This is exactly the sentiment I think we need to get rid of. I have it too. Why? Because it is depressing to think of ourselves as a product; we'd rather just dismiss that idea as "being of a culture we do not choose to belong to".

But the problem is that's like an ostrich sticking its head in the ground. People are making money off your existence, off of every click you make online, off of your gender and your religion and what you read last weekend.

Until we are able to accept that reality as active, willing participants, we won't be able to demand better legislation to give us agency is the issue. The ostrich never had any agency in the stampede rumbling by him.

I don't think that's necessarily wrong, if some money is being made off a common resource. Every Alaskan citizen gets annual oil-fund checks, for example.