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Not being able to find private space in your multi-million dollar open floor plan modern home is one of those good kind of problems to have. If you want to live

• iamsohungry 11y ago
  > Not being able to find private space in your multi-million dollar open floor plan modern home is one of those good kind of problems to have. If you want to live in a home with private space it isn't exactly hard to do. Since when did twitter prevent you from keeping a diary if you so choose? I think that the article isn't saying we've lost the ability to choose privacy. It's saying that we've created a world where there's incentives to give up privacy, and very little consideration of what that choice means: sometimes we don't even comprehend that we're making that choice. Your own comment is an example: > I do agree with the author that private space is important though. It's nice have time to reflect without the worry of interruption or judgement. In these "Open offices" it can be an actual problem, I seem to be the only person I know who would be fine with just a cubicle. I don't see a cubicle as being private at all. It doesn't prevent people from interrupting or judging me, it only allows me a little respite from distraction, and even that it does poorly. Contrast this with the concept of a study, a room that houses rarely have any more, but in which much of the work of the world has been done. Your very example of a "private" space demonstrates the ease with which one can give up privacy without even considering the choice.
• vmateixeira 11y ago
  I think the author means that tweeting keeps you from writing a diary in a way that it makes you feel that you already wrote about your happiness, problems, emotions, etc somewhere else. In my opinion there is a misleading feeling of privacy in social media in general. If you post something online, by keeping it "private" you may be mislead to think that no one else is going to be able to read/see it at any point in time. There seems to be no space where you can currently be alone with yourself anymore.
  • TeMPOraL 11y ago
    I'm having trouble with understanding the confusion that leads to the idea of doing something private, "alone with yourself", on the Web. It's kind of like, pretty much opposite by definition? I mean, being private on-line is like setting water on fire. Yes, you can do it, but you won't be able to unless you know some pretty specialized stuff, you'll most likely hurt yourself badly if you don't have the training, and there's zero point in lighting up a lake when going sailing on holiday! If you want to be alone with yourself, use a text editor. A native application. Or paper.
    • vmateixeira 11y ago
      Sorry, when I mentioned "alone with yourself" I was referring as in general, not only on the Web. I agree with you that online and private don't mix. What I was trying to say is that it is like if you don't have your space anymore. Unless you turn off your WiFi, put away all your gadgets, there seems to be no space for your thoughts, for you to think by your own about your day-to-day problems and find some interesting conclusions and perhaps to establish a commitment on improving yourself. Wherever you go, sometimes even to the bathroom, people end up taking their phone. When alone in your bed, phone is again present. You're always being influenced by what you see, read and perhaps impulsively making decisions based on that without thinking by yourself first.
      • TeMPOraL 11y ago
        You're making a good point. I've noticed myself that the only moments I do real thinking nowadays are shower, bed (when trying to fall asleep) and the rare occasions when I don't feel like reading on public transport. Otherwise, there's always something else available that's easier and more comfortable than running with your own thoughts.
        • vmateixeira 11y ago
          Yes, that's exactly what I feel as well and that's why I found this article interesting. The importance of having your private "space".