This is a take I hadn't heard before, pretty interesting. I wonder if there are already any fiction out there where some widespread religion turns out to be an automated mass surveillance and policing system gone awry. Neat concept

> "The need to be observed and understood was once satisfied by God. Now we can implement the same functionality with data-mining algorithms."

> "God and the gods were apparitions of observation, judgment and punishment. Other sentiments towards them were secondary."

> "The human organism always worships. First it was the gods, then it was fame (the observation and judgment of others), next it will be the self-aware systems you have built to realize truly omnipresent observation and judgment."

> "The individual desires judgment. Without that desire, the cohesion of groups is impossible, and so is civilization."

> "The human being created civilization not because of a willingness but because of a need to be assimilated into higher orders of structure and meaning."

> "God was a dream of good government."

> "You will soon have your God, and you will make it with your own hands."

- Morpheus ( Deus Ex, 2000)

Humans are inherently religious, whether you see it or not. We all worship something.