Why do you value privacy?

[captaincrunk]

This isn't a political debate thread, I just want to know what makes you personally value privacy. I'm trying to figure out my own thoughts for a paper and it's difficult for me to come up with reasons to value it.

[teej]

Because not everyone needs to know that you visit certain websites or got a speeding ticket in a school zone or went to a Backstreet Boys concert or voted for Dubya or have an STD or donated to the NRA.

Imagine how people would interact with you (and how you would interact with them) if you knew everything about them?

[captaincrunk]

Because not everyone needs to know that you visit certain websites or got a speeding ticket in a school zone or went to a Backstreet Boys concert or voted for Dubya or have an STD or donated to the NRA.

Imagine how people would interact with you (and how you would interact with them) if you knew everything about them?

So you're saying, essentially, that the separation of information regarding people's personal lives is a large part of maintaining positive social settings?

[teej]

Mmhmm. People are inherently judgemental and prejudiced. So if you knew that the guy with the cubicle next to you volunteered at the abortion clinic when you were at church (or vice versa) it'd be a lot harder to work with him on projects than if he was just "Steve in accounting."

[captaincrunk]

Mmhmm. People are inherently judgemental and prejudiced. So if you knew that the guy with the cubicle next to you volunteered at the abortion clinic when you were at church (or vice versa) it'd be a lot harder to work with him on projects than if he was just "Steve in accounting."

That's a really good point. There's loads of times where we deal with people and only need to know a tiny bit about them in comparison to say, your family or something. And not only do we not need to know about them, but sometimes knowing gets in the way. I'd hate to be Steve in that example. But if Steve like, wore his abortion shirt or liked abortion on facebook or something, that'd be his decision.

[spectre]

This is actually a very good question. My first instinct was "because it's no one else' damn business", but other than what Teej is hitting on about what they'd do with said information and how they'd act with it I know it's deeper than that.

Be interesting to see the responses you get.

[captaincrunk]

There are a few things I've already thought about. I think intimacy and friendship requires privacy.

[dnbman]

Teej is right on target. I don't have anything to hide from any given person, but a collection of information about you could create a false sense of character that could affect how you are treated.

I think this is really important about library use and web search. Just because a person obtains information on satanism, venereal disease, bomb building, etc. doesn't mean they have any connection to any of those things. People should be allowed to gain knowledge or read for pleasure freely without the judgment of others.

It is a great question though, as modern services (basically most things on cell phones) require obtaining personal information in order for the service to work. Individuals have to decide, hopefully making informed decisions, whether giving up that privacy is worth the trade off.

[bing!]

satanism, venereal disease, bomb building, etc.

... to think that I've once considered you to be one of the pillars of this community. For shame

Why do I value privacy? Because I'm actually not the same person once I don one of my, many, online monikers. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed of anything (before myself, at least), it's just that the average level of human intelligence still hasn't passed the point whereupon certain information no longer negatively impacts one's persona. Most people are imbeciles who'd burn a person at the stake due to their sheer unwillingness to accept what they deem as different, or something unlike the way they perceive themselves, you know, the fucking apex of human evolution and purity of thought.

We all have a bit of dnbman inside of us and that part needs to remain CAGED!

Heh, this thing popped into my mind...

[QC Thundercats]

I also think privacy is a privilege that is your sole right to share with others as you see fit. One of the best experiences of being human is getting to know someone personally, whether by relationship or friendship, and slowly learning and sharing their private thoughts, intentions, goals, quirks, dreams, humor, etc.

The process of this discovery over time can be very rewarding through the time you put in. If you already know about someone's entire life through facebook or whatever before you meet them, it kind of takes away from the mystery and fun of getting to know them. Its like knowing the what happens at the end of a movie or tv series before you watch it - the journey isn't as exciting, and you're not as invested in the whole thing as you would have been if you had gone in blindly.