At a national security research conference (don't ask), I had the opportunity to ponder why people who one hopes are very smart seem to consciously try to make themselves sound dumb. Like Jimmy Carter and the pronunciation of the word nuclear (and yes, it discomfits me if you're someone who works in the nuclear energy or arms industry and you pronounce "nuclear" as "nu-cu-lar"). Here's the security dumbing down: instead of potential criminals, terrorists, or simplest of all, threats, such individuals have to be called "bad guys." Because our playbook is from Marvel Comics. Doesn't make me feel safer, same as taking off my shoes in an airport doesn't make me feel safer. In the wake of the underwear bomber, are they going to make us strip down before going through security.
That said, the conference was a very pleasant day and a half, with otherwise well-spoken and intelligent people who just happened to say "bad guys" a lot.
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5 comments:
tell you what if people are going to have to strip to go through the airport i am SO getting a job there! Especially when Jessica Alba passes through
Alas, people stripping at an airport would be, I suspect, much like a nude beach: titillating in theory, and exceedingly underwhelming--nay, repulsive--in practice. The Hollywood Starlet Strip Booth position would indeed be coveted, exactly because these people are physical phreaks of nature (in a good way!).
Before too long, you won't have to remove your clothes. There are machines now that can see right through them a la Superman's x-ray vision. Pretty soon, we will have no privacy whatsoever. The "bad guys" win . . . *sigh*
[snigger] Bad guys.......
Cookie: More likely, you get to watch Dame Edna, so be careful what you wish for. I'd sign up for Antonio Banderas or Brad Pitt. Philip Seymour Hoffman? Not so much.
Wunelle: Richard Hatch? Dick Cheney? I'd pay cold cash to NOT see them strip down.
Ms. Peg: And I don't feel like we're any more secure taking off our shoes and soon to be letting strangers see us nearly naked. Nope. And not only do I not feel more secure, I'm pretty sure these invasions of privacy don't make us the least bit more secure in reality.
Mr. Cat: Really. They kept saying that. Like they weren't comic book fan boys. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
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