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So everyone these days is all worked up about fake news, and all these other people who want to do things that they don't want to do.

Well, it seems like a hard problem to solve, but I've been doing some thinking, and I think I've found a solution that everyone can get behind.

The reason fake news is a problem is that nobody can agree on which sources are reliable and which ones are actively spreading lies. It's impossible for any individual to truly determine with certainty that any given source is 100% true or 100% false, because the news only provides information that the average person does not or cannot have access to. So it's impossible to test if they're being lied to.

So the only solution, other than merely creating another news outlet which people are meant to arbitrarily trust, is to give every person equal access to the first-hand information that journalists set out to find. And how would we do this?

Well, imagine a really really really big public surveillance system. I'm talking cameras everywhere where there are people. In car dashcams, stoplights, body cams on every person, every door to every building and house, and drones hovering above populated areas. And I'm sure there's all kinds of other places we can put cameras that I haven't thought of. So now imagine, that all those cameras are streaming directly to a free, open-source, public website, where anyone can search for and access the feed from any camera and see it as it's happening. If any major event goes down anywhere, you can bet the people won't be out of the loop before journalists tell them. We can all finally know the truth of everything that happens anywhere, completely unmolested by narratives and propaganda.

But all those cameras would get expensive. So, even better, why not just use the cameras that are built into our skulls? We'd have to hook up some sciency shit to our brains, but, you could pretty much see out of everyone else's eyes if you wanted to. Nothing anyone sees can be unseen by anyone else. All information will finally be in public hands!

Now some might compare this to 1984, and all that 'Big Brother' paranoia, however, I would refute that my system gives everyone access to the information. In 1984, only the thought police had access to the telescreens, which is completely elitist. I'm suggesting a more democratic and egalitarian form of mass surveillance. We, the people, are all Big Brother! Everyone is watching everyone!

So we have everyone literally watching everyone else through each others eyes. Cool, right? Well that also got me thinking, if you could see everything that everyone else sees, a lot of people will be more understanding of each other. They could literally see what life is like as them.

So why stop at just the eyes? Why not the entire nervous system? Why not just make everyone a massive P2P network of interconnected wifi brains that all think unanimously?!

Well if we could pull that off, we could basically solve all of our problems for us. Obviously we can't please everyone, but if everyone becomes just one big collective personality, then pleasing everyone is as easy as pleasing yourself! The line between selfishness and altruism become faded and meaningless! Everyone will be happy as long as the collective is happy!

So like, if you're a Nazi right now, you're probably pretty pissed that Hitler lost and Nazis aren't ruling the world right now. But then when you assimilate into the collective, you would stop being a Nazi because the collective isn't Nazis, so you'll get to be happy and fine, if not overjoyed, by how the world is. We all would be!

They say utopia is impossible, but I think we might actually have a real shot at it this time. All the problems in life will simply vanish. I can't think of a single societal problem that this won't solve.

So when the technology comes around, you know I won't be the last person to assimilate! And I think you shouldn't be either!

