Re: "This is the insurmountable obstacle faced by those who try to fight for human freedom. This is what has wearied them, made them disillusioned. This is what would make even victory hollow. For what gift do you bestow on someone who does not value it? How can there be solidarity if you spurn dignity?"
This seems a bit much to me. One problem is that we seem to have presupposed that A's concept of dignity matches B's concept of dignity. The contrast between StevenWu? 's initial question and ElidedElided? 's response seems to show clearly that we do not all agree on what is an is not an insult to dignity. And for something like dignity, I don't know that someone's personal concept of dignity can be 'incorrect.'
That said, I agree with StephenClarke? 's summation: this is a difficult question. And it is so for precisely the reason just identified (among other reasons); we do not all agree on what is an insult to dignity, or on the appropriate level of what is essentially surveillance.
I would instead suggest an approach that does not categorically insist A's concept of dignity is correct, and thereby institute policies that devalue B's concept of dignity (which I believe is equally valuable to A's). A fair response to my suggestion, however, is that it is difficult to do that.
-- BrianS - 23 Oct 2009 |