I really didn’t like my biology teacher in high school, and it was pretty clear he didn’t like me either.
He was one of those guys who was very full of himself and thought it was just fine to put down 15-year-old boys in the class if it got a laugh out of everyone else. I, of course, provided plenty of opportunities for him to blast off.
One in particular, I remember, was when he asked everyone what they wanted to do for a living. Now, I had no idea as a sophomore in high school what I wanted to do for a living. All I knew was I wanted a burrito for lunch, I needed new zit cream and the cute girl two desks over from me looked particularly foxy that day. Yes, foxy – it was the 70s.
When he got to me, I had pretty much no idea, so I blurted out, “rock star.” That got a big laugh out of him, of course. He mocked me pretty good and even the cute girl two desks over had a big laugh at my expense.
That teacher killed my enjoyment in that class, but he ultimately did not kill my love of science. I love what science has done and continues to do for our world and am amazed at new discoveries and achievements in the field. Science is slowly making this a better world every day.
I bring this up because I recently got my first COVID-19 vaccination. Yes, I got the shot. Why? Because I believe in the science. I understand that some people are concerned about growing a finger out of the top of their head or something if they get the shot, but I am not.
I trust science way more than the nutjobs on Facebook or talk radio, let’s just say that.
I know that some don’t want to get the vaccine because they worry about the government using the vaccine to put some kind of tracking chip into our bodies. I love science fiction too, but I can only shake my head at that. Sorry, but I am not buying it. Our government can’t fill potholes, so I am not convinced it has mastered nanotechnologies.
But we are being tracked, you know that, right? And it is not government that does it but big business – the ones that continue to get the tax breaks. Every time you use your debit card? Tracked. Walking around with a phone in your pocket? Yep, being tracked. If you buy anything online at all – and most Americans buy a lot of things online these days – your purchases are being tracked. Then any advertising you see on social media or search engines is personalized for you based on your purchases.
Creepy? Yes. Helpful? Also yes.
Have you ever had a conversation about something and then it shows up as an advertisement in your Facebook feed or talked about a movie and news of the movie shows up in your newsfeed? Your phone is listening to you, especially social media.
That is a big business, not the government.
And how about video? We are being recorded all the time. At the ATM, at the shopping center, at the gas pump, at the stop light and even walking down the street. This will only get more pervasive.
So if you are worried about being tracked, I am sorry to tell you that ship has sailed. If you get the vaccine, you won’t have a chip implanted in you, and you won’t grow a third arm. But you will be protected against a potentially deadly virus.
Get the shot but turn off the microphone on Facebook. You will sleep better.
