--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 'The Transparent Society,' I am…" description: "\"In 'The Transparent Society,' I am actually no radical. I accept that some secrecy is necessary and avow that human beings have an intrinsic need for s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png" --- # In 'The Transparent Society,' I am actually no radical. I… ![“In 'The Transparent Society,' I am actually no radical. I accept that some secrecy is necessary and avow that human beings have an intrinsic need for some privacy.” quote by David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png) > “In 'The Transparent Society,' I am actually no radical. I accept that some secrecy is necessary and avow that human beings have an intrinsic need for some privacy.” [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing openness with privacy acknowledges that some secrecy is needed while respecting human desire for privacy. **In simple terms:** Privacy is needed even in open societies. Key Takeaway Embrace openness but protect essential privacy. Themes privacy transparency trust societal balance Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - government policy - corporate data handling - personal relationships - digital platforms Key Concepts social contract surveillance ethics human nature Questions to Reflect On - What privacy measures are essential in your community? - How can transparency be increased without compromising personal privacy? A Different Perspective Too much secrecy can erode trust and hinder collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Secrecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrecy/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [Politicians often claim secrecy is necessary for good governance or national security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/politicians-often-claim-secrecy-is-necessary-for-good-governance-or/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [Technology is, in many respects, an enabler for an open, transparent society. But it's also an enabler for supervision to a completely unforeseen degree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margrethe-vestager/technology-is-in-many-respects-an-enabler-for-an-open-transparent/) [Margrethe Vestager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margrethe-vestager/) > [Then I realized that secrecy is actually to the detriment of my own peace of mind and self, and that I could still sustain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/then-i-realized-that-secrecy-is-actually-to-the-detriment-of-my-own/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [ One of the things I think is really problematic about something like \[government\] spyware is that it isn't transparent - because of that anonymity… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/one-of-the-things-i-think-is-really-problematic-about-something-like/) [Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/) > [“Be open in everything with your partner, because where there is secrecy, it can mistakenly come off as being sneaky; where you just may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/be-open-in-everything-with-your-partner-because-where-there-is/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [To the man who cherishes a secret in his breast, there is a still greater secret unexplored. Our most indifferent acts may be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-the-man-who-cherishes-a-secret-in-his-breast-there-is-a-still/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everything is accessible to everyone all the time, and I think there are wondrous things to treasure with what the Internet has made available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/everything-is-accessible-to-everyone-all-the-time-and-i-think-there/) [Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/) > [Keep your relationship private, without keeping your partner a secret. There's a difference between privacy and secrecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keep-your-relationship-private-without-keeping-your-partner-a-secret/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Secret government programs that pry into people's private affairs are bound up with ideas about secrecy and privacy that arose during the process by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/secret-government-programs-that-pry-into-people-s-private-affairs-are/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [Privacy is something that we maintain for the good of ourselves and others. Secrecy we keep to separate ourselves from others, even those we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-alice-monroe/privacy-is-something-that-we-maintain-for-the-good-of-ourselves-and/) [Mary Alice Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-alice-monroe/) > [Confidentiality refers to the boundaries surrounding shared secrets and to the process of guarding these boundaries. While confidentiality protects much that is not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissela-bok/confidentiality-refers-to-the-boundaries-surrounding-shared-secrets/) [Sissela Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissela-bok/) > [Secrecy is the underlying mistake that makes every innovation go wrong in Michael Crichton novels and films! If AI happens in the open, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/secrecy-is-the-underlying-mistake-that-makes-every-innovation-go/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [The value of being connected and transparent is so high that the roadbumps of privacy issues are much lower in actual experience than people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-value-of-being-connected-and-transparent-is-so-high-that-the/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Congress must go further to protect the right to privacy, to end the NSA's dragnet surveillance of ordinary Americans, to make the intelligence community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/congress-must-go-further-to-protect-the-right-to-privacy-to-end-the/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/when-it-comes-to-privacy-and-accountability-people-always-demand-the/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## More by David Brin > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Anything done in secret is more likely to result in terrible errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/anything-done-in-secret-is-more-likely-to-result-in-terrible-errors/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Men