Speed the (Snow) Plow

Carolann Iadarola did some investigative videotaping and wonders if she changed the world a little bit because of it. Read more from Carolann on her blog, Sassy Townhouse Living

Today, something funny happened to me today that I had to share. Both funny, and well – serious. I’m in my office as I normally am, and hear the sound of a huge snow plow coming down the street. 

For some reason, I jumped up to see what was going on and suddenly I see this plow knock over a stop sign on the corner. I frantically grabbed my cell phone as my first thought was to shoot a video of his weak attempted to repair the damage he initially created. This is what I captured.

I was shocked to see how this snow plowing dude carelessly knocked over the stop sign, attempted to stick it back into the ground, stomp on the snow around it, and get in his truck and leave.

I couldn’t help wonder if he was going to come back and fix it or report this to the township and have them make the repairs. I was a tad upset thinking I would have to report this because left unrepaired, it could seriously hurt or even kill someone! So, I thought I would wait about an hour and see if anyone would attend to this pending disaster. As I was pondering the decision to call the township, I hear the plow truck and grab my cell phone again and begin to record the happenings once again.

He actually came back to make repairs! And within the hour!

I was happy to see this of course but not so happy because he spotted me taking the videos of him. This made me wonder – did he come back to make repairs because he saw me taking the video (both times) or because he knew he morally had to do the right thing? Was he being accountable for his actions regardless of me capturing the video or was he a good citizen and employee doing his job correctly?

Maybe he didn’t see me the first time I shot the video (although I swear he looked straight up at me during the second) and maybe he was being accountable and I was judging the entire situation based on pre-conceived notions that folks just don’t give a crap and can leave a situation they caused recklessly. Does this prove that not every picture or video tells the complete and accurate account of what took place? What if I had only posted the video of him knocking the sign down and didn’t tell the rest of the story correctly?

This leads me to pressing questions about the use of social media and vlogging. The trials and tribulations of living a digital domain. What caused me to immediately grab my cell phone to record what I had seen? I would have never thought to do that before the YouTube era – I’m sure of it. I seem to always been on the hunt in the back of my mind for creating the next viral video. What does that tell us about society? Is this a gotcha society after all? I believe it is. Video cameras at every stop light, every supermarket, every department store and gas station – what’s a gal do to?

What are the repercussions on society? On one hand, we are snagging terrorist and bad guys left and right with our video surveillance, and on the other, we lose a piece of our freedom and privacy along the way.

There is no doubt that our viral social society has changed the way we live, think, and react in public. Even in the privacy of our own homes we are paranoid about hackers turning our webcams and cell phones into weapons of snoopery and invading our sacred spaces. How do you feel now? Any safer? Are you willing to part with your privacy in exchange for security?

To quote one of our great forefathers…

Benjamin Franklin

“Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

― Benjamin Franklin

I have become a tad paranoid folks as well by installing a home security system with three video cameras. I must admit, I do feel safer and more situationally aware of my surroundings. I am a believer in meliorism but not blindly – I have seen how technology has transformed the world and the people in it, into a better place.

What are you willing to sacrifice in exchange for security?