Big Brother is watching but, in this digital society, so is everyone else
At
some point we’ve all been caught saying something not particularly complimentary about another person that wasn’t meant for their ears.
In my case, it’s too often been the result of accidentally hitting “reply all” to an email I only intended to send to one person.
In Justin Trudeau’s case, he ended up poking fun at President Trump in front of the whole world. Ouch.
It made me smile to think of a group of world leaders all having a good old gossip as if they were down the pub with a pint. But the fact they forgot themselves quite so spectacularly at a state function in Buckingham Palace is remarkable.
At such an event the chances of being filmed or overheard are always going to be high and surely they have a responsibility to behave in a way that befits their office.
It reminds us that even the most senior of politicians are only human – and Big Brother is always watching.
The sinister side to this story is that we now live in an age where we are all being watched.
I’m reminded of that every time Google or Facebook or some other site throws up suggestions based on my most recent searches. We share pictures of ourselves going about our daily lives on social media and it’s all being logged.
I watched the BBC drama The Capture recently, which didn’t allay my concerns. I won’t spoil the plot, but let’s just say it exposes the potential to use our own images against us.
I think we’re all that little bit more paranoid now. I’m always careful that if I have a sensitive opinion or information to share I do it in person rather than in writing. And, in this age of political correctness, we have to watch everything we say. We also have to be so careful about what – and who – we’re influenced by on social media, so an environment of anxiety and mistrust has been created.
I can’t help but link this toxic culture to the rise in mental health problems. So many people feel anxious over how they are perceived and what people are saying about them.
Common sense should have dictated to Justin Trudeau and the rest of them that they were in the wrong environment for gossiping – but the sad fact is they can never really afford to let their guards down, and that is increasingly true for all of us.