Privacy Vs Liberalism

Today, technological advancement poses intervention into our lives. One’s privacy is highly coveted, yet legislature rarely protects us from our so called “privacy rights.” In the case of Arne Svenson, his photography raises many questions. Where does one’s so called “privacy rights” intersect with the law, and is it possible that the desire for privacy is false in the eyes of the liberal democracy? Can privacy exist within liberalism’s focus on liberty and rights? The stimulus brings to light the dichotomy in present society; the desire for privacy yet the demand for rights and freedoms. Thus, asking the question, can these two coexist? In asking questions regarding privacy, there is a mandatory question of how one’s liberties and rights

In none of the works I read did philosophers use the power of human connection as a solution for the privacy and liberties debate. Like Locke, I would argue that in a liberal society, freedom should be restrained by a governing body, such as the state. Like Allen, I would also argue that people have a vested interest in their privacy, and like Kant, we must consider happiness when freedom is considered. However, they all failed to acknowledge that a conversation between Pearson A and Pearson B (see above Locke analysis) can lead to the prevention of needing to use the state as a mediator in the privacy and rights relationship. Using the stimulus, had Svenson spoken to the families about their comfort being photographed, even as vague as the description could be, his artistic spontaneity would not have been compromised, nor would the perception of privacy either. In the case of the government's infringement of privacy rights, the situation can be addressed in much the same way. Human conversation is still possible even within a liberal democratic system, and representatives of the government sphere must take responsibility to addressing privacy concerns with the general public. Although it may seem difficult to address the individual from a governmental perspective, since a liberal government is formed with the individual in mind, it is not unrealistic to expect the government as