Unexpected Discussions

In my developmental English class today, we started off talking about some assigned reading dealing with the 9/11 disaster and the loss of individual rights as a result of fear. There is a security device called the Naked Machine, which basically x-rays the body when passing through security. In order to avoid totally invading an individual's privacy, scientists then created the Blob Machine. This machine did the same thing at the highest security level, but it displays a mannequin's shape instead of the actual person's body. When asked which machine they would choose, people chose the Naked Machine, even though the Blob Machine was just as efficient in scanning for hidden objects. My students found this acceptance to be reasonable. Only one student, Fred, decided that perhaps we have all been conditioned to accept things without question. The article talked about how people are more afraid of a terrorist attack than they are natural disasters and health problems - things which could actually affect them on a much more regular basis. Strange how easily we give up our rights in the name of fear and ignorance.
Original Site for Scan