Trump's Inauguration: The Biometric Tracking System 'on Land, at Sea, and in the Air'.

Dear friends,

Today is Donald Trump's inauguration – I don't need to tell you that. We can now let go of certain illusions: Trump will certainly not put an end to the frenetic urge for control that is intrinsic to our Enlightenment culture.

He vehemently announces that he will implement the 'biometric entry-exit visa tracking system.' And it will be used on land, at sea, and in the air, he adds. Voilà, now we know that as well.

Trump previously advocated for digital profiling based on big data to predict when someone might commit a mass shooting. I understand that the problems we face are enormous and that the temptation to resort to hyper-control as a solution is extraordinarily strong.

Finding another solution seems—and indeed is—extremely difficult. Letting go of (the illusion of) control is one of the hardest things for humans. It requires transcending oneself, acting from a commitment to ethical principles, and accepting the risks of human coexistence to a certain extent. The ability to achieve self-transcendence cannot be forced, neither in ourselves nor in others. In that sense, patiently waiting for it seems like a luxury a leader cannot afford.

I understand, therefore, why this urge for control exists in Trump. Yet, I still view his relentless enthusiasm for building, among other things, a biometric-virtual wall with (much) suspicion. Excessive control is counterproductive: it provokes more aggression and other negative affects. This, in its turn, leads to even more craving for control.

For some, control is not merely an (illusory) tool to combat chaos and social unrest; it becomes an end in itself. They envision themselves as the shepherds of a future human animal farm, overseeing a world they seek to dominate. Like the Ring of Power, the allure of control draws them irresistibly. Chaos is their best friend. The system must collapse to justify the introduction of a new one.

I suspect that the step toward a 'Digital ID' and Central Bank Digital Coins could be taken very quickly. In other words, it might not just be immigrants who are tracked and traced 24/7.

Of course, I know that some people will again play the 'if-you-have-nothing-to-hide-you-have-nothing-to-fear' card. In my view, that is a naïve and harmful premise. Human beings are flowers that can only bloom when they regularly find themselves in the shade of privacy.

That is one reason not to go too far with tracking, tracing, and controlling. There are many other reasons, mostly psychological in nature, which I won’t elaborate on for now. Maybe later.

Meanwhile, it’s not just Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg who have shifted towards Trump; Bill Gates also enthusiastically announced that his dinner with Trump went remarkably well.

I am glad that people are willing to change their opinions and that insight can progress, but with Gates and his peers, progress seems to happen at a remarkably fast pace.

"It can change," as we say in the Low Countries. Curious to see what else might change. The maneuverability of the mainstream media ships may also soon be demonstrated.

For those interested: feel free to read my Substack article about Team Trump, which I published a few weeks ago.

Mattias