Modern technology, whether deliberately or not, is designed to distract the population from the fact the the wealthy one per cent and the big corporations have their hands in the pockets of the public.  So busy are people with Facebook and similar web operations (whose objectives are to make hoards of cash from advertisers), that they rarely lift their eyes from their I-phones to notice that democracy and human rights are being whittled away on a daily basis.

The latest example is Instagram, caught claiming the right to sell for its own profit everything posted on its website.  Instagram was bought by Facebook.  Now people are complaining  about something they have already signed up for.  Basically, folks, you and your content are saleable commodities.  If you are happy about these rapacious activities, so be it, but don’t complain.

You cannot have a “society” where the rules are rigged for the benefit of the few, supported by powerful political parties who mainly  care for their funders.  Epicurus is known for retreating to his philosophic garden in the face of roiling Greek politics and violence.  But he also preached peace of mind and moderation.  What is going on in the Western world, thanks to globalization, is immoderate .  The gap between the haves have-nots and the power of corporations is dangerous to society,  and undermines any hope of peace of mind or trust between citizens.  It is becoming increasingly hard to isolate oneself from ubiquitous technology and commercialism, and the invasion of privacy that accompanies it all.