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Living out in the middle of nowhere would seem to be an idyllic situation.
Who wouldn't enjoy the peace and quiet of being one with nature? Your
morning cup of coffee could be spent watching forest creatures meandering
passed your property, the singing of the birds would be more prominent
and the air would be crisp, clean and fresh. You don't have to contend
with noisy neighbors, congested traffic jams, or smelly polluted air.

There'd be no pervasive crime to deal with as there would with city life.
You could definitely have a euphoric sense of safety and security as well
as privacy.

But wait, is it really all that wonderful living out in the country, your
nearest neighbor or amenity being miles away? Moving into a home, whether
it be in a certain city neighborhood, or an out of the way nature spot, one
has to consider and weigh the good and bad points very carefully. Living
in the country, miles away from any city or town can present its own set
of problems.

Country living can offer you the much needed privacy we'd all love to have,
but is it really that safe? The criminal element can even find you there,
whether you think you are well hidden by the forest, or that very few could
navigate the roads leading up to your home. Criminals have been known to
purposely seek out just such places. It allows privacy for them as well to
commit their evil deeds, knowing they'd be long gone by the time any help
were to arrive.

Another safety issue one would have to seriously consider, being so far
from reach for the sake of privacy, is the fact that should an emergency,
such as fire, an accident or sickness arise, could you quickly get
assistance in time? You may have to give up one form of safety only to
lose another.

On the other end of the spectrum, the same holds true with other forms of
personal privacy. There is so much talk about cameras, being they're so
small and undetectable these days, they can be placed on every street
corner, in stores, offices, and even "nanny cams" in our homes. Our
personal privacy is being invaded at just about every turn. Are we willing
to give up our privacy for the sake of safety? It can certainly become a
double edged sword.

Cameras have undoubtedly helped authorities in arresting criminals after
being caught in the act of committing a crime, albeit after the fact,
making our streets just a little bit safer. They've helped parents to
discover whether their child minders are abusing their children or not.
Cameras placed in offices can let a boss know if their employees are an
asset to the company, or just goofing off, not meeting their job
requirements. Giving up certain aspects of privacy can, in other ways,
keep us much safer and allow a sense of security we might not have
otherwise had.

However, one has to admit, it can be too much of a good thing at times.
Cameras can and are being hidden in the most unlikely of places. What is
meant as a safety measure, can also be used for deceptive purposes. Some
go so far as to hide these minute cameras for voyeuristic practices.

There is an extremely strong and valid argument in favor of cameras being
placed everywhere for the purpose of our safety, and who wouldn't want
to feel secure at all times? However, an equally strong argument looms for
our privacy. Without privacy, we can so easily lose our dignity. I suppose
one would have to heavily weigh out the pros and cons. Do we try to
live with a sense of security and safety or is our personal privacy of
utmost importance? As much as we'd like, unfortunately we just can't have
it both ways! It certainly gives one something to ponder.

Learn more about this author, Penny B.
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