Wednesday, September 30, 2009

A Recent Invention

You never knew personal privacy was a new-fangled gadget, did you?

I didn't.

But apparently it is.

First one nameless person, who dies her hair and is therefore old (I have no idea how old she is and I won't try to guess because I always offend people when I do that) says that I'm 'prickly' because I don't share my innermost thoughts the moment I enter her presence.

Someone else has complained to me on multiple occasions about how secretive her grandchildren are, because they don't want her in their room(s).

Uh, hello? Teenager (thirteen is a teenager, okay)? Room? Can we say 'Holiest of Holies'? 'Remove shoes before thou treadest on this ground'? How about 'Entry by express permission only; permission must be renewed for each entry; this means YOU'?

A younger woman from Mexico warned me not to leave my journal where my mom could find it, because she got in trouble all the time with her mom for things written in her journal.

So, either personal space is a new invention, or it's an American thing, or I'm an extremely private person. Or all of the above.

Is anyone surprised, or am I alone?

1 comment:

  1. The fact that you're surprised by it means you're very, very fortunate that your own parents respect your personal space.

    I happen to agree with you, but I know many parents believe that it is their DUTY to know everything going on in their kids' lives, whether that crosses any personal boundaries (like reading journals) or not.

    Me, I'm in the camp that if I want to know what's going on in my kids' lives, I need to earn their trust and have a good relationship with them so they TELL me what's going on.

    Check back with me in 8 or so years, though. I may be all talk and no show. (;

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