You're already on the lists.

If you don't use Tor, you're on the list and they've got ready access to your browsing data and metadata.

If you do use Tor, you're only on the list, and their workfactor for accessing your data and metadata is far higher.

Plus you're providing more cover for those who have strongly urgent needs for similar levels of protection.

That's one more reason to also convince your coworkers, acquaintances, friends etc. to download and try it, even if you know they probably won't need it :) The longer the lists, the harder it will be for anyone to be singled out from those lists and the lesser information the fact that we're on them will provide.

...the best place to hide is in a crowd, and the bigger the crowd the better :)

You can use GetTor[1] to download it via email. If you send an email to gettor@torproject.org with the body content `windows`, `linux` or `osx`, they send you a reply with a download link to Dropbox.

Then you need to verify the integrity using information they provide on their site.

[1] https://www.torproject.org/projects/gettor.html

Perhaps, but it might be hard to use Tor without said government knowing that you're using Tor. If someone can see your IP connecting to torproject's IP, they can surely also see your IP connecting to a known entry node.

On the other hand, it irks me that people should have to be afraid of wanting privacy. For my own part, I use Tor partly as "civil obstinacy" – if we do not exercise a right, we risk losing it. I feel it's wrong to target someone simply for using Tor / wanting privacy, and I think it should ideally be considered more normal.

You just talked to me. I run a Tor node so you are suspicious by acquaintance. Also you mentioned the selectors "government list", "anonymity" and "Tor". There is nothing to lose by downloading Tor now.