in this time, at this age, obscurity is getting harder and harder. we must register, our names and our numbers in order to obtain a bank account or a phone number. our faces are scanned and our fingerprints taken as we enter into countries and our keystrokes are counted and footprint recorded whenever we go online. data collection is reaching a zenith just as our ability to store and search data develop to have society use it on us. we think of little consequence to this as we enjoy the free things that this gets us, free search, free networks to keep our friends together and free entertainment. but beware of these free gifts, the powers that be will take this information and use it, managing any sort of anonymity is going to be a challenge in this future digital age.

already the tea leaves have appeared. warnings appear in our chat accounts about authorities coming in and punishing the owners of any chat groups that might be hosting conversations deemed inappropriate. people get nervous, the free flow of ideas and jokes are stymied. the simple idea, a quick warning and the group quietens. my own text messages cease, self censorship begins. our thoughts might want to carry the jokes forward, but the fear of an unknown consequence stops us. so easy we are to flinch, all paper tigers that fall down as soon as the wind blows our way.

and what to fear. losing the comfort is one. losing our money, our freedom. this alone keeps most of us in line. for others it could be physical threats that makes us fear pushing back. we fear the consequence, the push back, the reflection back into our own souls that might take place if we push too hard. but each moment we accept the things going on, each time we are used as a data point, the closer we are to not ever getting a chance to take hold of our own rights. each cookie that is tagged onto our computers, each keystroke recorded and every fingerprint taken into a database is a piece of our identity taken away and put into the hands of an unknown. it sits there, with all the vulnerabilities of someone with little to lose if it goes missing or is misused. the future is here, and its consequences are coming with it.