There’s a great book called The End of Forgetting by Kate Eichhorn that talks about how growing up with social media is impacting youth as they are unable to experience awkward phases without it being permanently documented, when in the past these moments would fade away painlessly. This reminds me of that! You can’t publicly exist anymore without fear of creating some sort of record.
Funnily enough one of my uni papers just brought up The Right to Privacy by Warren & Brandeis - it was written in 1890. On p. 195, they say 'Recent inventions and business methods call attention to the next step which must be taken for the protection of the person, and for securing to the individual what Judge Cooley calls the right “to be let alone.” Instantaneous photographs and newspaper enterprise have invaded the sacred precincts of private and domestic life; and numerous mechanical devices threaten to make good the prediction that what is whispered in the closet shall be proclaimed from the house-tops.' They'd be horrified if they were alive for this! But also it's interesting to see how this problem has been discussed for over a century in such different contexts, yet some key points remain relevant!
Oh I really like 'Panopticontent' as a term that is the perfect way to look at it. I grew up right at the beginning of all of this, and feel incredibly lucky to have done so. Being a teenager is hard enough, but being a teenager now with TikTok would absolutely not be easy. This whole newsletter brings to mind the first song of Being Funny In a Foreign Language.... "I'm sorry if you're living and you're seventeen." I truly am sorry for all those kids.
this is actually a really interesting concept that id never really thought about. I guess cause i grew up in "the age of social media" its never really occured to me because its always just kind of been there and i guess ive taken it as normal?? when it is an invasion of privacy?? idk i guess ive just become more aware of it now maybe as im getting older
There’s a great book called The End of Forgetting by Kate Eichhorn that talks about how growing up with social media is impacting youth as they are unable to experience awkward phases without it being permanently documented, when in the past these moments would fade away painlessly. This reminds me of that! You can’t publicly exist anymore without fear of creating some sort of record.
Great post, thought provoking. I’m so pleased I’m a Gen Xer and the focussed attention came later. 😅
Is Jury Duty peak panopticontent?
Oooh super interesting musings for my day off. Love having my eyes opened to thing like this
Loved this!
Wow, scary and so accurate 🤯
Funnily enough one of my uni papers just brought up The Right to Privacy by Warren & Brandeis - it was written in 1890. On p. 195, they say 'Recent inventions and business methods call attention to the next step which must be taken for the protection of the person, and for securing to the individual what Judge Cooley calls the right “to be let alone.” Instantaneous photographs and newspaper enterprise have invaded the sacred precincts of private and domestic life; and numerous mechanical devices threaten to make good the prediction that what is whispered in the closet shall be proclaimed from the house-tops.' They'd be horrified if they were alive for this! But also it's interesting to see how this problem has been discussed for over a century in such different contexts, yet some key points remain relevant!
Oh I really like 'Panopticontent' as a term that is the perfect way to look at it. I grew up right at the beginning of all of this, and feel incredibly lucky to have done so. Being a teenager is hard enough, but being a teenager now with TikTok would absolutely not be easy. This whole newsletter brings to mind the first song of Being Funny In a Foreign Language.... "I'm sorry if you're living and you're seventeen." I truly am sorry for all those kids.
this is actually a really interesting concept that id never really thought about. I guess cause i grew up in "the age of social media" its never really occured to me because its always just kind of been there and i guess ive taken it as normal?? when it is an invasion of privacy?? idk i guess ive just become more aware of it now maybe as im getting older