Connections
To Dox or Not to Dox
Episode 2
Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.
Albert Schweitzer (1875 - 1965)
I was saddened by the death of Cecil the Zimbabwean lion and outraged by the callous and senseless cause. I admit that I felt no compassion for his killer, Dr. Palmer. In fact I LOL'ed as public outrage mounted and social media took hold of the issue. I smiled as he was forced to shut down his business and cut off the source of cash that allows him to pursue his shameful hobby. I will not shed a tear as he is forced to write large checks from whatever stockpiles of wealth he has left to lawyers and public relations professionals. It bothered me not that he was shamed into taking his family into hiding. These are the unexpected consequences of his actions and on some level he has no one to blame but himself..
Wild animals never kill for sport
Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself.
James A. Froude (1818 - 1894)
This morning, I read an article about the practice of "doxing". From Wikipedia, "doxing is openly revealing and publicizing records of an individual, which were previously private or difficult to obtain". The article maintained that this is a regrettable practice that should never be used against anyone. Public revelation of private information can lead to consequences beyond public humiliation and vilification and has been known to escalate to violence. I certainly have no wish to see Dr. Palmer suffer the same fate as Dr. Tiller.
When I was twelve, I went hunting with my father and we shot a bird. He was laying there and something struck me. Why do we call this fun to kill this creature who was as happy as I was when I woke up this morning.
Marv Levy
The recent and ongoing controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood and fetal tissue has included this tactic. The names, addresses and other personal data of some of the employees featured in the film have been made public. Similar information on those who made the film is also making its way into the public domain. As reprehensible as some may find the practice of abortion, it remains legal and there is no evidence that any Planned Parenthood employee featured in the film has done anything illegal. I suspect that the dishonesty of the filmmakers does not rise to the level of criminality either.
Compassion is the basis of all morality.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Dr. Palmer's actions have put several issues into play in the public domain. Is it ever appropriate to take big game for sport? If appropriate, what restrictions and safeguards should be in place to insure that it is done under supervised, conservationist guidelines? These are topics worthy of public discussion and may deserve legislative intervention.
But, I am left to ponder what level of personnel consequence resulting from publicity is appropriate. Were I one of his patients, I would look for a new dentist. I would not want my money to be used to finance activities I disapprove of. But the doxing of Dr. Palmer does not stop with him. It spills over to his family. What portion of his shame should be shared by his wife or his children? Is a bullying attack on one of his children an acceptable consequence?
At this moment, I am uncomfortable with the notion that "doxing" is never appropriate while also recognizing that it can cause undeserved harm and unintended consequences. I will also admit that I cannot easily discern a rule that clearly demarcates the appropriate boundary.
So I put to my readers:
Is doxing ever appropriate?
Is it an appropriate tactic to apply to someone's behavior of which you disapprove?
Is there an easily discernible boundary? If so, where?
A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
Albert Einstein
