Re: How transparent should transparency be?

From: Rafal Smigrodzki (rafal@smigrodzki.org)
Date: Sat Aug 02 2003 - 08:07:53 MDT

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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Lee Corbin" <lcorbin@tsoft.com>
    To: <extropians@extropy.org>
    Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2003 3:20 AM
    Subject: RE: How transparent should transparency be?

    > Alex wrote
    >
    > > I'm all for transparency in theory, but just how transparent
    > > should we make things? Is there anyone on the list that
    > > would willingly display every facet of their life to the
    > > rest of the world ?
    >
    > I would happily, *happily* do so if everyone else would,
    > or, in other words, I would contribute towards the development
    > of technology that would enable any of us to spy all the time
    > on any of us.
    >
    > > Would you really like your Mother, Boss or neighbours
    > > to be able to watch while you improve your prostate
    > > health (as described in a recent post) ?
    >
    > I have overcome, at great cost and difficulty, the
    > notion that I am or would be especially interesting
    > for people to observe.
    >
    > I even go so far as to imagine that neither my mother
    > nor my boss would lack for better things to do than
    > monitor or spy on me. I have already reached the
    > point that all I would feel is pity for those who
    > would waste their time penetrating my paltry secrets
    > and following the boring details of my life. ;-)
    >
    > > In an 'ideal' transparent world where access to
    > > information about anyone and anything, anywhere
    > > is available. Where do we set the level for
    > > personal privacy? if at all.
    >
    > Alex, let's just let it all hang out. (Or do I give
    > my generational allegiance away?)
    >
    > Natasha writes
    >
    > > I like this list being transparent, and I'm more inclined
    > > to promote a transparent culture. Conversely, I am a very
    > > private person and don't like people knowing my personal
    > > business unless I share it.
    >
    > But perhaps if there were 6x10^9 other people you would have
    > to compete with for attention, then you'd feel (properly)
    > neglected.
    >
    > > The problem is the gossip and assumption factors. If we
    > > don't tell everything, people make assumptions. If I lived
    > > in a society that was more compassionate and reasonable, I
    > > wouldn't mind it being much more transparent - and that
    > > goes for my personal life.
    >
    > This touches on the key point to me. It's never the *knowledge*
    > of what I or anyone else is up to that is crucial, it's the
    > *power* to do something about it. I think that if we survey
    > the literature that addresses totalitarian oppression, from
    > the Spanish Inquisition to Nineteen-Eighty-Four, then we find
    > that it's not at all the surveillance that is the problem, but
    > rather the ability of the authorities to *do* something about
    > it. Solzhenitsyn uses an entire chapter to describe "The Arrest".
    >
    > If we are safe in our persons and property, then let's not
    > care what is known about us.

    ### A resounding "yes" to every single one of your words, Lee. :-)

    Rafal



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