Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Limits

I may have mentioned it before but they want to have cell phone connectivity in the subway tunnels here. More minutes used, more money for big corporation coffers as maybe the last bastion resisting constant cell phone usage is destroyed. Oh well progress right and there is some benefit to having this option especially during delays! And who knows it may just turn out to be more extra background noise in the tunnels.

Still while on the bus ride home a few days ago as I inadvertently and rather unconsciously listened to a young lady's cell conversation as she seriously traced her baby fadda for not buying pampers I couldn't help but wonder about what other inappropriate conversations I'd be made privy to with this new cell phone plan.

I keep wondering about the limits between private and public these days where facebook status tells you that the Prince's girlfriend dumped him, questionable photos are a mainstay in online profiles and wholly inappropriate conversations occur in public places with people (of all ages) seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are sharing their life story and letting us know more about them than we should or really need to know.

Is it because this society allows us to believe that you are invisible, no one knows your name or that no one every really sees you? Or is it just that the line between public and private has blurred in this age of too much information? What does it all mean?

Is there a real benefit to knowing more? Is privacy dead? Is privacy no longer desirable?

I don't man, i don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know.

4 comments:

Crankyputz said...

It's funny though, we seem to only know more surface level info, no one really connects anymore...you know that back in day, hang out for hours on end conneciton, these days people come over and immediately one sits on my lap top and the other will reach for my remote....

I think cell phone usuage on the subway would be good in that when your stuck etc, would be nice to be able to tell someone, but bad in the increase in conversations and evesdropping scenerios you described....

Anonymous said...

in regards to these 'private' conversations,being made public, i think that's just up to individual's and their comfort level, phone or no phone. i know i, would not be sitting on the bus having a 'serious' conversation, over-the-phone.

it seems like we all want to connect with more people, via these social networks, but at the same time, like crankyputz said, it is a 'shallow' connection. any easy way to connect. especially if you're like me - you can put it out there and if someone wants to connect/comment, great.

princessdominique said...

It's amazing what kinds of information people share via the social networks. I mean, I can "tell" you I had a cheese burger, but did I really? Other people like the conversation you were made privy to spill everything and let the dirty panties hang out. Some things should stay private, but look at society ie. dressing indecently. There are no boundaries anymore.

Lola Gets said...

I found out that my 20 year old neice is in need of a gynecologist from her Fecebook "update." Nice, huh?

L