When Pro-Westerners speak of the US they usually invoke the liberties afforded to us by the 1st Amendment, consciously or not. Specifically, the right to free speech and freedom of assembly is probably most in their favor. Granted, Middle Tennessee State University concurs, stating "the strongest First Amendment protection for privacy is in the right of freedom of assembly" in a 2009 article. However, can such privileges exist in a society as technologically advanced as ours?
On one hand, the accessibility/portability of cameras have made recording people against their will as normal as sneezing: unpleasant when strangers do it but something we've learned to deal with. I mean, seriously. Even as I was brainstorming this blog post, a woman proudly stood up to film/record the patrons on the patio without soliciting anyone's consent.
On the other hand, the integration of GPS and location history features into apps we use daily almost nullifies any privilege afforded by the right to free speech. Really, what normal, non-security guarded citizens will truly speak their mind in a land where the opposition can find where they live with a few search engine queries?
This claim is further exemplified by the metaphorical muzzle employees have to wear in professional spaces. Can I really critique the company if my boss's idealogy clashes with mine? I think not.
As can be seen, the pervasion of information leads any logically minded citizen to revisit their liberties and question whether they can even be enforced in today's data-driven world. To be clear, I'm not arguing for complacency about the 1st Amendment. Rather, defenses of America's overall shittiness that rest on it should cease.
With that said, thanks for reading, and stay pissed.
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