by Michael T. Heath

Created on: September 09, 2008

Fundamentally Endangered

There can be few rational arguments to justify the intentional withholding of vital information to the general public. Certainly the kinds of secrets that can produce nuclear weapons, germ warfare and other pestilence society doesn't need unleashed: these kinds of information has to have unlimited access restricted. Such weapons could too easily become uncontrolled disasters visiting every continent. Below this 'End of the World' level there are some sensitive subjects that, politically, might have the same potential for war that nuclear bombs do: utter destruction. Is society better off knowing each and every scandal? Some would argue for complete transparency in the service of complete democracy. Show us the King, naked, and we will never hold him in quite the same regard again. I think this type of 'tell all' dynamic may be compared to a woman going out on her first date with a guy, and being able to read a complete biography, in detail, of every person he has ever dated and a report containing everything he ever said or did. Perhaps this sort of 'tell all' would prevent some women from falling for the wrong guys: this is a good thing. But to all the other women who meet their potential suitors, the mystery of discovery - of learning about the man over time, gradually - would be lost. Like shopping list they could sort and pick through and reject people based on intellectual screening, rather than emotional connection. This loss offsets the gain of preventing tragedy for the few with the emotional bonding of the majority. For as we all know, it is through trust and time that we learn everything about our partners. We aren't handed a printout on day one.

I relate this example to illustrate a point, not to be absolute. We don't need to have the same kind of emotional development with our political leaders: since they hold so much power, we have a right to know a lot about them. Their views, their words and their writings should be available to those who need to know: their public. The laws, policies and infrastructure of government should all be transparent, as well. There is no overriding protective need that trumps the right to know what these public figures are doing with our trust, our land and our money. Where we don't need to have quite so much access is with our non-elected public figures: media personalities, business leaders and cultural icons. Their privacy is just as important as my own.

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