Constructive Telepathy

I consider myself a 9th Amendment originalist. Meaning, I see personal privacy as a fundamental and core right, even if it's not explicitly enumerated as such in the U.S. Constitution. Just practically speaking, a society without it strips its citizenry of so much of what makes the human pursuit joyful and interesting. The right to decide what about ourselves we allow to be known, to whom, and when, is one of the finest fruits in this life. It makes everyday interesting, and protects our dominion over our internal worlds. No government or community order should forcibly deprive any of us of that divine agency.

Now, as an exercise, take a moment with me to imagine an entirely different reality.

I've always been fascinated by the concept of telepathy. I've switched worlds and contexts so much in my life so far, that it feels like it might be a relief to one day live in a world in which I didn't have to explain myself, or find new ways to narrate my social intent and preferences for new audiences. It's that elusive characteristic of telepathy that appeals to me. The opportunity to be known and understood without laboring to continuously explain or position oneself in social scenarios.

In my ideal conception, I imagine walking into a room full of strangers, and before speaking a word to anyone, being on the receiving end of warm and knowing smiles from people in the room who already understand my motives for showing up, my personal history, my temperamental disposition, and even the music and media that has animated my day up until that point. I imagine being able to bypass customary small talk with a stranger who already knows that I've spent the day tinkering with the UX for the sign-up flow on my project, that I'm separated and searching for new platonic friends in the neighborhood, or that I've been listening to Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway on repeat all day.

How quickly does a stranger with that kind of context become a genuine friend. In my ideal conception, the conversion is instant. I imagine a reality where in each room one enters, we get to customize our engagement with this hive mind. In moments when I'm feeling skiddish or distrustful, I could revoke access to the Hive. Conversely, in rooms where I feel safe and open, I can give open access to my inner world, opening opportunities for trust acceleration and knowing connection. Let's call it Constructive Telepathy.

The right to privacy is truly sacred to me. To me, there's no real contradiction or tension with the Constructive Telepathy construct. Privacy is about agency, not outcome. The immutable right to decide what about one is public knowledge and what is reserved for inner knowing. Included in that reservation of power, is the right to decide when, with whom, and how one makes the private known.

In my world, Collective Consciousness and the right to privacy are two sides of the same coin.