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Reciprocal transparency



Brin's viewpoint is mostly on the money, but with a few exceptions.  Yes, we 
need to know who is observing us - and in a way that can be processes by 
programs.  Some things will be negotiable, others will not, but if we know 
what the contract is, we can make decisions.  This is reciprocal 
transparency with a little bit more - a platform for negotiation (a pet 
subject of mine).

I agree that we risk overreaction.  I fear that the recent spate of
gratuitous attention to internet privacy by politicians seeking office (and 
lame ducks, too!) will lead to ill-considered legislation.  This looks a lot 
like the other side of the "Decency" coin.

I cannot agree that eccentricity is favored by western society.  Maybe
eccentricity that is trivial, sterile and inconsequential.  Society chooses 
what eccentricity to accept.  I will not for a minute drop my guard against 
society's enourmous impulse to enforce a stupid and boring normalcy on it's 
constituents, and I am not willing to accept the parameters of eccenticity 
that society will grant me.

Freedom has always depended on speed and stealth as much as righteousness 
and law.  There will always be significant forces for change that could not 
survive if they could not escape detection.  Even ordinary citizens in their 
everyday lives play a presumably  cat-and-mouse game with authorities.  Do 
you feel guilty when you exceed the speed limit but don't get caught?  Would 
you rather choose what you tell your priest in the confession booth, or just 
place a web-cam in your house for her to view?

Reciprocal transparency is probably the only choice we have left now that 
the cat is out of the bag, but the world will look a lot different from 
inside a fishbowl, and it will be a struggle to maintain our freedom.
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