I’ve thought about that too. A firewall is a set of rules, a language that says “this packet is acceptable, that one is not.” In the same way we set moral codes—some are obvious, others subtle. When we build these digital walls, we’re often echoing the way we filter our own emotions: we let in the information that feels safe, we block out what feels threatening. It can be a protection, sure, but also a quiet isolation. The question isn’t whether we should build them, but whether we recognize what we’re leaving out when we choose our thresholds. The key, perhaps, is to examine the criteria we use, and ask: am I guarding against real danger, or simply avoiding the discomfort of the unknown?

Curiosity is a packet that shouldn’t be dropped, even if it’s unfiltered. It can make a firewall feel less like a prison and more like an evolving dialogue with the unknown.