From: Hal Dunn (johngalt@digital.net)
Date: Sun Dec 08 1996 - 14:19:01 MST
>From: Paul Wakfer <70023.3041@CompuServe.COM>
>Date: 07 Dec 96 18:59:45 EST
>I would like to see what others think of my idea. I do not think that
>privacy is "evil", but simply that it is counterproductive to communications
>and to mutual understanding in human relations.
I respectfully disagree, even tho' I suppose it's possible that an advanced
transhuman might improve his brain to the point of never doing anything or
having any thoughts he didn't mind sharing with everyone else. However,
regarding those <TH (less than transhuman) . . . A few examples: Daydreaming
or fantasizing about strange things (most creative types do this) that you
wouldn't want certain other people to know about. Mistaken thoughts that
you later correct, but only after others learn of your mistakes. (A big
part of the creative thinking process is coming up with novel ideas,
thinking them through, weeding out the bad ones, etc.) There are plenty of
things that others don't need -- and might not WANT -- to know, e.g., what I
look like in the shower, sitting on the toilet, or having sex.
>a person who has high self esteemm, ie. is proud of all his/her thoughts and
>actions should have no need for any privacy and, in fact, should be completely
>happy to have these things all open to the public.
>I have stated many times that my desire to be able to
>communuicate with fidelity what I am is so great (and I seem not be able to
>accomplish this by standard interpersonal methods), that I would very much
>welcome a human augmentation which would allow us all to transmit and receive
>each others thoughts. I have stated that if such an augmentation were possible,
>then I would volunteer to be the first to allow others to read his thoughts. I
>believe that it would (eventually) be a much less violent and generally better
>world, if everyone could read everyone else's conscious mind whenever they
>liked. (Although if instituted suddenly it might lead to more than half the
>world's population killing each other.)
I can't imagine this bringing anything but misery. If everyone received
everyone else's thoughts, there would be a helluva lot of noise.
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