can be brilliant and strong, they whispered to one another. But men can be mad, as well. And the mad ones can ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/men-can-be-brilliant-and-strong-they-whispered-to-one-another-but-men/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/strutting-and-preening-is-in-fact-the-surest-sign-of-an-inferiority/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“We aren’t a curse upon the world. We are her new eyes. Her brain, testes, ovaries . . . her ambition and her heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/we-aren-t-a-curse-upon-the-world-we-are-her-new-eyes-her-brain-testes/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [If you believe you can make a living as a writer, you already have enough ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/if-you-believe-you-can-make-a-living-as-a-writer-you-already-have/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Historically, central planners have generally done a poor job of managing economic resources - this we've known since the time of the Pharaohs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/historically-central-planners-have-generally-done-a-poor-job-of/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [A neurosis defends itself by coming up with rationalizations to explain away bizarre behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/a-neurosis-defends-itself-by-coming-up-with-rationalizations-to/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Alas, criticism has always been what human beings, especially leaders, most hate to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/alas-criticism-has-always-been-what-human-beings-especially-leaders/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [It's how creativity works. Especially in humans. For every good idea, ten thousand idiotic ones must first be posed, sifted, tried out, and discarded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/it-s-how-creativity-works-especially-in-humans-for-every-good-idea/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Tragedies such as Nevil Shute's 'On the Beach' and Stanley Kubrick's 'Dr Strangelove' are so powerful because there's an underlying assumption that this did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/tragedies-such-as-nevil-shute-s-on-the-beach-and-stanley-kubrick-s-dr/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [In contrast, markets - oft mythologized as "natural" are the most unnatural things going. Libertarians will tell you "market laws are laws of nature",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-contrast-markets-oft-mythologized-as-natural-are-the-most/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Snow and soot covered the ancient tree's broken branches and seared bark. It wasn't dead, not quite yet. Here and there tiny shoots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/snow-and-soot-covered-the-ancient-tree-s-broken-branches-and-seared/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“As simple an act as reading or writing a sentence must be surrounded by perceptory nap and weave . . . an itch, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/as-simple-an-act-as-reading-or-writing-a-sentence-must-be-surrounded/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Ideologies are too seductive anyway. It does a man good to see things from a different point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/ideologies-are-too-seductive-anyway-it-does-a-man-good-to-see-things/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Explore all 142 David Brin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## More Cybersecurity quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. This is a lesson we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/our-engagement-through-international-economics-trade-these-trade/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I'm also the chairman of the board of Symantec, which is the world's largest cybersecurity - software cybersecurity company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/i-m-also-the-chairman-of-the-board-of-symantec-which-is-the-world-s/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. Government regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/fraud-will-always-exist-enforcement-of-anti-fraud-laws-is-a-useful/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [As president, things that you're supposed to focus on, things like the economy, like energy policy, which is completely tied to national security, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/as-president-things-that-you-re-supposed-to-focus-on-things-like-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [The U.S. cannot impose freedom, security, and unity in Iraq by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-impose-freedom-security-and-unity-in-iraq-by-force/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [The purpose of the military is to close with and destroy the enemy on behalf of our national security priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-purpose-of-the-military-is-to-close-with-and-destroy-the-enemy-on/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) [Browse all 6,947 Cybersecurity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 'The Transparent Society,' I am actually no radical. I accept that some secrecy is necessary and avow that human beings have an intrinsic need for some privacy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Brin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually-no-radical-i-accept-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cybersecurity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually-no-radical-i-accept-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/david-brin-3024_cybersecurity_in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually_2787033.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In 'The Transparent Society,' I am actually no radical. I accept that some secrecy is necessary and avow…” — David Brin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Brin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In 'The Transparent Society,' I am...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually-no-radical-i-accept-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-the-transparent-society-i-am-actually-no-radical-i-accept-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```