Yes，my initial unconscious reaction is I don't like the idea to be watched but then again if I really think about it, actually I don't have real reason to be against it. Having to keep secret, maintain privacy to me its a burden, significant amount of work, inconvenience. So yes, as long as you are not distrurbing or trying to harm me, I would not mind if you are watching me, If possible I prefer to not have secret.
The point of privacy is for the times when you need it. You should defend that right even in the times you don't feel you need it.
For example, in the US, most people are not afraid to share their political beliefs. This is because, in the US, it isn't common to be harmed or even killed for your beliefs. This is not true in every country or even for every part of the US. So being able to keep your political views a secret is important. In a world where this is not possible it can quickly become dangerous to hold the "wrong beliefs" publicly.
Do you believe you only uphold the "right beliefs"? And if so - are you 100% certain those beliefs will never turn into the "wrong beliefs" to have? If you answer "no" to either question then privacy should be important to you.
Yes but its already is illegal to harm or kill someone regardless what their believe. If there no such law then they should make it.
If I uphold "wrong belief", last thing I want to is to make it secret. The more people know about it, the more popular it is, the more people understand it, more chance for it to be not 'wrong' anymore.
Murder is illegal but that doesn't prevent it from happening. Because the law isn't a prevention method - some people choose to keep their personal views private rather than risk their lives, livelihood, or even just scrutiny within their social circles. (Not all punishments have to be as extreme as death for privacy to be important. I want to make that clear since I started with a rather extreme punishment for having the wrong beliefs.)
>If I uphold "wrong belief", last thing I want to is to make it secret. The more people know about it, the more popular it is, the more people understand it, more chance for it to be not 'wrong' anymore.
Oh, I agree with this! But I also think it is a personal choice if someone wishes to strongly advocate for their beliefs - with all the repercussions that may follow - or if they would rather privately hold their beliefs without fear of repercussion. Not everyone wishes to be made a martyr.
>For me keeping a secret is not without cost, its a burden, significant amount of work and inconvenience.
I'm personally fine with you not bothering with your own privacy if you feel it isn't worth the burden.
Privacy advocates see that sort of thinking as harmful though. If it becomes the 'standard' way of thinking it easier to pass laws that violate privacy. So "our" first step is trying to convince people that the right to privacy is important, even if they don't personally care about their own privacy.
It's a bit nonsensical to ask someone to fight for privacy rights when they don't care about their own privacy. It's easier to fight for something if they actually care about it, which is why you see so many privacy advocates (like myself) trying to convince you your privacy is important. I'm fine with you not caring about your own privacy due to the burden of keeping it, but I beg, not ask, that you care enough to defend the rights of people who find the burden worth carrying.
>So "our" first step is trying to convince people that the right to privacy is important, even if they don't personally care about their own privacy. //
What do you think is the most convincing argument to this end that I can read in a tea break?
Varies from person to person. The three I've personally had the best success with are as follows:
An appeal to historical abuses works for some - but others see that sort of abuse "not being possible in the modern day". In my opinion, that is naive since many countries are still actively oppressing minority views... it's literally happening in the modern day. Just perhaps not in their country yet. =\
As Adam D. Moore said: "Consider someone’s sexual or medical history. Imagine someone visiting a library to learn about alternative lifestyles not accepted by the majority." I use examples such as: Have you ever seen a therapist? Taken an anger management class? Have had an STD? Are you LGBT or supportive of LGBT rights?
Depending what country someone lives in - inquiring about their beliefs on "touchy subjects" can be a good one. If they refuse to tell, then they have something they wish to keep private. If they do tell - is there someone they wouldn't tell? If so, why not? (eg: Would they tell talk to their boss about politics?)
Those are the most TL;DR versions I could make for each of them. The goal is to get them to see privacy from the viewpoint of a minority - and especially from a minority group who are persecuted, ostracized, harmed, or killed for having their beliefs. Privacy is literally the difference between life and death for people across the globe and people who have no felt their life has ever been in danger due to the lack of privacy should be thankful.
In a world where people truly have "nothing to hide" then there would be no reason to look.
Sometimes your initial unconscious reaction is the right one to pay attention to. Being watched, in our distant evolutionary past, would often have been a prelude to being hunted - and it still is in this case. The sabre-toothed tiger might decide not to attack you - but you won't know that until it has attacked you.
And besides, though you might very well prefer not to have secrets, you should extend that to those watching you.
