The world during and after C-Time!

“Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come.” – Haruki Murakami

The most commonly used ‘C’ word has gripped the world alike in its evil clutches, irrespective of caste, creed, culture, socio-economic stature and nationality. The decisions that governments take today wouldn’t just have immediate effects but will most likely shape our future economy, politics and perhaps in culture. It’s observed globally that measures and decisions that would have normally taken months or even years of deliberation are getting passed in hours. Large scale social experiments like complete isolation, national level lockdowns, hoards of businesses and educational boards going online. During ‘normal’ times, it would’ve been virtually impossible to do something like this on such a massive scale.

Governments today are on the crossroads to choose between “Big Boss” surveillance and citizen empowerment. 

The choices made today will not just have an impact on the virus spread (or control) today but will also be instrumental in shaping up the world we live in once the storm passes. And it will pass. Most of us will come out of it alive too. However, one thing that can that’s for certain is that it won’t be the same world as we have known it.

“Big Boss” surveillance and citizen empowerment

Governments across the world are galvanizing every surveillance tool at their disposal for “health and safety of their citizens”. Few of the notable ones being Chinese monitoring through millions of smartphones and face recognition cameras to identify and track suspected and infected coronavirus carriers, prompting them to check their body temperature regularly and report them. Israel’s Benjamin Natanyahu deployed the technology which is otherwise used for terrorist surveillance. Reluctance by parliamentary committee was dismissed under ‘emergency decree’. Governments of more than 11 countries (Including India) are contemplating sharing telecom data across borders for further tracking. There are enough and more apps available to tell you if you have come in contact with any potential carrier of the virus.

While majority of us will advocate it considering desperate times call for desperate measures, there are a few credible freedom of speech leads trying to bring the possible dangers of such invasive techniques. These surveillance techniques will definitely be useful given the current situation, however there is likelihood of such increased ‘under the skin ‘surveillance becoming the norm following the outbreak. There is a possibility that governments and politicians can easily retain the powers to use the data en masse to influence and manipulate. The severity of this kind of privacy invasion can make the incident like Cambridge Ananlytica appear from Stone age. There is a greater threat that entails this kind of new world order. Majority of the people might be OK, worse, even agree with “Big Boss” constantly watching over their shoulders. There is a possibility of a huge mindset paradigm shift amongst the people. One example of this transition being that during the lockdown period here in India, social media posts of authorities and cops lashing out violently on the people stepping out of the houses are getting more and more “Likes” from everyone. I am a strong supporter of our Government’s initiative of encouraging people to stay indoors during the lockdown and pretty much even agree with our age old obsession with “Negative Punishment” methodology to contain the defaulters. The only reason to cite this example is to highlight the rapidly changing acceptance of totalitarianism demonstrated outrageously out in the open. 

The situation demands majority of the resources to be deployed to “hotfix” in order to achieve immediate results to control the pandemic, however there’s also need for Governments to dedicate resources to collaborate with its people to constantly create awareness and educate people. Centralized monitoring and harsh punishments aren’t the only way to make people comply. History has repeatedly taught us that self motivated and well informed public is far more effective with longer lasting benefits than a policed, ignorant one.

After all one such example is usage of condoms and birth control pills in India through constant awareness and educational programs driven by all authorities and public alike is not only better, but a lot more effective than outrageous forced sterilization program by Sanjay Gandhi. There is a valid argument of paucity of time in order to permeate the message to the ground level as education is a slow process and need of the hour is to drastic and immediate action. One thing to note here is that in a moment of crisis, minds too can change quickly. Isn’t this the best time to use multi-lingual digital apps to convey the severity of the situation to the people in the remotest locations of the country with over billion mobile users and over 300 million smartphone users. And why should we just rely on the government or authorities to take up this task. All of us in our individual capacity can contribute to the cause. It’s quite inspiring to see the “influencers” stepping up and spreading the awareness.

We all need to make a choice as Nations, as societies and as individuals. Will we travel down the route of disunity with authoritarians controlling our lives or will we adopt the path of global solidarity through education and palliative treatment.

Please leave your inputs and suggestions.

SR