I’ve often been accused of being a cynic. But I’m clearly not cynical enough.
Back when the security theatre really kicked off at airports, with the stupid plastic bags and the enforced removal of shoes for no discernible reason, I thought that it’d be back to a semblance of business as usual within a few weeks; there was no way that people would put up with the new arrangements for long and there was nowhere for the airports to put the enlarged security areas.
As it happens, I was wrong. We, as a species, are clearly more sheeplike than I’d considered. And airports are more than happy to significantly redesign themselves to take into account the theatre.
In fact, all the enhanced measures that do nothing but reduce the enjoyment of travelling have become the norm. And with all the work done at airports, there’ll be no reason for any future sensible government1 to get rid other than it being the right thing to do. And we know how governments like reducing regulation and security just because it’s the right thing to do…
So, normalisation has occurred. It’s just that we’re the ones that have had to change our definition of normal, instead of rational thinking telling the world what should be normal. Which is shit.
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1 – although it’s not like there’s any sensible government on the horizon, is there…