October 2002

On The Way Out Tonight
By Dr. David Currie

Been out of the house today?  Stopped at the bank?  Drove to the store?  Strolled through the mall, maybe?  Sounds like you've been captured on video several times today.  As the popularity of camera surveillance systems grew through the 1980's, America started on the path to becoming the most voyeuristic society in history.  And there is no evidence to suggest that Americans want to be anything different.  At one time, you had to be discovered at Scwabb's drugstore to be seen on camera.  Today, retail displays featuring video-capture of storefront passersby are so commonplace that they are hardly noteworthy.  Big Brother... or at least all of his offspring, really are watching!

Hidden cameras are popular retail items available from hundreds of online retailers.  Often referred to as "nanny cams," the cameras are pushed as a means to capture nannies or babysitters gone wrong, or for the boss to see what is going on when they are absent from the workplace.  Surveillance cams just slightly larger than a penny can be purchased separately or custom built into any object you can imagine.  Popular items available with hidden surveillance cameras already installed include tissue boxes, flower pots (plant cams), VCR's, smoke detectors, wall thermostats, motion detectors, stuffed animals, dolls, pens, baseball caps, jackets, neckties, cell phones, house phones, pagers, brief cases, sunglasses, eyeglass cases, clock radios, boom boxes, stereo speakers, wall clocks, lunch boxes, backpacks, jackets, picture frames, light fixtures, door chimes, figurines, books, binders, cigarette lighters and cigarette packages.  And, of course, there is the devilishly clever video camera that appears to be turned off when it is actually recording.

If you swung by the bank this morning, you were definitely captured on video, whether you walked through the front door or did your dealings through the automated teller machine.  If you visited any government office... yep, pretty much guaranteed you were captured on video.  If you shopped at any major retailer, you were definitely captured on video.  And, certainly, after events of the last few weeks, we all know that we weren't just video-captured in the store, but in the parking lot as well.  Traveled lately?  If so, you have been video-captured waiting in airports, walking through hotel hallways and dining in fine restaurants.  If you happened to swing by the tanning parlor or clothing store, you paid your money and took your chances... here's hoping you weren't videotaped in various states of undress without your knowledge.  Stopped by at the convenience store on your way home for gas and a soda pop... captured again!  Swung by the hospital to visit a sick buddy... captured again.  Speeding down the wrong road... driving through the wrong red light... oops, captured again!  Trooper chasing you down the road... we'll be watching the dashboard cam clips of you and the "cops" on TV next week.

In an increasingly oxymoronic (and moronic) world, we have "reality TV."  We catch glimpses of exotic survival scenarios which are neither dangerous, nor have anything to do with survival.  We peek into the private lives of households (made for TV hostels) that are so remotely removed from the real world as to be farcical.  Be increasingly careful out there... unless you want to be captured in some of America's unfunniest contrived home videos... or caught confessing to be one of the most abnormal Americans riding around in the back of a cab.  And then there's the fighting bums... although it turns out that the real bums were the ones behind the cameras.  Oh, and don't forget... on your way out the door tonight, be sure to give the exit sign a wave.

Dr. W. Dr. W. David Currie