When the government gathers or analyzes personal information, many people say they're not worried. "I've got nothing to hide," they declare. "Only if you're doing something wrong should you worry, and then you don't deserve to keep it private."

So do you have curtains? Can I see your credit-card bills for the last year? Show me yours and I'll show you mine. I don't have anything to hide. But I don't have anything I feel like showing you, either. It's not about having anything to hide, it's about things not being anyone else's business.

Very, very slowly, we free people are losing our freedom. Then where will we be?