The appearance of mobile phones into our lives has started to blur the lines between what is private and what is public at an alarming rate
We have always had a clear cut demarcation between public and private lives. The whole concept of a ‘drawing room’ in our homes is our concept of public life. Drawing rooms are meant to be the public face of homes. This is where the guests are welcome, this is where the family achievements are showcased, and this is where a lot of showmanship is practiced. Drawing rooms are projections and they are designed to leave a good impression. Then there are the other rooms of a home. They are private, they are out of bounds for guests, and this is where the family retreats and keeps its affairs away from the public gaze.
Essentially homes strike a balance between an intrusive welcoming public space and reclusive non-welcoming private space. A line is always drawn between the two spaces and everyone at home knows where one stops and the other starts. While there have been debates about where the division between public and private space should be, and the debate often relates to where a line should be drawn rather than about abolishing the line entirely.
In our culture, it’s drilled into our heads from a very early age that ‘familial matters’ should never be discussed in front of ‘outsiders’ and should always remain within family. If a family can keep its matters private, it can keep its honour sky high.
However, the coming of mobile phones in our lives has started to blur the lines between private and public at an alarming rate. For one the mobile phone has entered spaces that were always deemed private and were out of bounds. And subsequently they have allowed people to share moments, memories, secrets and desires that were always private and were always hidden. Yes mobiles are extension of our lives, but they are removing the sacred line.
We have always had a clear cut demarcation between public and private lives. The whole concept of a ‘drawing room’ in our homes is our concept of public life. Drawing rooms are meant to be the public face of homes. This is where the guests are welcome, this is where the family achievements are showcased, and this is where a lot of showmanship is practiced. Drawing rooms are projections and they are designed to leave a good impression. Then there are the other rooms of a home. They are private, they are out of bounds for guests, and this is where the family retreats and keeps its affairs away from the public gaze.
Essentially homes strike a balance between an intrusive welcoming public space and reclusive non-welcoming private space. A line is always drawn between the two spaces and everyone at home knows where one stops and the other starts. While there have been debates about where the division between public and private space should be, and the debate often relates to where a line should be drawn rather than about abolishing the line entirely.
In our culture, it’s drilled into our heads from a very early age that ‘familial matters’ should never be discussed in front of ‘outsiders’ and should always remain within family. If a family can keep its matters private, it can keep its honour sky high.
However, the coming of mobile phones in our lives has started to blur the lines between private and public at an alarming rate. For one the mobile phone has entered spaces that were always deemed private and were out of bounds. And subsequently they have allowed people to share moments, memories, secrets and desires that were always private and were always hidden. Yes mobiles are extension of our lives, but they are removing the sacred line.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
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