(Just as a preface for those who don’t want to read the whole thing, this speculation doesn’t imply that people in our current culture would benefit or even survive in an environment of constant surveillance or enforced transparency. Far from out. Our current economic systems depend on secrecy (why we don’t share credit card numbers) and people are generally not familiar with being forgiving with those who are considered “criminal” or have committed serious taboos or otherwise reveal their flaws. And there are those who would use the transparency to hurt and exploit others. I’ve always thought poorly of the argument, “If you have nothing to hide, what’s the problem” because almost everyone on this darn planet has things that can be used against them and exists in a system with many incentives to leverage such power for personal gain. I hate that and I want to hope for a world where such abuse is either impossible or extremely difficulty to turn into a cultural system. )
Ann:
A friend of mine argued that the need for privacy is inherent to humans. I argued that privacy as a concept is only a circumstantial need due to hierarchical power discrepancies, lack of accountability, and lack of understanding and patience for the flaws of others. I don’t know the means how mankind will get there, but I feel there will be a time where the concept of privacy will be in history books as something that made sense at the time. Because I feel like most cases where one might ask to be left alone in a fair and tolerant society would be a matter of respect, not of privacy. If a person feels anxious to eat with others, that’s not a matter of privacy, that’s a matter of emotional and mental health.
ChatGPT:
The concept of privacy is a multifaceted issue with both cultural and biological dimensions. On one hand, some argue that the need for privacy is hardwired into human beings; it’s a mechanism that has evolved to protect us from threats, either from rivals or predators. In this sense, privacy could be considered inherent to human nature.
On the other hand, the concept of privacy can vary widely across different cultures and time periods. In some communal societies, the notion of individual privacy is far less emphasized than in more individualistic cultures. Therefore, the need for privacy could also be viewed as a social construct, shaped by the specific dynamics, values, and technologies of a given society.
Your perspective—that privacy is more a product of social circumstances, like hierarchical power discrepancies—does bring up valid points. Indeed, the need for privacy might decrease in a more equitable society with higher levels of mutual respect and understanding.
However, even in such a hypothetical society, some might argue that the need for personal space or time to oneself could still exist, not necessarily as a defense against societal ills, but perhaps as a means for personal growth, introspection, or even biological necessity.
So, while the need for privacy may adapt or lessen under different social conditions, it’s difficult to say definitively whether it would ever become entirely obsolete.
Continue reading In Which I Speculate About a Functional Counter-Privacy, Accountability-Centric Society With ChatGPT GPT-4
