Lit windows at night
I was reading over Guy Gavriel Kay's essay on privacy, on www.brightweavings.com and it occurred to me that he's right about how important it is to think long and hard about what privacy means to us.
I may be writing here, for all the world to see, but I don't feel as exposed as I think I should. For one thing, there is always the thought, in the back of my mind, that aside from my friends, nobody cares, really. Then I remind myself that I go and read the journals of total strangers, and I know other people do, too. For my part, it's more because I enjoy reading well-written pieces, no matter the subject they explore, but there is always the element of voyeurism that lurks beneath the surface. Can a clear, fluid writing style truly justify my desire to read about someone's outing to the cinema?
If privacy is a notion that has been voided by the internet, as many claim, we have to ask ourselves to what degree it has been eroded. It may be possible to find personal information on anyone who uses the internet (and many more who don't) but the fact remains that for the casual surfer, the personal lives of most are of little interest. If I were to offer up a detailed account of my day-to-day activities, complete with my thoughts and feelings, who would actually read it, save some of my friends? You could point out that the girl who thought up jennicam may have thought exactly the same thing, but that would raise the question of how many people have the interest and the attention span to read about a stranger's life, especially when they can go look at pictures of another stranger's life.
I've always jealously guarded my privacy, and the thought that writing something like this doesn't bother me is somewhat disquieting; I feel that I should mind, that there is no such thing as a guarantee of anonymity behind its semblance. I suppose the difference lies in that here, I can impose even stricter standards of self-censorship than I usually do -- and I always have the option of editing my texts -- and aside from the friends who comment on what I post, I have absolutely no way of knowing who reads this. That I'm writing under a pseudonym doesn't hurt the illusion of anonymity either.
Discussing zodiac signs with DuckofDoom, she said that I did live up to my Leo birthright of seeking the spotlight in that I am perfectly ready to exhibit myself through dance recitals. I had never thought of it that way. In my mind, seeking the spotlight meant doing so in every situation, always wanting to be the centre of attention, and I never considered myself as someone who does that. Still, I have to agree that indulging in any kind of artistic impulse is a form of exhibition, even for those who never show their efforts to the outside world. You may be too retiring to ask people to look your way, but you always imagine what might happen if they did. I may write or draw purely for my own satisfaction, but I would like for other people to see what I create, someday. Not right now, obviously, but after it's been polished to my satisfaction...
This update has been brought to you by Late Night And Perhaps None Too Coherent Musings (TM).
I may be writing here, for all the world to see, but I don't feel as exposed as I think I should. For one thing, there is always the thought, in the back of my mind, that aside from my friends, nobody cares, really. Then I remind myself that I go and read the journals of total strangers, and I know other people do, too. For my part, it's more because I enjoy reading well-written pieces, no matter the subject they explore, but there is always the element of voyeurism that lurks beneath the surface. Can a clear, fluid writing style truly justify my desire to read about someone's outing to the cinema?
If privacy is a notion that has been voided by the internet, as many claim, we have to ask ourselves to what degree it has been eroded. It may be possible to find personal information on anyone who uses the internet (and many more who don't) but the fact remains that for the casual surfer, the personal lives of most are of little interest. If I were to offer up a detailed account of my day-to-day activities, complete with my thoughts and feelings, who would actually read it, save some of my friends? You could point out that the girl who thought up jennicam may have thought exactly the same thing, but that would raise the question of how many people have the interest and the attention span to read about a stranger's life, especially when they can go look at pictures of another stranger's life.
I've always jealously guarded my privacy, and the thought that writing something like this doesn't bother me is somewhat disquieting; I feel that I should mind, that there is no such thing as a guarantee of anonymity behind its semblance. I suppose the difference lies in that here, I can impose even stricter standards of self-censorship than I usually do -- and I always have the option of editing my texts -- and aside from the friends who comment on what I post, I have absolutely no way of knowing who reads this. That I'm writing under a pseudonym doesn't hurt the illusion of anonymity either.
Discussing zodiac signs with DuckofDoom, she said that I did live up to my Leo birthright of seeking the spotlight in that I am perfectly ready to exhibit myself through dance recitals. I had never thought of it that way. In my mind, seeking the spotlight meant doing so in every situation, always wanting to be the centre of attention, and I never considered myself as someone who does that. Still, I have to agree that indulging in any kind of artistic impulse is a form of exhibition, even for those who never show their efforts to the outside world. You may be too retiring to ask people to look your way, but you always imagine what might happen if they did. I may write or draw purely for my own satisfaction, but I would like for other people to see what I create, someday. Not right now, obviously, but after it's been polished to my satisfaction...
This update has been brought to you by Late Night And Perhaps None Too Coherent Musings (TM).