What are you doing?

Only about five years ago, when a stranger asked “What are you doing?” the answer, if they got one at all, was often: “It’s really none of your business.” Now, we’re obligated to respond if we want to participate in the new world of communication.

The internet has given family, friends, and strangers access to our lives in ways that feeds the voyeur in us all. Cell phones too are tools for voyeurism. Never in history could we or would we interrupt another person’s life as frequently and for such triviality as we do now.

“Hi, I’m in the post office, or Wal-Mart, or anywhere standing on line, what are you doing?” Answer: “Oh, do you know anyone there?” or some such miscellaneous chatter. Perhaps the answer should be, “Being forced to listen to your verbal diarrhea. Call back when you have something important to talk about.”

The irony is that so many of us seem pleased even excited about these changes. Apparently, the concept of privacy was misguided in its conception and application until now when privacy is lost as soon as you answer the question, “What are you doing?” Or answer the phone standing in line anywhere.

The younger generation of adults, Gen-X, cannot now escape their parents. Unlike in the past, when young adults could be alone whenever and often wherever they wanted, now the internet and cell phones have stripped that away.

Technology has blended generations into a homogeneous melting pot of opinions so we are all of one generation spanning ages 5 to 105. This too was once unimaginable and, I think, undesirable--at least by the youngest among us--but now inescapable.

Not only is Big Brother watching, but so too are mom and dad, grandmother, grandfather, sisters, brothers and even your ex.

Google and Yahoo, MSN all kept records of where you go, what you do there, the words you write, pictures you post so they can sell that information to advertisers who will then use your innocent desire to express yourself against you.

Oh, it’s a brave new world, Yuk yuk. Wait! Is that you Google Earth pictured while nude sunbathing in the privacy of your backyard?

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What are you doing? Privacy, big brother, cell phone, twitter, tweet
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