How does our society’s growing paranoia affect trust ? What role do war, conflict and negativity have on this issue ?

In this recent article, approximately 270 business are described as having”Isis” in their company name. As a result, many are suffering negative criticism from the global community because of the link to the Iraqi terrorist group, ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq). For of these companies, many of them small businesses, the negative publicity has affected their reputation so strongly that many are considering changing their company’s name. The article’s writer brings up an interesting point, however, expressing that changing a previously established company’s brand or name is a “costly and complex move”.

Though there is no direct connection between these business and the Iraqi terrorist group, our paranoid society can’t seem to help informally boycotting these businesses. When Adolf Hitler used the Swastika as the symbol for his Nazi party, all cultural symbolism previously behind the Swastika was erased from people’s minds. I know that if I see a Swastika today, I immediately think of Hitler, the Holocaust and World War II, not of its cultural origin. The name “Isis” is also, coincidentally, the name of an Egyptian goddess and yet is now generally associated with the Iraqi terrorist group.

When we see powerful words or symbols, such as the Swastika or the name “Isis”, we immediately connote them with negativity and assume the worst, whether or not they are connected with the groups that that use them as fronts. “Assuming the worst” seems to be a trend in our society, a trend that goes along with suspicion and lack of trust. Being prepared for plans to derail is okay. It’s a part of being flexible with ones intentions. However, at what point does being prepared for the worst turn into paranoia and prevent us from fulfilling our potential, both as individuals and as a society ?

There’s no doubt that technology has changed our society… How is technology affecting our awareness as a society ? Our awareness of our surroundings and others ?

You know that long list of complicated sentences no one bothers to read before clicking “accept” ? The Terms and Conditions… Of an agreement that is. We generally come across this long list when connecting to free WiFi. A recent article depicts an experiment taken place by F-Secure, a Helsinki-based company. The company squeezed various terms into the Terms and Conditions agreement at various free WiFi providers in London. Six locals, through ignorantly accepting the agreement, ended up “voluntarily” signing away their rights to their pets or their first-born child.

Of course the company won’t hold the WiFi users to actions and take their kids… However, imagine how shocked the users must have felt when they found out how ignorant they had been ! Technology has made a lot of positive change to our society, especially with regards to rapid communication. However, the people’s constant obsession with their cellphones and other technological devices has rendered them ignorant. I remember very distinctly one incident that occurred whilst my parents and I were out for dinner. While waiting for our meals, we were relaxing, visiting and enjoying each other’s company. Meanwhile, some members of the family at the table next to us had there backs turned to each other. I, nine at the time, remember thinking how ridiculous the scene looked. One was talking on the phone, another was playing their GameBoy, another texting and the last staring off into space, seemingly unaffected by their family’s lack of interest in each other.

There are many examples linking ignorance in our society to technology, the experiment conducted in London being a clear one. As a society, we have been and need to continue reflecting on how this affects us as humans, our values and how we interact with and treat each other.