Big Brother is Watching
Recently, an official-looking notice from the federal government showed up in my mailbox, addressed to “Resident” and to an apartment that doesn’t actually exist at this street address. Since my apartment is the only one that does exist at this street address, I’m lucky enough to get all the junk mail for that and all other non-existent apartments at this address.
The notice told me that I had been selected to participate in the so-called American Community Survey, the results of which are Very Important and will help save the world or something like that. I was to watch out for it, fill it out, and send it back.
Sure enough, a few days later, a fat envelope, still addressed to “Resident” and still to an apartment that doesn’t exist, showed up in my mailbox. “YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW” was emblazoned on the side. I tossed it aside, because final exams were more important than helping the government save the world from a nonexistent apartment, required by law or not.
Yesterday I got a stern letter reminding me of the survey and of how Very Important it is for me to fill it out. So I figured, what the heck.
The first thing the survey asks for is my full name and date of birth. I get antsy when something addressed to “Resident” wants my personal information in return.
And then some. Race. Number of children. The amount I pay in rent and utilities. My occupation. My gross income, self-employment income, and interest income, if any—information I just sent to the IRS. If I work, how long is my commute? If I don’t work, why not? Is it because I’m too psychologically unhealthy or physically disabled to work? And on and on and on.
At some point, I decided it was actually a scam and was going to pitch it; one of my college roommates did a “phone survey” kind of like this that turned out to be a foil for guys to get girls to discuss their private parts. What government organization seriously wants to know all this information? But being that I was already at my desk and at a computer, I decided to Google it first.
The American Community Survey is a new nationwide survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing.
So says the U.S. Census Bureau. They don’t mention the $100 fine for each question left blank and the $500 fine for each time you lie. Or is that $1000? Or that apparently government Census takers will harass you if you don’t complete it in a timely manner.
Even if some of the information is genuinely needed by the government to plan services, I don’t like it.
Chipanglish
CogKnition
Gustatory Circuit
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