Would you trade your right to privacy for unlimited personal freedom, provided it doesn't harm anyone else? A society where everyone is watched - from ministers to presidents. Totally transparent government, and total personal freedom(again, provided your actions harm noone else). Would it be a brave new world, or a disaster?
WAR IS PEACE SLAVERY IS FREEDOM IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH What is Freedom without Privacy? Can you really be yourself with Big Brother constantly watching you? It reminds me of the Thought-Police from George Orwells book 1984. How "Free" am I really if i cant even disable a fucking camera in my own house? I wonder how much time in Jail I'd get for doing that.
Right, but you would be free to do ANYTHING you like. You could do drugs, deal them, have giant orgies, etc. The only rule is that you are not allowed to hurt people with your actions. Of course, what constitutes hurting people would have to be defined(If you sell heroin to a person, are you hurting them, or is it their own concious choice?), but it would allow for a totally transparent government and nation. There are lots of details that I won't go into right now, since I thought of this idea spontaneously and am now just throwing out ideas, not any concrete arguments. But don't mistake me for supporting this system - I don't. I just wanted to see what other people had in mind about it.
similar to communism, this only works (if it does work) ideally. who would be in charge of the cameras? who would be employed to watch us doing drugs, fighting, masterbating, looking at ourselves in the mirror, etc? who would watch what people do when they're alone? (reminds me of some film robin williams was in) would people even feel free enough to behave as they wish when they're alone? the only freedom we really have is that of our will. otherwise, this is a predatorial existance. if everyone on the planet evolves to the point where we don't feel the need to exert our will over others, or those with more power than others are evolved enough to exert their will in benificial ways, we may experience this utopia we constantly strive for. otherwise, we will continue to see the same pattern of power shifts, revolutions, propaganda, secretive groups of powerful people and manipulation of the weak and ignorant.
That's a great idea... the only problem being, as has already been brought up, who watches the cameras. Ideas? Would you elect somebody from your local area to watch over the local area? Who would you trust?
As far as I understand it, it wouldn't be a "Big Brother" system, but more of a collective voyeurism. Everybody can see what you're doing - or your neighbour, or someone on the other side of the world. BUT nobody can punish you for any action they see you doing, within the definition of "harming others". But then again, who defines harm? I'd define it as physical harm is the only CRIMINAL offence; however, there would need to be a civil court system for redress of grievances due to perceived MENTAL harm. Oh, and the onus is on proving guilt, not innocence.
People act differently when they know they are being watched. of course they become more comfortable over time, but in the end they cannot act naturally. it seems to me the more we pervert our nature the unhappier we become. also, people would be discouraged from forming unpopular ideas and opinions. if we marginalize those that think differently, our knowledge pool stagnates. mutation and variety are neccesary for evolution. so, no to the camera.
