The organization of human beings into a social collective is a strange weird wild thing. We in pairs or small familial groups are able to govern ourselves. As the group grows, the need for rules and regulations increases in order to stay in "order". We then have to devise a system of how to transfer the responsibility to govern this social collective to one person or a group of people. How do we decide? And then how are we to ensure that they truly will carry out that which is in our best interests?
All this thought has been brought to the surface by my thinking out how I "feel" about the wikileaks kafuffle and the response of various governments. My though process today has been brought to something my mother said to me "don't say anything you are not willing to stand behind and say directly to those you are talking about". So what if the US Ambassador called Putin an "alpha dog"? Isn't it true? When is keeping information secret necessary and when is it not? Should we not be allowed to police those who police us? Where is the continuous flow of power between the decisionmakers and those being decided for?
I guess where I am at is that perhaps the people making these decisions under "secrecy" are getting lazy with their ethics as the blanket of secrecy makes them feel all cozy and safe. Perhaps it is good that Desange is shaking the tree. Someone should. If you are doing something that would endanger others if it was public, maybe we shouldn't do it!?
It somehow seems to me to come back to things very simple. Like authenticity of self. Would you spend all that money if everyone knew your new purse, clothes and image were all just bought on credit? That you really didn't own any of it? Would politicians be so blithe about their stereotypes of welfare recipients if they had to deliver their comments DIRECTLY to those who receive it? What I am saying is we are a society who is becoming less responsible for what we do and say. Maybe getting back to the basics of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" and the "golden rule" might not be a bad idea. And if you are not doing something nice or saying something nasty, be responsible for it! What a revolutionary idea!!!
This is what wikileaks all boils down to for me. Who do we trust? Why are people getting all bent out of shape? Why ARE people keeping things on the 'down low' ?? If we want openness, we need to be ready for it. Is your trust well placed? Would you be able to stand tall if all was out for others to see?
Who do we trust? I don't know. I trust myself to do what is best for me. Best for my children. Beyond that, trust is one of those difficult ethical extensions.