The first time I heard about it, I thought that "social engineering" was a fictional phrase. That was when I was young and naive, knowing nothing about the outside world. At that time, the phrase feel so strong, so oppressive, so dictating. So evil. Yet I went on with my life thinking that such phrase doesn't apply in real life. Well, as you can see, I was wrong.
I don't dwell deeper into the concept of social engineering. All I know is that "social engineering" refers to a method of influencing the society, usually by government policies. And I know very well that social engineering can be for a good cause, or even necessary in some cases.
Yet it vexes me how the naive me conceive such a concept as villainous, close to dictatorship. Call me self-centered, but I think the fact that something gave me a strong first impression might be worth thinking further. In a world where democracy is valued, people learn that freedom is a good thing, and they (we) were taught this since young. And the phrasing "social engineering" perhaps tugged my subconsciousness as an enemy to the concept of freedom. After all, "engineering" is essentially control, a term so related to modification: so rigid, so lacking in freedom (or even perhaps, in humanity.)
On the other end of the phrase is something of us: "social." It's between people, between creatures of freedom. It may also perhaps be an aspect of our lives so random, an aspect upon which we have not total control of (for it is of people, and thus, of their freedom), and it is perhaps what makes it so pleasantly surprising, so full of colours, so human. "Social" is about us, after all.
And that may be the reason bringing the two terms next to each other is nothing less than contradictory.
I am aware that some form (or extent) of control in everything might not always be bad. However, for the naive me, social engineering means that even the times that we can treasure, memories we create, are a result (or even worse: a side effect) of some of these engineers pulling some strings. Even if we are happy that we could share a chocolate cake with our loved ones, it might be vexing to notice, or merely question, how much of these times are determined by someone else; how much of us as the social being is deprived from the very act of social decisions. Yet why, despite all these thoughts, are chocolate cakes still more delicious shared?
