Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
~ Benjamin Franklin
When I read that JFK’s love letters to his Swedish flame were going on sale it got me thinking about secrets in our modern society. With the cult of personality at an all time high through the advent of reality TV stars and an ever invasive paparazzi it’s as if we should rename ourselves the full disclosure society. No transgressions can be atoned for without a play-by-play rendering privacy an all but pointless concept.
Of course these examples stem from the world of celebrity, but this culture of confession has permeated our way of being. The exhibitionist is flourishing, hitting a high point in its stride with the use of blogs, social media and 24 hour news. People’s lives are being lived completely exposed without hesitation. Hell, we’re demanding it as payment for any level of success: You run a popular online business, give us all your juicy details; You’re known for your solid career advice, reveal your moments of despair. There is no life if it is not led in full view of others. We’ll never have to worry about the tree in the woods making a sound because someone’s already wired a web cam to it.
The obsession between exhibitionists and voyeurs is twisting our ability to lead private lives. Those who refuse to share themselves with a hungry world are becoming the exceptions not the rule. I find myself guilty of this skewed viewpoint as well. When I’ve encountered people in the IT realm with no digital footprint (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc), I’m genuinely surprised. The Truman Show may have been a movie, but it’s almost prophetic in its vision of where we’re headed.
People should be able to confide in another if they choose to, not from of an imposed sense of obligation. I think secrets are important. Sharing a secret with another is a sign of trust. Keeping a secret given shows strength of character. Discretion used to be a quality we admired. Now if the secret is poisoning you by keeping it inside then by all means let it go, but do so only because it will make you feel better, not because society demands it.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
On the one hand, I enjoy various social media platforms, including blogging. On the other, I definitely keep some parts of my life OFF the ‘net. The intense lack of privacy in modern culture irks me.
~Bookewyrme
Twitter: gabrielnovo
March 4, 2010 at 6:08 pm
When I judged Junior Thespians I was surprised by the kind of personal questions the kids asked me within minutes of having met me for the first time. I’ll chalk up a portion of it to childlike curiosity, but I feel that most of it stemmed from the unrestrained openness many of these kids are accustomed to. Soon enough they’ll realize the difficulties of living a life without privacy.