Security Concerns

Never underestimate the cost of security. In pre-911 days we felt pretty secure. Once those planes fell from the sky and buildings came down, it was a different world. There were the obvious changes. Airport security got a lot more attention. Travel became more of a hassle and not just on airlines. Even the security on inter-city buses increased. Not only was it a hassle, someone has to pay for all that extra invasive security.

There were a lot of hidden costs. Public information on utilities became secret. While that may keep some vulnerabilities secret from terrorists, it also hides potential problems from people who should know. Everybody from fire departments to city planners now lack critical information. It affects everything from hidden chemical hazards during a fire to where it's safe to dig a trench. There are work arounds for some of these things, but everything takes longer, is more cumbersome, and incomplete.

Now imagine if every time you went out to do something body guards had to come along. In many parts of the world that's the reality. Everything that's done has a “security tax” added to it. Many things become too security expensive to bother with.

Let's bring things down to the level of a household. You might be pretty self-reliant. Let's say you have a big garden, a wood lot for firewood, and a stream for an emergency water supply. You are currently living in a pretty secure world. Your main concern about the garden is if deer are going to get into it. You can fire up your chainsaw and cut up firewood to keep warm. Should you need emergency water you just take a water jug to the stream.

Now imagine an insecure world. That garden has to be guarded not from deer, but from hungry people. Using a chainsaw is a security risk. It's loud. People can tell from miles around that you've got: a chainsaw, gas, firewood, and probably have a homestead nearby. If you burn the wood the smoke could give your position away. Going down to the stream? Better take a guard with you.

People have the mistaken idea that we are protected by the police and the law. There are never enough police to make everyone follow the law. Laws are only good if most people voluntarily go along with them. Police are there to deal with the few who don't. We are not protected by the government, but by a civil society. When we become less civil towards each other, the more security is needed. The more security, the higher the “security tax.” At some point it all breaks down. Being able to get along isn't just nice, it's essential for civilization.

-Sixbears