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Privacy In A Dystopian World

Decent Essays

Sydney J. Harris, an American journalist, once said, “the real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers.” This is a common fear among a society where technology seems to be taking control of everyone's lives. A person’s surroundings is filled with people who go about life focusing on screens, and merely caring about each other. Everyone is synced to look down, press a button, and repeat. This compares to a dystopian world, where technology, and those who provide it, oppress the people. In a dystopian world, men are not allowed to think for themselves, and only follow a group. Furthermore, the hierarchy in a dystopian world knows every piece of information, and has eyes in every …show more content…

There are three mottos: “SECRETS ARE LIES”, “SHARING IS CARING”, and “PRIVACY IS THEFT” (Eggers 305). All these mottos can only be achieved if people ignore their own values and what they believe in. There are no more secrets, because it will be considered lying. Sharing personal information and your daily life with no privacy at all, is known as caring for others. If the person knows they are being watched, no sins will ever be committed. It is why cameras are everywhere. Mercer, Mae’s ex- boyfriend, is the only person in the novel that sees The Circle as it truly is, a harm to the people's humanity. In one of his warnings to Mae he exclaims:
I think you think that sitting at your desk, frowning and smiling somehow makes you think you’re actually living some fascinating life. You comment on things, and that substitutes for doing them. You look at pictures of Nepal, push a smile button, and you think that’s the same as going there. I mean, what would happen if you actually went? Your CircleJerk ratings or whatever-the-fuck would drop below an acceptable level! (Eggers …show more content…

The characteristics of a dystopian world resemble to the ones pertaining to contemporary times. Technology in the present, has been taking an immense part of people's lives as more innovations are created. These innovations will continue to grow in power, and who is to say a monopoly like The Circle will not happen in the future? Around the world, people do not notice their surroundings. They are too busy documenting moments, instead of actually living them. The excessive use of the internet and its tools, is only feeding the government’s way of collecting data. There is no privacy, and rights are being violated. Everything and everyone is being tracked and monitored. No one is conscious of what it means to have technology take control over every aspect of life. Dave Eggers serves as a voice of warning, and should be heard so “men [do not] begin to think like computers”

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