Is Big Brother So Bad?

We all know about 1984's famous "Big Brother". You know, the one who is always watching you. Government surveillance is something towards which we as Americans display extreme dislike. Privacy is important to us. No one wants to have a giant TV screen in their home, watching their every move and listening to their every word. It's intrusive, and interferes with our day-to-day lives. However, George Orwell did not anticipate the creation of the internet. Every day, millions of Americans transmit countless bits of personal information all over the web. While most of it is harmless, there are situations where information about illegal activity is being transmitted. Maybe there are people planning on pulling a big heist. Maybe there are a group of terrorists planning on blowing up a building. Maybe there are some kids out there illegally downloading music. If the government can prevent these people from committing the crimes they plan on committing, one assumes that the world one lives in will be safer. If the government were to use unobtrusive, undetectable methods of gathering information, would you be against it? Would you even realize it? The world is at a crossroads. It can choose to embrace freedom, or it can choose to embrace security. The question we have to ask ourselves is, "Is Big Brother really so bad?" In my opinion, Big Brother, is, in fact, really that bad. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."