Free iphones w/free unlimited talk/text/data from the govmnt

Would you except a "free iphone with a free unlimited text, talk, and data plan" if it was provided by/paid for by the government?

Hell yeah! I've always wanted an iphone & a bunch of apps but it's too expencive for me!	23.1%	[ 3 ]
No way! That thing's probably bugged so they know what I'm saying & texting & are tracking my movements on GPS!	53.8%	[ 7 ]
Maybe... it's tempting, but I don't know.. I think I just wanna buy one even if I can't afford a plan that good...	23.1%	[ 3 ]
Total Votes:			[ 13 ]

[Captain Tuberculosis]

Okay now that I've gotten your attention please read this:

1st of all, there are no known plans by the government to waste hundreds of the tax-payers dollars giving everyone a free iphone with an unlimited text, talk, & data plan payed for by the government... There is only THIS a hypothetical question about it that I am using to test a theory.

The question is THIS: If the government were to provide every American Citizen in US who was old enough to vote their own free iphone with an unlimited talk, text & data plan that would allow you to call & text whoever you want until the cows come home & download & play around with every app, game & special feature you ever dreamed of without paying for any of it directly... meaning that you would have the iphone you might not have ever had enough money to buy, & could waste your whole days texting & talking worry-free & download every app that ever existed without a care... would you except the wonderful gift? Or would you be too afraid that the government was eavesdropping on your texts & calls &/or using the built in GPS to track you (despite nothing written in the bill about doing either)?


My theory is that most people would be too paranoid about their privacy & jump to conclusions to much trust the iphones & would turn down the glorious opportunity to a free gift they could have enjoyed & gotten countless useful benefits & might have otherwise done without because of their own fear which would then become outrage & lead to anti-iphone protests & burning iphones in the streets (including ones no provided by the government) despite the stupidity of it all & the cost of what they would be giving up/destroying.

[Captain Tuberculosis]

By the way, this hypothetical question was inspired by Obama-Care which is something packed with all sorts of good things like:

-Insurance companies cannot drop people for getting long term expensive diseases.
-No lifetime caps for insurance care.
-guaranteed insurance coverage for those people with pre-existing conditions in a high risk pool that will eventually be done away with and the insurance companies will have to accept pre-existing conditions without higher rates
-No more charging different genders different rates
-The age limit for requiring kids get their own insurance was raised to 26 allowing them to go to college and then get a job before they have to pay for their own insurance.
-better coverage for seniors to actually reduce the amount they rely on medicare and SS for.

Which makes it kinda like an iphone filled with a bunch of nice apps... it's something that everyone should have because it would be useful for anybody & to their own benefit & anyone who could have one should be grateful for it... yet if the source seemed fishy & there was any possibility of an alternative agenda behind it that could misuse it for corrupt reasons people would reject it & be afraid to touch it... at least that's my theory & I want you to help me test it by sharing your honest opinions on wether or not you'd except the "free iphone with free unlimited text, talk, & data provided & paid for by the government"?

PS

Don't associate it with Obama-Care when deciding.. just consider this "a free government iphone with the perfect unlimited plan" & ask yourself if you'd want one & consider/explain why or why not.

[Captain Tuberculosis]

My theory in essence is: A persons desire for ANYTHING regardless of what it is & how much they previously wanted or currently need it... is inversely proportional to the governments desire for them to have it.

In other words, if the government feels apathetic twords you having something you will want it twice as much, & if the government wants to make what you want illegal you will want it 3 times as much... but if you the government actually wants you to have something you already wanted you'll only want it half as much & if the government insist that you must have it you'll become rebellious & refuse it even if you wanted/needed it very badly...

I'm not sure of the reason behind this, but my guess is brainwashing by the fear-mongering conservative right-wing, to fear anything from the government as if all "government gift horses" are "Trojan Horses" with an army inside ready to leap out & attack you... so that you must always approach with caution & fear instead of gratitude & joy & never fail to "look a gift horse in the mouth".

[Wendigo]

Anybody who worries about eavesdropping should not be communicating over radio.

Landline phones aren't all THAT great either, but it does multiply the necessary steps to gain access.

And computers, hoo boy. You ever heard of "Tempest shielding"?

And regarding GPS, I gather the iPhone you get from Apple does in fact trace your every move in a file that gets dumped to your iTunes every so often. So there's that.

[Heimdalr]

The great thing about the iPhone is that the government doesn't need to "bug" it in the manufacturing process. With a warrant against you, they can do anything. Or if you're a suspected terrorist. Although I'm pretty sure if you have an iPhone you're not really that concerned about Western imperialism.

[TANRailgun]

Sure, I would accept it, if someone wants to listen in on me making dinner plans with friends and family, I won't stop them. Hell if they really want to listen in on phone sex I'm cool with that too. Now I would probably keep another phone just in case, but just an el cheapo pre-payed.

Point is: There's not much going on with me that I think the government would be too terribly interested in. And if, hypothetically, something came up that required some semblance of privacy, I would have a back up for that.

[Yuki the Third]

Sometimes I ask Gaia to do my homework for attention.

