Ode to Privacy

Whether or not we as a society have fully realized it, Privacy is dead. Exactly when

Privacy passed from comatose to deceased is uncertain; but a decade after 9/11 and nearly eight years since the birth of Facebook, the once vibrant vessel has transformed from a lifeless mass to a hunk of decaying slush.

Oddly the rank odor and third-generation maggot inhabitants belonging to the mass don't deter some from claiming Privacy is alive and well. They overlook the groceries gaming prices using "membership cards", phones containing GPS units, and security points dominating airports (a trend initiated pre-9/11 and driven to extremes  in the past few years).

They ignore the steadily increasing obsolescence of brick and mortar in favor of online kings like Amazon, Newegg, and Ebay. Cash has steadily ceded to plastic cards that store our purchase histories, personal histories, repayment histories, histories of our histories.

Privacy knew the end was near when phones no longer stayed at home or work. Instead, ringing followed everywhere, in cars, classes, funerals and birthing rooms. Cell phones claimed the world as their domain. To not answer a call: a significant slight; not returning a message: punishable by death.

But Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter have been the final piece of proof (if one was still necessary). Voluntary surrender of personal histories, contact lists, interests, future plans, and current activities. Think there isn't that much info on you? Feel free to request the 800+ page dossier Facebook owns of your info and "personal" messages.

Privacy is dead. The time to mourn is swiftly passing.