Privacy – Pure and Simple

What are you most worried about for the future?

Privacy. That’s the most valubale thing I believe we should all worry about.

Privacy. A precious virtue that was once treasured— before the madness of social media, before having cameras on smartphones, before homes became more glass than brick, before fashion meant wearing less than more, before movies and dramas with different ratings became not that different at all, before crude language and obscenity were regarded as comedy and entertainment. The list of “before” can go on and on, and it is really scary.

No boundaries mean no privacy, and no privacy means no morality, and that all leads to chaos and madness—just like our today world. The more you expose, the more popular and ‘normal’ you become.

But, don’t we feel sorry and sympathise with the insane because of their mental deficiency?

Of course we do. We would never blame, judge, sue them for their wrongdoings? They are pardoned by both divine and human laws because they can not differentiate right from wrong, private from common.

Isn’t it strange how sane humans feel pity for the insane, yet behave the same— and even worse, expect the same pardon?

You know what? This kind of contradiction doesn’t even exist in the animal kingdom.

Isn’t your privacy something to value, to protect, and to worry about in this all-open, all-permissible digital world?

Without privacy, you are just like anyone, but with privacy, you are yourself.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

This extract is from a parable in the Arabic Folklore. It tells a brief encounter between an old, cunning man, and a clever girl.

As the girl was walking along the road, carrying a covered plate in her hands, an old man stopped her.

“What’s in the plate, young girl?’ He asked.

‘And, why do think we covered it?’ She replied.

The man’s face reddened with shame, and he felt as if the girl had just slapped him.

Do you know why he felt so? Can you guess the meaning of this brief encounter?

Of course, both the old, cunning man and the clever girl are not talking about food? Or do you think they are?

It’s okay if you think they are, but then, there wouldn’t be a moral meaning, which means there’s a moral meaning.

Can you guess it now?

Haven’t you ever met or heard about some people who wouldn’t rest until they dig deep into others’ lives? They try their best to uncover what has been covered, perhaps even changed and forgiven. Their main goal is to pry and satisfy their curiosity and sense of gloating, to hurt and debunk others.

Worse still, have you met those who expose themselves and call it complete honesty and ultimate bravery? Their private and confidential life becomes a free open store for anyone to explore, share, and spread all over the world. Sometimes, I really can’t understand if you’ve been granted the chance by God’s grace to have your mistakes, secrets, or even misfortunes, covered and hidden from others, why expose them?

Now, back to the old parable, and the old, cunning man. He wasn’t after the food; he was after the news that was none of his business, nor anyone’s else business. That’ why he was full of shame. It turned out that the girl had given him the lesson of his life.

Do you think this old parable would have any significance, any echo in the world of social media today?

Would this clever girl exist once more?

Would the old, cunning man be ashamed again?

What do you think? Do you have another interpretation of the parable?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

P.S. For all of you who are having snow in their places, have fun! It’s so windy and rainy here as my photo shows, but surprisingly it’s warm!

Tag: Privacy

How could you give up this treasure?