Day 269 -- Human v. Machine

This afternoon it appeared that the classroom management software had glitched again. I found one of our building 'gurus' and he sat at my machine and found that everything had worked as it was to have done. During the tour around the site, it became clear that as an instructor, inordinate levels of power exist to see exactly what activity has been occurring on the site.  Some of this is quite useful to check to see who has opened various files presumably to read as per course request. <smile>  However, it seems that I have become part of the 'big brother' machine a la Orwell's 1984 -- definitely something I'd rather not be party to. Knowing I can see who did what, when and from where is daunting to say the least. It is a power that must be used for good <smile>. Today, it was used in this manner, helping us to determine what exactly had happened.

This brought many questions to mind. Is there too much surveillance and data gathering? Is this data being used towards a positive end? Or are we entering (or in the midst of) the dystopia Orwell imagined? Well, it was Friday and I was very tired today -- but I have listened to the civil libertarian arguments against such information gathering and to the bureaucrat and business arguments for gathering of such information. I suspect that even those gathering all the data aren't necessarily aware of all the information that may be at their fingertips. Many are like 'keypunch operators' just doing our jobs without understanding the wealth of data behind the scenes. Of course, there are many works of fiction in book, movie or television programs that include the use of such data for purposes of tracking activities, self aggrandizement and criminal acts. It definitely plays into the ever-present conspiracy theories.

Again today, I seem to be raging against the machine <smile> I've said it before but will say it again, I am not a Luddite but I do find the power of technology somewhat sobering. The song that came to mind today did so because I felt like the character -- doing tasks for the machine rather than the other way around. It is a song that has almost reached cult status, but is still worth a listen. Enjoy!

Mr. Roboto -- Styx