful astroturfing campaign by pro-surveillance state interests.

A little extreme yes, but they're not off base by much. The early warning signs of the dangers big silicon valley companies pose started popping up in the late 2000s. The folks mentioning it, like Facebook being a vector of high manipulation of presidential elections was considered fantasy even in the early 2010s. This comment falls in the same line. The early warning signs of Maoist China and Lenin's revolution weren't taken seriously until it was far too late as well.

This post, while extreme, should be taken into thoughtful consideration. Books like 1984 and A Brave New World weren't meant as time wasters, but as cautionary tales.

Sure, but there's no link between large tech company surveillance and public health measures like mask wearing. Just because there are forces that are pushing us towards a surveillance state does not mean you can lump anything onto that pile.

Except for a possible convergence in agendas. Public health officials need contact tracing and that can be accomplished perhaps most effectively by mass tech surveillance.

What?

I was using that as a parallel. The original comment, which was taken down, in discussion was about governments using covid as a means to take away individual's rights. There are plenty of warning signs of that happening across the globe. The other person was dismissing it, like people use to dismiss big tech warning signs in the late 2000s. That's why I made that analogy.

Its called emergency measures. And in normal democracies those are correct ways to aggressively combat emergencies.

Closing down street and preventing people from accessing is a violation of your freedom, but its normal if there is a raging fire going on nearby.

Unless you are living in a failing state measures to fight Covid should not be immediately seen as attempt at population control and back-entrance fascism.

I was totally in agreeance with emergency action in March and partially through April. However, limits have to be instill in said emergency action or you get something like the perpetual War on Terror. Many political leaders want to keep their lockdown powers and abilities going. Hell, to this day Miami Beach is issuing $50 citations for people not wearing masks in their cars or moves their mask for a moment so they can drink water. We can argue about the March and April reaction was too much or too little, but that's hindsight. I think with the knowledge at the time, it was close to appropriate-ish (speaking for the USA). Different places got hit harder than others and they reacted appropriately for their region. My county for example saw next to nothing even though we're a fairly heavy populated county in Florida. What gets to me, the pressure to up the restrictions more and more even though contracting rates haven't really changed throughout the whole time.

And don't think I believe covid will "disappear". It won't. It's like h1n1. It'll be with us forever. Just like the flu outbreaks we get of 40k to 70k deaths. We'll always see it happening. That's life.

If you're not in the USA, one of the issues that really fired off this problem, the Michigan governor banned the sale of seeds during the shutdown. That was a gross overreach both in legal ability and common sense. The "slippery slope" had begun for many people across the country (including myself). Since then, using covid to infringe on any freedom is a huge deal because when you lose it, you don't get them back easily (if at all). Also, the idea where a gov body declares your business is "allowed to operate" was a really scary thing. That ability can be easily abused if it's not kept in check.

The hand wavy idea of "Oh, let gov do their thing. They never do anything bad and always have our interests at heart. Let them shut down what they want, when they want, even thought he evidence suggests otherwise." is ridiculous. Especially if you've read at least half of a history book. This is the perfect opportunity for the politicians (you know, people, humans, fallible creatures) to take corrupting advantage of the situation because they're in positions of power.

Edit: That, and when did the memo go out that we all blindly trust big pharma? Like, I remember a day, not too long ago, that big pharma was a snake in the grass that took advantage on the sick and the dying for profit. Now... we're okay with them? No need to be suspicious of hyper rushed drugs for a world wide panic? I'm a big fan of modern medicine and vaccines especially. But there's a checks and balance process, along with testing, to ensure as little dangerous side effects as possible... and they still happen. I'm super worried of a rushed vaccine that apparently is only good for 6 months anyways? Seems like a dream cash cow drug to me. The political fear mongering is leading to people not wanting to ask questions over some really shady opportunistic behavior.

And here we are, every sane person agrees and everyone wastes time nodding their heads :/

surveillance state - bad, carrying for well-being of others around you - good

Lets drop the topic and go back to work or coffee

Ad nauseam

No one has will to prove that garbage smells and its toxic over and over and over again.

It has no effect thus no point.

Here, i'll copy and paste part of my post on flat earth:

> Its hard to believe sometimes bu a lot of people grow up never questioning or poking at the reality surrounding them.

> You don't need that to grow up and get by in life, but then you end up not being able to distinguish reality from snake oil.

> And all of those snake oil salesmen know exactly what buttons to push.

> "Secret knowledge", "hidden truth", offer them glimpse into world that secret cabal never wants them to see. Convince them how much smarter and cleverer they are for "figuring out" the reality that other are blind to.

> And then the 'blind fools' come to try to convince them that the earth is round...