I didn't bother carving a pumpkin this year. Nor did I bother dressing up, or getting sweets for trick-or-treaters. It's suddenly gotten very cold here, which at the close of October is normally not unexpected, but after the hot and sunny year we've had it's surprised the life out of me. They say it'll rain tomorrow; and the news announced that this is officially the beginning of the 'flood season'. Cor blimey. I saw something that irritated me last night. I went for dinner at Subway after work, and there was a guy with a laptop at the door asking passers-by if they've had their free sandwich and soda yet. I ignored him, as it appeared to be an offer for students, and sat down with my quite unappetizing meal. Anyway, a couple of students, girls no older than about 18, rushed up for the offer, holding some sort of voucher that offered them a free sub and soda. Well, the guy said to them, you certainly can have your free sub and soda, if I can just have a few of your own details, he said, typing rapidly into his computer. what's that about, they asked, looking hungry for a free meal but a little suspicious? Well grinned the guy, citibank are offering you the chance to be pre-approved for a credit card, it'll only take four, five minutes. So we have to sign up for a credit card? one of the girls asked nervously. Well, yes, you're being pre-approved - don't worry, he added, you probably won't be approved anyway, but we'll put in all your details, then you can have your free sub and soda. The look on their faces, girls who did not look like they had had a credit card before and did not trust themselves having one, was a little anxious; they just wanted their free dinner. They looked like fairly poor students, first time away from home, probably living off of 15c noodles (hey, so am I, so what, I like them on toast), and had been looking forward to their sub and soda. So there they were, selling - sorry, giving away free - their personal information to a global credit corporation that is targeting penniless students with offers of free subs and sodas. They'll probably get those credit cards, and use them as well, when they really don't need them. The company will make money selling their information to other large companies who can blitz them with junk mail and credit offers (big industry, selling people's details for marketing, and totally legal - what a wonderful world). Hope the sub and soda was worth it, you're actually making a huge billion-dollar industry richer. I was going to step in, and stop them from selling their souls. It was an almost religious moment, I was going to do my bit against the corporate totalitarian predators. I was going to offer to get them sandwiches myself, in order to save them from the devil, and tell the laptop lucifer to go home and rethink his life. But I didn't, I just went on eating my chicken teriyaki sandwich, because, I reasoned, it was none of my flipping business. They can do what they want. They have choices. This guy works for a massive predatory corporation, and probably works on commission, just trying to feed his family. But I must say, I wish I had stepped in. I feel sorry that I didn't. It's all too easy to accept the inevitability of corporate totalitarianism, but every little action counts. I can't vote next week, but I implore all those in America who can, and who think that their one little voice won't make a difference in the face of the multi-million dollar political advertising industry telling you what you think, to get out and vote, vote and change something. Because there is a lot that needs changing.
flood season
1.11.06 23:15
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