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Showing Original Post only (View all)Snowden on 'Privacy' [View all]
"One of the most important things I think we all have a duty collectively in society to think about is when were directed to think a certain way and accept a certain argument reflexively without actually tackling it.
"The common argument we have if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear the origins of that are literally Nazi propaganda. This is not to equate the actions of our current government to the Nazis, but that is the literal origin of that quote. It's from the Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels.
"So when we hear modern politicians, modern people repeating that reflexively without confronting its origins, what it really stands for, I think that's harmful.
"And if we actually think about it, it doesnt make sense. Because privacy isnt about something to hide. Privacy is about something to protect. Thats who you are. That's what you believe in. Privacy is the right to a self. Privacy is what gives you the ability to share with the world who you are on your own terms. For them to understand what youre trying to be and to protect for yourself the parts of you youre not sure about, that youre still experimenting with.
"If we dont have privacy, what were losing is the ability to make mistakes, were losing the ability to be ourselves. Privacy is the fountainhead of all other rights. Freedom of speech doesnt have a lot of meaning if you cant have a quiet space, a space within yourself, your mind, your community, your friends, your family, to decide what it is you actually want to say.
"Freedom of religion doesnt mean that much if you cant figure out what you actually believe without being influenced by the criticisms of outside direction and peer pressure. And it goes on and on.
"Privacy is baked into our language, our core concepts of government and self in every way. Its why we call it 'private property.' Without privacy you dont have anything for yourself.
"So when people say that to me I say back, arguing that you dont care about privacy because you have nothing to hide is like arguing that you dont care about free speech because you have nothing to say."
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