What Privacy?!

Where has confidentiality gone? It used to be that personal information was protected from prying eyes. News reports force me to believe that's not possible anymore. Privacy, in every sense of the word, has been stolen not only from celebrities, but from ordinary folk like you and me. It's not only computer thefts, either. Think about being out in the public and suddenly having an itch in, shall we say, an inopportune spot. If a security camera doesn't catch you trying to tactfully scratch it, some one's cell phone camera just might. What's a person to do?! It's like everyone is suddenly a paparazzo. Some years ago, an elderly, well known friend handled an embarrassing situation with uncommon decorum and grace. She was exiting St. Matthews Cathedral through a side door when the elastic on her half slip let go. She simply stepped out of it and kept on going. Nowadays, this little event might have been captured on several security cameras aimed into the alley where she was walking. That's not totally a bad thing, but footage usually isn't viewed until after a crime has been committed. Of course, she did not commit a crime, except maybe littering. On the other hand, people who think they can mine the insides of their noses while driving are another case. It's disgusting and, drivers: you may think your car is a sanctum, but it ain't.

Common decency used to prevent us from deliberately embarrassing others, whether or not we knew them. How have we become so callous and self-centered? Can we turn this trend around and preserve some human dignity?