Bonus Post

So have we traded the Bill of Rights for convenience?

I log into Amazon and it welcomes me by name. Netflix offers me personal suggestions based on ratings I've volunteered in large part because I get a rush out of the number of movies I've watched. I always accept the user agreement on ITunes because I'm in a hurry to get the download so I can move on to something else on the to do list. And God forbid that I have to wait a second longer on the SkyWay to dig out the $3 bucks; the IPass transponder linked to my checking account means that I cruise through the toll gates to get to the airport or the real fun faster.

Everything I've mentioned is completely voluntary--and thoughtless. I've chosen to give up the Fourth Amendment because it makes my life easier. How about the rest of you?

Why? Because we'd all prefer to live in the world of Locke and Rousseau, even though we really think that Hobbes was right. I know that I can be trusted because I'm good, but I'm not really sure about the rest of you.

This strange dichotomy means that we love Marcus's mom, but most of us in this class are actually his dad. (Sorry, Derek. Some day I'd really actually like to meet you.) We really want to believe in the ultimate goodness of people, but we're realistic and cynical enough to know that there are way too many people who see us as targets. Worst of all, there's my real, true level of bigotry: stupid. Ignorant can be fixed, but stupid is forever. I don't really think any of these philosophers ever really dealt with dumb and lazy, which are, unfortunately, very real parts of my real life.

Besides, like Van in Little Brother, we'd rather those we care about be protected.

I think this post really sucks, so don't comment if you read it. It's way too likely to just go away--but if you have terrific skills, even when I disappear it, you can find it.

This class makes my head hurt. But since thinking helps keeps me away from the final dirt nap, maybe that's not so bad.