Daily Prompt: The Outsiders

Tel us about the experience of being outside, looking in — however you’d like to interpret that.

Today most of us are outsiders, looking in at something and someone is looking in at us most probably. It all begins with the computer: we all have one otherwise we would not be here writing our daily prompt. You finish your prompt and upload it, it appears on the grid. More likely than not, your prompt is being read by the others that also wrote a daily prompt, they are looking in on your writing which might tell the others one of your details in your private life.

There is a new computer version called Windows 10, the main negative thought about this was what we all read when it appeared. 

“You know they register all your moves on the computer. They know what you like, what you want and all your preferences.”

Of course, there are ways and means of hiding things from the others that are looking in, but why bother. The others soon discover how to look in and do it all the same. There are even people that make it their business to watch every move you make. You pay a visit to the bank and discover the account is empty, just because someone told you in an e-mail that you should go to a certain place on the computer and re-confirm your bank details. Unfortunately this place of reconfirmation, was a place where the others were waiting and watching to discover your password and so they read the details and transfer your money to their account. It is all a matter of being on the outside, which is actually no longer the outside, because they discovered how to get in. So keep them out if you can.

I have a distinct feeling that I am constantly being followed. I even saw myself on a television at the local supermarket. It was some sort of advertising gag to sell their wonderful televisions. I stopped and stared and saw myself as the other see me. Of course I made a few adjustments to my hair, my jacket and smiled, I was being watched. I was also watching on the supermarket closed circuit TV to see what was happening around the corner. They hang this small screens everywhere and suddenly you see someone put something in their bag without paying for it. I suppose that is the reason for this “Big Brother is Watching You” system, and now to spring to action and tell someone what you saw, or you don’t. If you saw it, someone else must have seen it, so why bother, none of your business.

It seems that some towns have TV observation posts in strategic areas to keep an eye on things. I wish there had been a camera on the local railway station when my purse was stolen, but no luck. Either there was none, it was not working or no-one was watching the screen. Afterwards they tried my bank card at one of those machines, but they did not know my code and did not get further. Did they have their photo taken whilst trying? Of course not, in our small town there is no such thing. 

If you are driving in your car, going somewhere with foot on the gas peddle it might be that the next day you receive a sort of government selfie photo of yourself at the steering wheel, accompanied with a rather expensive bill to pay for a fine because you were perhaps, most definitely, driving over the speed limit. Don’t forget, always smile when you are driving a car, you never know who is watching.

It’s modern life, so get used to it.

In the meanwhile:

“Hey Martians, look at that human down on earth. It is doing its recycling process.”

“Let me see, and me and me.”

“Come on guys, don’t push. There is enough room for everyone. Those humans are sure a primitive example of life, still at the beginnings.”

“But Gronk, do you think they might be watching us.”

“No chance, their CCTV does not have inter spacial  connections - yet.”