Guidelines 6
The right to personal privacy has to be strictly maintained
For a small community not to become, or at least feel overbearing, people have to have privacy. Not just simple close the door to use the toilet privacy, but privacy to just be themselves. I will use two scenarios to illustrate why this is.
First, Gina (not her real name) picks her nose, and eats the boogers. Not exactly an accepted hobby in her community. So, she does it in the privacy of her home. One day she is out in her stable, thinking about a better to distribute feed to the horse. Patty stops by to see what Gina is up to, and witnesses Gina picking her nose. What is the best way for Patty to handle it. Tell all of her friends over the next week? Tell Gina's boyfriend he is kissing a booger eater? How about not tell anyone?
Ralph (not his real name) smokes cigars. not a lot, just occasionally. one evening Adam and his wife join Ralph and his wife for dinner. After dinner the gentlemen retire to the study for a drink. Ralph offers Adam a Cuban cigar. Adam knows that the US government has banned Cuban cigars. Should he tell the authorities?
In order to experience the fullest freedom possible, everybody has to have the freedom to do things that may be considered wrong. Sometimes called the right to do wrong. The right to do wrong should only be limited by the harm principle.1 Otherwise, anybody should have a reasonable expectation of discretion. In a large city, anonymity creates a great amount of privacy. Much as the Men Without Hats song Safety Dance tells "you can act real rude and totally removed, And I can act like an imbecile." 2 If no one knows who you are, you can say anything, and behave any way you want to without much risk.
One of the greatest thing that you can do to respect another persons freedom, is to treat their privacy as property that should not be trespassed upon. Call before you visit, do not peek into windows, and if you see or hear something you should not have, act like you didn't. Unfortunately, human nature tends towards gossip. With freedom comes responsibility, in this case, we must restrain our tendencies to pry and gossip. Ultimately this will make a more stable community.
- 1. The Harm Principle and Liberal Prohibitions - Everyday Ethics
- 2. Safety Dance by Men Without Hats - Yahoo!
References:
- Men Without Hats - Official website