[Lost_Wings]

I wouldn't use the phone anyway, so save the resource and give it to someone who would make use of it.

[Blair Phoenix]

I'd take it. I'd only be using it for the music aspect 90% of the time anyways. The few times I do make use of the phone, it's either work, family, or friend related. Stuff I couldn't care less if someone overheard.

[Old Blue Collar Joe]

Captain Tuberculosis

My theory in essence is: A persons desire for ANYTHING regardless of what it is & how much they previously wanted or currently need it... is inversely proportional to the governments desire for them to have it.

In other words, if the government feels apathetic twords you having something you will want it twice as much, & if the government wants to make what you want illegal you will want it 3 times as much... but if you the government actually wants you to have something you already wanted you'll only want it half as much & if the government insist that you must have it you'll become rebellious & refuse it even if you wanted/needed it very badly...

I'm not sure of the reason behind this, but my guess is brainwashing by the fear-mongering conservative right-wing, to fear anything from the government as if all "government gift horses" are "Trojan Horses" with an army inside ready to leap out & attack you... so that you must always approach with caution & fear instead of gratitude & joy & never fail to "look a gift horse in the mouth".

You really need to mature a bit. The 'evil republican' drumbeat has gone on.
Here's my question for you then. How do you plan on funding these so-called FREE phones? Because that money has to come from somewhere.
And your stating to not pay attention to that is an absolute crock of s**t. See, it's NOT free. It's gonna cost some of us a shitload more money.

[Eveille]

accept not except...I thought you were making a typo of expect and I voted differently.

I would worry about tracking if phone companies couldn't already do that themselves anyway. It is kind of a non-issue.

If the government owned the phone companies and we were paying for it anyway? Sure I'd take it, why the hell not? If the government is instead paying those pointless and nonsensical fees that phone companies charge regular consumers? No. Iphones aren't a necessity. I'd be willing to pay for someone's landline or a jitterbug, not an iPhone.

[Radpops]

There are concerns greater than citizen privacy in regards to that situation. How would we gather the funds for 300 million iphones, why use the iphone and not other phone models, how apple would deal with the sudden rise in demand and how it affects the global market, how would the government pay for the data plans, should someone lose their phone what would happen, what about people who already have one, what if you don't want one. The list goes on and it isn't all that comparable to the health care thing. I guess maybe in the most abstract of concepts. I don't know, I guess not being denied insurance coverage because you have chronic asthma or whatever is a bit more on the government's priority list than everyone being able to play Angry Birds (I think?).

[Captain Tuberculosis]

Old Blue Collar Joe

Captain Tuberculosis

My theory in essence is: A persons desire for ANYTHING regardless of what it is & how much they previously wanted or currently need it... is inversely proportional to the governments desire for them to have it.

In other words, if the government feels apathetic twords you having something you will want it twice as much, & if the government wants to make what you want illegal you will want it 3 times as much... but if you the government actually wants you to have something you already wanted you'll only want it half as much & if the government insist that you must have it you'll become rebellious & refuse it even if you wanted/needed it very badly...

I'm not sure of the reason behind this, but my guess is brainwashing by the fear-mongering conservative right-wing, to fear anything from the government as if all "government gift horses" are "Trojan Horses" with an army inside ready to leap out & attack you... so that you must always approach with caution & fear instead of gratitude & joy & never fail to "look a gift horse in the mouth".

You really need to mature a bit. The 'evil republican' drumbeat has gone on.
Here's my question for you then. How do you plan on funding these so-called FREE phones? Because that money has to come from somewhere.
And your stating to not pay attention to that is an absolute crock of s**t. See, it's NOT free. It's gonna cost some of us a shitload more money.

Well, if they're gone then why do I still hear them debating on TV? Am I just hearing things when they attack Obama & put down the government? Also, you missed the point, the point wasn't how they'd pay for them, the point was wether or not people would be afraid/reluctant to take them & assume an alterior motive or something sinister about them because of the source.. it was meant to be a theory about the "trust issue" people have with the government. Also if you must know... "raising taxes on the rich" that's where the money would come from. It doesn't matter though cuz it's all hypothetical though.

[Captain Tuberculosis]

Radpops

There are concerns greater than citizen privacy in regards to that situation. How would we gather the funds for 300 million iphones, why use the iphone and not other phone models, how apple would deal with the sudden rise in demand and how it affects the global market, how would the government pay for the data plans, should someone lose their phone what would happen, what about people who already have one, what if you don't want one. The list goes on and it isn't all that comparable to the health care thing. I guess maybe in the most abstract of concepts. I don't know, I guess not being denied insurance coverage because you have chronic asthma or whatever is a bit more on the government's priority list than everyone being able to play Angry Birds (I think?).

Actually your over-thinking it & missing the point here. The main point was wether or not there is a trust issue with the government & how far it goes... as in would you refuse even something clearly harmless & very practical & useful to you with no moral issues tied to it just because it was from the government. Another example could be, if the government gave you free food, would you want to have it tested in a lab to check it for poison, drugs, or genetic modification, just because the government was the one who have it to you? & yes I agree, it is more important that I'm not denied health insurance then it is that you get to play angry birds.