So everyone these days is all worked up about fake news, and all these other people who want to do things that they don't want to do. Well, it seems like a hard problem to solve, but I've been doing some thinking, and I think I've found a solution that everyone can get behind. The reason fake news is a problem is that nobody can agree on which sources are reliable and which ones are actively spreading lies. It's impossible for any individual to truly determine with certainty that any given source is 100% true or 100% false, because the news only provides information that the average person does not or cannot have access to. So it's impossible to test if they're being lied to. So the only solution, other than merely creating another news outlet which people are meant to arbitrarily trust, is to give every person equal access to the first-hand information that journalists set out to find. And how would we do this? Well, imagine a really really really big public surveillance system. I'm talking cameras everywhere where there are people. In car dashcams, stoplights, body cams on every person, every door to every building and house, and drones hovering above populated areas. And I'm sure there's all kinds of other places we can put cameras that I haven't thought of. So now imagine, that all those cameras are streaming directly to a free, open-source, public website, where anyone can search for and access the feed from any camera and see it as it's happening. If any major event goes down anywhere, you can bet the people won't be out of the loop before journalists tell them. We can all finally know the truth of everything that happens anywhere, completely unmolested by narratives and propaganda. But all those cameras would get expensive. So, even better, why not just use the cameras that are built into our skulls? We'd have to hook up some sciency shit to our brains, but, you could pretty much see out of everyone else's eyes if you wanted to. Nothing anyone sees can be unseen by anyone else. All information will finally be in public hands! Now some might compare this to 1984, and all that 'Big Brother' paranoia, however, I would refute that my system gives *everyone* access to the information. In 1984, only the thought police had access to the telescreens, which is completely elitist. I'm suggesting a more democratic and egalitarian form of mass surveillance. We, the people, are all Big Brother! Everyone is watching everyone! So we have everyone literally watching everyone else through each others eyes. Cool, right? Well that also got me thinking, if you could see everything that everyone else sees, a lot of people will be more understanding of each other. They could literally see what life is like as them. So why stop at just the eyes? Why not the entire nervous system? Why not just make everyone a massive P2P network of interconnected wifi brains that all think unanimously?! Well if we could pull that off, we could basically solve all of our problems for us. Obviously we can't please everyone, but if everyone becomes just one big collective personality, then pleasing everyone is as easy as pleasing yourself! The line between selfishness and altruism become faded and meaningless! Everyone will be happy as long as the collective is happy! So like, if you're a Nazi right now, you're probably pretty pissed that Hitler lost and Nazis aren't ruling the world right now. But then when you assimilate into the collective, you would stop being a Nazi because the collective isn't Nazis, so you'll get to be happy and fine, if not overjoyed, by how the world is. We all would be! They say utopia is impossible, but I think we might actually have a real shot at it this time. All the problems in life will simply vanish. I can't think of a single societal problem that this won't solve. So when the technology comes around, you know I won't be the last person to assimilate! And I think you shouldn't be either!

8 comments

You're starting to sound like a filthy communist! /s

I am getting a Black Mirror vibe halfway through your post. At first I was like "okay, I can kind of see this being a legit arguing point". The more I read on though, I get more scared of a future like that.

[–] Mattvision [OP] 2 points (+2|-0)

The more I read on though, I get more scared of a future like that.

Scared? I'm excited for this! Now, someone who might think this is a horrible opinion might say something like this:

The part of this that scares me the most is that it truly is an optimistic future. Automation is going to make human labor useless, and when automated soldiers become more cost effective than human infantrymen, we're basically fucked forever- revolution against whoever owns them will be logistically impossible. Maaaaaybe it'll be possible for individuals and local militias to manufacture them on their own and we'll be able to keep the balance of power, but if not, we're basically fucked. So freedom is going to die anyway, but if we manage to become a scary dystopian P2P network before the elites can use robots to rule over us, then we might at least eliminate suffering and make violent suppression of the population a pointless endeavor. But it'll be at the cost of everyone's individuality.

[–] Sarcastaway 1 points (+1|-0)

There are networked cameras in our phones, watches, cars, businesses, and everywhere else thanks to satellites with telephoto lenses. TBH, in-eye cameras almost seem a little redundant at this point. Why limit the panopticon to the human PoV?

[–] Mattvision [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

I mean, I guess there's no harm in adding already-existing cameras to the network, but putting new ones all over the place and having to maintain them at all times will get really expensive, and there might be blind spots that we are unaware of. Meanwhile, as long as everyone's eye-cams are connected to the network, it's impossible for us to miss out on anything that a human being is involved in. Even if it means we're limited to a first-person view of the subject, we'd still be able to witness it.

[–] E-werd 1 points (+1|-0)

And I'm sure there's all kinds of other places we can put cameras that I haven't thought of.

Don't tempt me.

So why stop at just the eyes? Why not the entire nervous system?

Well, I'd finally be able to know what a female orgasm feels like. Imagine the industry that would allow. You know that theory that redheads can take more pain? We'd actually be able to test and experience that--and exploit it. How about those darkweb streams where you get to watch people die... but you can feel it. Holy fuck, this is a terrible idea. Nope, I'm done with this thought.

[–] CDanger 1 points (+1|-0)

literally lol. This was a great read. I don't know the name for this genre (satire of techno-naivity?) but it is hilarious.

[–] Mattvision [OP] 1 points (+1|-0) Edited

I don't see what's so funny about this, I'm making a serious point about the future of the human race, but thank you. Whatever floats your boat.