Change from past to present- Matthew Winkler 8

In class on Wednesday we talked briefly on the way privacy is viewed now compared to the way it used to be view 100 years ago. 100 years ago we did not have the technology and standards of living that we have now today. 100 years ago people in the United States still relied on a wood stove to stay warm and most houses only had one of those. Families would gather around and do everything together. Today most Americans have heat through out most of their houses so there is less a need to stay close to one another. By having heat all through out our homes we could have private rooms where we can change our clothes, which was not likely 100 years ago. We also have a greater supply of hot water so we do not have to share showers like we once did. We can have them in private and now if another person were to suggest sharing a shower with you you might give them an odd look. We can now hide our bodies from the eyes of others, but we also try to hide our ideas and feelings. We value privacy so much we do not interact in the same kind of open fashion that we once did. Did people try to hide themselves 100 years ago or do we just value our privacy because of the technology we have? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that once we expose everything we have nothing that we can hold private and share with those that we care for most. Maybe it has something to do with standards and looking at oral societies and their perceived lack of sophistication. not sure why the ultimate reason is but it begs the question: Are we going to make ourselves more private on a continuum until we no longer interact with individuals unless they are worthy of seeing or hearing our voices?