Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/05/18

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Privacy
From: chs2018 at med.cornell.edu (Chris Saganich)
Date: Thu May 18 09:26:11 2006
References: <200605181340.k4IDe3wq094414@server1.waverley.reid.org> <972bf96580f35b0f80976b8344839e30@optonline.net>

One must remember that privacy is a class issue, meaning it can be bought, 
or fought for, but isn't given for free.
Chris S.

At 10:39 AM 5/18/2006, you wrote:

>On May 18, 2006, at 9:40 AM, Walt wrote:
>
>>If you  want to let your imagination run wild then  picture a public
>>bath system in a large American city. I think our culture has a long way
>>to go before attempting to adopt the Japanese attitudes toward privacy.
>>Our culture, it seems, lacks  respect for much else besides consumption.
>>That, and the fantasy of spreading "democracy" throughout the world.
>
>The concept of privacy is a recent phenomenon in American culture and is 
>absent in many world cultures. New York City had numerous public baths 
>which were in use until the 50s. They were large, well constructed 
>buildings with warm baths and swimming pools. A good example can be found 
>on 23rd. St. between First Ave. and the East River. Public swimming pools 
>are still in use. Tenements in the late 1800s and early 1900s were shared 
>by multiple families, with perhaps 3 to 4 persons to a room. Often 
>boarders were taken in to provide extra income. Strangers eating from a 
>common serving plate was common in American inns and boarding houses 
>through the early 1900s.
>
>I recently returned from a trip to Williamsburg, VA. We stayed in the 
>Brick House, a colonial era hotel in the center of the restoration area. 
>The hotel had 16 rooms dating from the 1700s. These rooms, about the size 
>of a small modern bedroom, were rented to commercial travelers. The first 
>three or four in each room got to share the bed. Late comers, bedded down 
>on mats on the floor. On a busy market night, perhaps 6 to 8 strangers 
>shared each room.
>
>The idea of an individual having an inviolable "personal space", 
>exemplified as one person to one room and/or total control of information 
>about onself, is very recent and dates from the post WW2 era. Despite what 
>the Supreme Court says, there is no "right to privacy" in the 
>Constitution. The implied "right to privacy" is a modern interpretation of 
>the Framer's intent.
>
>Still, I don't want the NSA monitoring my telephone calls.
>
>Larry Z
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
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Chris Saganich, Sr. Physicist
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
New York Presbyterian Hospital
chs2018@med.cornell.edu
Ph. 212.746.6964
Fax. 212.746.4800
Office A-0049 



Replies: Reply from kennybod at mac.com (Kenneth Frazier) ([Leica] Re: Privacy)
Reply from walt at waltjohnson.com (Walt Johnson) ([Leica] Re: Privacy)
In reply to: Message from lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin) ([Leica] Re: Privacy)