Have you ever thought about the remarkable changes happening because millions of people now carry instant recording devices around in their pockets all the time? 
Cell phone cameras record police brutality in a way that leaves little defense for the perpetrators. The gang rape of a woman in India brings instant global condemnation. YouTube has hundreds of videos of political gaffs and incredibly stupid statements from politicians on all levels of government. Loaded statements meant to rally supporters (like the 47% and the “legitimate rape“ comments) now go viral, exposing hidden agendas and institutional deceit. Instant digital access allowed Manning and Snowden, both comparatively low level operators, to spirit away and expose thousands of secret documents about what the US government is doing at taxpayers expense, and how we are all being spied upon.
Ironically, the government is spying on us in part, because we are spying on them. And this baby is not going back in the box.
Our technology is allowing us to overturn all the rocks and expose the vermin beneath. It’s not that all this stuff wasn’t happening before. It’s just that in the past we didn’t know about it, or chose not to acknowledge it if we did.
But human beings are now ready to let in more light. We are ready to be more honest with ourselves and take responsibility for our actions. We are OK with posting silly pictures of ourselves on Facebook because we know we are just being human, and we don’t mind sharing that part of ourselves.
Along with our willingness to take responsibility and be more honest with ourselves, we are also demanding that others be more honest with us. We want to be fully informed about what the government is doing so we can know what we are voting for. We want to be in control of our personal information and who gets to use it and why. And so our technology has evolved to allow us to shine the light where there was darkness before.
With the advent of cell phones and instant electronic data transfer, it is becoming harder and harder to be a hypocrite, tell a lie, bribe someone, hide your true feelings, cheat at anything, treat people unfairly, or keep secrets.
We seem much more willing than past generations to share personal information, but only with explicit permission. And in return, we expect transparency and fairness from those we deal with, including and especially our government officials and the corporations we buy our stuff from.
So it is not surprising that governments are fighting back and cracking down. It is not surprising that politicians are getting caught with their pants down and their feet in their mouths. It is not surprising that corporations are buying politicians and votes. It is not surprising that police are confiscating camera phones, and arresting those that try to document incidents.
The powers that be are scared, and they should be. The cat is already out of the bag and long gone. Because of the power of that instant recording device and its silicon chip brothers, we have the ability to demand honesty and accountability from both the people and the institutions around us. And we are beginning to accept that responsibility that this power brings.
We are all in this together, and together we can build a fairer, brighter, more honest and peaceful world.
For more on energy reality, see my book “It’s All About Energy: Adventures in Expanded Reality”, on Amazon, in local bookstores and on my website: www.transformationalexpansion.com
What a balanced view of the power of technology. Thanks, Bev.
I must admit I have come to appreciate my daughter’s smart phones in their capacity to take beautiful photographs and even piece together home movies. Just this week my youngest and her friend filmed and edited a humorous sketch they developed for a social studies class on her smart phone. This is technology at its best when it works to bring people together, educate, and communicate in a way that makes people feel better about their world.
Alas, my fear is that age-old conflicts over scarce resources, be they water, oil or boyfriends, will continue to persist with or without technology just as disagreements over religious beliefs and public policy always will. What we can agree on is a commitment to non-violent conflict resolution, negotiation and the time-honored notions of “good fences make good neighbors”, “judge not lest ye be judged” and “live and let live” where the other has been exhausted.
Unfortunately not everyone will abide by the code of non-violence and that is where technological transparency is not always the best thing, as in efforts to protect the location and identity of victim-witnesses or assist people in fleeing violent households or government regimes as recently depicted in the film Argo. There is a reason the underground railroad needed to be underground and why many of the gay population still do not feel safe disclosing their sexual orientation. Likewise technology in the hands of emotionally lethal individuals has never been more powerful than the capacity to engage in slander, rumor-mongering, and bullying via the internet and texting with few if any consequences to the perpetrator.
Nevertheless, I share the same dream you do, that perhaps in some small incremental way, the human population is evolving to be kinder and gentler when and where possible. Isn’t that what most of us want?
My apologies for the windy response. Thanks for sharing Bev!