I went on this trip to the South of South Korea. It was organized by some enthusiasts/travelers that regularly organize stuff. I thought at first they were a semi-company (unregistered doing travelling agency like activities) that don't pay tax and make a little buck while travelling, especially as they mentioned no insurance and also carried a brandname and logo, and had very regular activities. Operating through meetup.com, though, always skirts the fine line between professional and amateur. Certainly, though, the notion that they might make a profit even with cheap tours (hint: no taxes) or that acting like a company kind of makes you into one, was certainly lost on them.

The trip I went on was half paid for by the Boseong government. Given that county was far away from anything touristic and, well, there was probably hardly anything there, I thought they were just getting some try-out-and-spread-the-word tourists. This was definitely true, the housing was brand new (and empty). They managed to herd us into a "Boseong-Kazagstan sister city project" presentation televised in Kazakhstan (note: countries can be cities).

During the main activity a photographer's event was coincidentally planned.

Naturally, I was very unhappy about all this. Confronting others I found that none of the 80 other participants shared my feelings to any extend. Notably, most considered that they should do something back for the Boseong government, for having paid half their trip, and so this was all fine. They also gave enormous leeway for the volunteers that happily organized this tour, and simply didn't see the harm of being taken pictures of (for whatever purpose). (I got a horde of childish remarks, apparently most 20 somethings abroad are still living their highschool dreams)

The age of privacy, and everything with it, including the freedom of association and separation of public and private life, is ending. The public is smiling merrily along the road. 1984 is coming, but the public is not scared or suppressed. They are smiling happy people, obedient and cheerful, and they take the best of care of their keepers.

This is neither a hyperbole, not that much of a doomsday scenario. It is simply inevitable and true. The cost of surveillance is decreasing, the abuse of surveillance is mild or absent - and has passed from the people's minds. People are not concerned with the eventual consequences of tracking all their activities, they are concerned with having more fun.