陈凯博客： www.kaichenblog.blogspot.com

陈凯一语： Kai Chen's Words:

A healthy society is a society that is composed of individuals who respect the principle of privacy. There is a sacred sphere around each and every one of us that cannot be violated or randomly intruded upon without consideration. Respect of individuals first comes with this respect of individuals' private sphere.

一个健康的社会是由尊重隐私权的个体组成。 在我们每一个个体周围都有一个不可侵犯的隐私圈。 其他人不可以不经许可与考量随意进入这个隐私圈。 对个体自由的尊重首先来自对这个隐私圈的尊重。

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保持个人之间的健康距离
Respect Privacy of Each Individual

By Kai Chen 陈凯 (Written 12/8/2006, Reprint 9/25/2011)

Thanks for visiting my forum and posting your comments. I deeply appreciate it. There are many topics I want to get into and discuss with you for the purpose of gradually establishing a sphere of thought and behavior for the individuals who will eventually effect the future of China and the future of the world.

Each and every topic I am trying to articulate and dwell into is important, for most Chinese are alien to these ideas, thoughts, behavioral habits that most Americans are accustomed to and take for granted. Some Chinese and leftist Americans think these are not important aspects of human behaviors and only some so called "cultural differences". They are wrong.

The direction of human history is one that from a group and collective oriented society toward an individualized and personalized society, is one that from only taking individuals as numbers and insignificant elements toward taking individuals as sacred entities with inalienable rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. In that sense, American ideal of what a society should be is the pinnacle and the end of human understanding about who we are in relationship with universe and God. This understanding that each and everyone of us is unique, is an entire sacred universe by itself, is only defined by God through our individual decisions and acts is the ultimate result of thousands of years of human struggle to understand themselves.

This linear directional history of mankind, as against the circular thinking of the traditional societies, is entirely based on the idea that there is a sacred sphere around an individual that no one, regardless how powerful or how closely related he is with that individual, can violate and intrude upon randomly on a whim.

When I first came to America, I was amazed by how people related and reacted to each other in public. "Good morning", "Please", "Excuse me", "Sorry", "Thank you", "Pardon me"..., are as common as the Chinese curses, gossips and name callings I was so used to from where I came from. In America, there is an invisible sphere around each and every individual that others must respect. You don't ask about a person's sexual orientation and sexual history; you don't ask about a person's finance and salary; you don't ask about a person's age, race, nationality, religious beliefs..., unless he or she volunteers to tell you. When there is a circumstance you have to relate to another person, respecting his or her will is the first consideration. Forcing oneself upon others, meddling into others' affairs, ganging up on someone, talking behind someone's back are frowned upon in America.

There is a code of respect in America, a code of honor so to speak, that an individual's will and sphere of privacy must be respected, and injustice and disrespect to any one individual is indeed damaging to all of us, to all society as a whole. The positive and constructive links between individuals must never be allowed to be broken, for once they are damaged, the whole society will fall apart, or fall into prey to those unscrupulous power mongers. This constant vigilance to guard this precious private sphere is the healthy sign of a free people and a free society. It is also the necessary prerequisite, the first appearance of a traditional society in its advancement toward a free society of free individuals fully aware of their sacred rights and spheres of privacy.

I yearn for the day in China that the privacy of individuals is to be respected and guarded vigilantly by not only laws, but human morals, and internal mechanisms as well. I yearn for the day that people in China can talk freely on any topic and subject without first having to know a person's social status, family background, salary, age, race, nationality, sexual orientation, educational level, or even name, as I often does in America when I randomly contact people. I yearn for the day that people in China will advance to the point that taking advantage of others, instead cooperating with others, is no longer the standard practice the Chinese pride themselves with under the screwed logic of "cultural differences" from the West. I yearn for the day that individuals will stand up to not only the government authorities but their peers and families as well and proudly declare that one is an entirely sacred universe created only by God and defined only by God through their own conscience, decisions and actions, and no one, no matter how powerful, how intimate, how closely related by blood he or she is should intrude and meddle upon another's private spheres. I indeed yearn for that day to come....

So if you are a parent, respect your children's privacy; if you are a child, respect your parents' privacy; if you are a friend, respect your friend's privacy; if you are a boss, respect your subordinates' privacy; if you are a employee, respect your employers' privacy; if you are a spouse, respect your spouse's privacy....

Then and only then, we can truly talk about a healthy society.