Once the nightmare scenario arrives though, it's usually too late to do anything about it. Look how impossibly hard it is to stop the NSA from gathering all of the network traffic. I wouldn't doubt for a second that Kim Jung would use this against protesters (if North Koreans had social networking). Just this morning I heard on NPR about a group working on genetic modifications to make half-human, half-animal beings, apparently for organ harvest reasons. However you feel about that, nipping things in the bud is so much easier than trying to reverse history.
Right, same with every other "sky is falling" argument.
The PRISM dark fiber exploit has since been blocked by most tech companies, and honestly, you're more likely to be negatively affected by slipping in your shower or a car accident. Doesn't mean don't be aware, it just means you don't need to wear a tinfoil hat. Or worry about hypothetical nightmare scenarios.