Computers Quote by Nick Harkaway
““You end up with a machine which knows that by its mildest estimate it must have terrible enemies all around and within it, but it can't find them. It therefore deduces that they are well-concealed and expert, likely professional agitators and terrorists. Thus, more stringent and probing methods are called for. Those who transgress in the slightest, or of whom even small suspicions are harboured, must be treated as terrible foes. A lot of rather ordinary people will get repeatedly investigated with increasing severity until the Government Machine either finds enemies or someone very high up indeed personally turns the tide... And these people under the microscope are in fact just taking up space in the machine's numerical model. In short, innocent people are treated as hellish fiends of ingenuity and bile because there's a gap in the numbers.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Gone-Away World, 2008
Excessive suspicion turns ordinary citizens into presumed enemies, leading to invasive surveillance and loss of liberty.
In simple terms: Paranoia fuels oppression.
Key Takeaway
Guard against over‑reaching security.
Themes
surveillance
trust
authority
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- government policy
- law enforcement
- corporate data mining
- community safety
Key Concepts
political theory
psychology
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards protect innocent people?
- When does vigilance become tyranny?
A Different Perspective
Balancing security and freedom is complex.
