Writer's Block: Peek-a-boo, what to do?

[tabular_rasa]

[Error: unknown template qotd]

Define "look." I mean, just the simple act of noticing that an email client or journal is open could be considering looking. (I mean, I've been yelled at for looking at someone's cell phone because it made a text message notification noise, even though there was no way I could actually read the message). And as reading is almost involuntary for most people, sometimes you can't help but read a line of an open diary even before your mind realizes what you are doing. However, when it comes to actually committing to reading private things in depth . . .

When thinking about this in the hypothetical, I would say I'd be pretty likely to since I'm rather nosy and don't really take privacy (my own or others') that seriously. I honestly wouldn't care that much if someone hacked into my stuff; I figure if someone gets into my private business knowing it's my private business, then I'm not responsible for anything that might upset them regarding it. Plus I'm just not that ashamed of myself; I do most everything with deliberation and good intention and so there's really no skeletons to dig up anyway. I know I shouldn't assume others feel the same way, but as privacy isn't a priority for me it's never been something I've taken really seriously for others, either.

But, you know . . . Upon closer consideration of my actual experiences, it's surprising to realize that the times I've been explicitly faced with this conundrum (emails left open, Livejournal left logged in), I've seldom actually taken advantage of it-- even when I've been really curious. I can think of several specific instances like this. I guess I'm a virtuous nonbeliever, lol. If I do anything, it's usually to fuck with the person but not breach their private business, like update their journal or status with something silly that lets them on on their mistake :-P

Comments

[silverfyre.livejournal.com]

Hehe, this is interesting, I'm glad someone else has thought about this too! I'm also pretty open with my stuff, in general even. (Like I let people borrow pretty much anything if they ask, I'm not meticulous at all about closing tabs that require signing on, etc.) I realize some of it is me-specific (like if someone left their email open I'd never, for example, open up an email and read it), though some stuff (in my opinion) I don't think is a big deal in general. I've scrolled up to read bits of IM conversations if I've stumbled upon a particularly interesting line by accident, or glanced at the subject lines of a person's email if they've left it logged on. Some people are excessive about their privacy though! I have one friend who will pull up a blank tab over any conversations he's having if someone even talks to him from a position where they *could* read his screen.

[tabular-rasa.livejournal.com]

The only time I've been meticulous about privacy was with my parents when I still lived in their house-- high school, summers home from college, etc. It's because they're more likely to bring up (often in a judgemental way-- though even the "Ooh, you mention a boy's name a lot/talk to him a lot on AIM; you must like him! OMG Amy has a boyfriend and OMG I'm going to have grandbabies!" thing is annoying, too) the things they uncover that way. With my peers, usually they don't get as worked up about things so I don't care if my college friends dig around on my computer so far as they might read certain things. The only reason I kept my computer password-locked during school was because Henry had a tendency to change my settings on my programs (iTunes, the Internet) and I couldn't figure out how to change them back! I guess we all just fucked with each other, lol.

[mona-lisa-73.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes. I know first-hand of your curiosity/deviousness.

I recall a certain incident Freshman year that involved my LJ account and hamsters...

[tabular-rasa.livejournal.com]

[scorpiuspro.livejournal.com]

Okay, that's the cutest little furball EVER