[MeinBlutIstBlau]

I agree with your second statement, I disagree with your first. Every day things get harder and harder not to be a schizoid with a tinfoil hat. I mean cash has got a long way before not being accepted but I wouldnt be shocked if it goes all digital in the next 50 years (meaning credit, debit, ach, PayPal, Venmo, crypto, etc). Mobile phones and cellular data plans are what dominate our lives. It's impossible to get by without them...unless you are willing to be a secluded schizoid (and I'm not saying that in a deragotory sense). I mean that's all fine and dandy and you still be a nice person and whatnot. However, only techie people honestly are aware of it. "Normies" know about it, but they give in because everyone else did and those affluent oligarchs did too. Many of which those "normies" want to be like them. So the times are changing. And sadly not for the better freedom wise.

[GordonS]

It seems to me that modern western democracies are little more than a facade - most of the political parties are essential the same, or very nearly so. And certainly foreign policy and the security apparatus seems to be the same regardless.

So, I agree with what you're saying, but being realistic, citizens can't really change anything in a modern democracy. Doubly so if any of the magic words can be invoked in relation to the thing they are trying to change ("terrorist", "paedo", "organised crime").

And they absolutely can't change anything in relation to the security services - I seriously wonder if even the government could change anything there, or if the security apparatus really is