There has been a recent jolt in the direction of totalitarianism spurred on by knee jerk reactions to numerous events, most notably the rise of international terrorism. But these are only evident in the short term. When viewed in the scope of only the last 10 years, you can see a clear trend towards more unchecked government control. Things that were once considered clear indications of an evil, out of control, oppressive regime; such as arresting people at the whim of the head of state and holding them without charges for ever; have suddenly become acceptable. Clearly, in the last decade there have been serious blow to our freedoms. However, I'm not as pessimistic as you seem to be, because if you look at the big picture, you see a clear trend towards more freedom going back hundreds of years.

Among the accomplishments of previous generations are:

1. The end of the institution of slavery worldwide (yes, slavery still occurs, but it is now a crime rather than a government sanctioned enterprise).

2. Freedom from segregation in the US and, more surprisingly, in South Africa. Who would have imagined just a few decades ago that one day Nelson Mandela would leave his island prison to assume the presidency of South Africa and heal the wounds of apartheid? Who would have imagined that the days of being beaten by police, attacked by police dogs, and kept back with fire hoses would pave the way for the first minority president of the USA?

3. Freedom to live the lifestyle you choose. Although not global by any means yet, the western world has made great strides towards equality not just of those of different races, but also of those with different sexual orientations.

4. The emancipation of women. Again, not global yet; but the western world has made tremendous strides towards accepting women as equals in government and the workplace.

The list is much larger. Surely, one could write several volumes on this. We are far more free today than most of our ancestors were. Sure, there have been blips on the radar, anomalies such as the last decade where we suddenly find ourselves with less freedom. But for the most part the course of history has been leading towards greater freedom. I see no reason to believe that this blip in the screen is a terrible downward spiral from which there is no return.