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      Privacy/Technology, (sdf.org), 09/21/2018
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Amazon threw a big shindig yesterday around their push for 
global smart home supremacy recently[1]. They are, 
apparently, hell-bent on creating a fully surveilled home 
life, where machines see, hear, and analyze everything that 
you do. You know, for your Own Good(TM). And as if the home 
weren't quite enough, they want the public square (starting 
with our grocery stores) to be an even more alarming 
assortment of cameras than it already is.

Is anyone else dying inside? I know I'm not the only one. I 
can't be the only one that finds this stuff abominable.

If you read the "Cultural perception" section in the 
Wikipedia entry on electricity[2], you'll find an 
interesting little sketch about how electricity came to be 
an acceptable "necessity of everyday life." Electricity, 
though not fully accepted at first, took on a salvatory role 
in our modern lives. 

In 2018 you could probably kick around in the dumpster and 
find 10 or 15 folks that would argue against electricity in 
the home[3]. I'm not going there; though, I would rather 
love to see self-sufficient homes with solar and through 
other means, versus the monstrosities of consumption that we 
currently create. But how does this relate to the smart 
home?

MONSTROSITIES OF CONSUMPTION, that's how.

The "smart home" is nothing but smart. It is invasive, 
overly-complex, and needlessly expensive. It is energy and 
connectivity dependant to a crippling degree. It promises to 
expose your every action in exchange for a scant Star 
Trekesque experience. You'll get blenders that you don't 
have to touch (oh, except to fill with ingredients, the 
dirtiest part of the job), microwaves that obey your every 
whim (because pressing 1-3 buttons is a chore,) and 
refigerators that tell you when they think you should go 
spend more money (or, they'll perhaps just spend it for 
you.) If you're really lucky, you'll get advertising all 
along the way- oh wait, that's an absolute eventuality, luck 
isn't a player.

All of our worst nightmares are coming true. Did you read 
1984? Farenheit 451? Anything? The things that used to 
appal an audience are now the hottest trends in consumerism. 
A watch that can monitor your health and track your 
location? A fridge that can help you "decide" what to eat?

"'Smith!' screamed the shrewish voice from the telescreen. 
'6079 Smith W.! Yes, you! Bend lower, please! You can do 
better than that. You're not trying. Lower, please! That's 
better, comrade. Now stand at ease, the whole squad, and 
watch me.'"

"... Winston, with a violent lunge, succeeded in touching 
his toes with knees unbent, for the first time in several 
years."

What bothers me most, I think, is that Orwell didn't go far 
enough. Here we are- a bit past 1984, granted- sliding down 
the hill toward the abysmally misrepresented Utopia. With 
all its gadgetry and abuses, I'm really not sure it will be 
as pleasant as we think it will be.


[1] Google it, for a full non-private experience. Go on.
[2] gopher://gopherpedia.com:70/0/Electricity
[3] I have no reference, again. I'm just making stuff up.