Privacy

The little privacy we had going into the new millennium was promptly handed over to George W. Bush and his band of bunnies immediately after 09/11/2001. Either fear or patriotism was the motivator. The logic being that this home of the free and land of the brave can be neither without human sacrifice and the free surrender of constitutional guarantees. No branch of government can take away your rights (except habeas corpus) but you can abjure their enjoyment.

We adapt. Surveillance cameras provide about as much protection for your children as did the big gas guzzling SUV's of the nineties. You may get a good snap of the pervert as he snatches up your teenage daughter or the murderous pedophile as he lures away your curious boy. Oh look, here's a short film clip of the suicidal skyjackers about to board their plane. Evil will never stop for the want of a photo op.

We feel free to share personal intimacies within social networks composed of friends we don't even know. Spy ware counts our keystrokes, discount cards map our purchases and the NSA scours every word written or spoken for tripwires. We seem to have an unquenchable need to share our boring miserable lives. Tell it to the priest. Other than that you are an electronic impulse, one blip in a zillion passing through a fine mesh designed to glean data. The science of pattern recognition has stolen our humanity and eliminated the individual from consideration. Yet, we are not humble.

The preening jackasses of the world are mostly a pain to their families, the near neighbors and all the poor schmucks at work. Calling attention is the certification of buffoonery. Individualism is a private matter.

The first rule of privacy is to talk poor as money always draws attention. Spend some time with a wealthy farmer or a cantankerous old man. Practice humility/inherit the world. If asked do not deny, supply disinformation. Confusion is your friend. If forced to make a written statement always be vaguely satirical.

There, you have it. If you don't believe me then I am successful.