Circle Prompt #3

Imagine a world with absolutely no privacy. Frightening, isn't it? Even the biggest extraverts like to have a little time to themselves. Thus, upon reading The Circle, I came to wonder if our right to privacy could be revoked in real life. Whether or not this is actually possible, the bottom line is that transparency is scary.

Eamon presents Mae with three mantras: SECRETS ARE LIES, SHARING IS CARING, and PRIVACY IS THEFT. None of these phrases have any traction in the real world. Each mantra relies on the assumption that we do not have a right to our own body and mind. In real life, we have the choice to keep a secret if we choose to do so- unless, of course, we are in court and under oath. No one can force you to share if you own the object or property, and privacy is valued and respected. Yes, if everybody had access to all information at all times, crime rates would probably decline (or catching criminals would at least be easier), but at the same time, people would be exposed to personal information they may not want to know. No one wants to see somebody use the bathroom or go to the bedroom after date night. There are certain limitations on what should be and should not be available to the public.

Sometimes, what people don't know can't hurt them. For example, ever since 9/11, our country has had to be secretive to some extent in the war against terrorism. And often times, the government must keep some information confidential to avoid mass panic and crisis within its constituents.

The mantra SHARING IS CARING is specifically unrealistic. In The Circle, Mercer is one of the few people who can see that this idea is not only juvenile, but also a breach of our right to private thought. When Mae shares photos of Mercer's chandeliers online without his knowledge or approval, she believes she is doing him a favor; the Circle has embedded in her the thought that everything should be shared and known to all. But Mercer did not want his chandelier business to grow to that level, and sharing, to him, was not caring. He gets so angry at Mae for sharing his chandelier that he says to her, "either you stop or I have to walk out" (Eggers 259), showing his strong disapproval of the person Mae has become. Sharing is not always caring, especially when a breach of privacy is involved.

Even Mae, however, temporarily experiences the shame of this lack of privacy. After Francis films one of their intimate moments in bed, Mae is angered that he did so without asking her permission (and that he will not delete the recording). She says to Francis, "'It's yours? What we just did is yours?" (Eggers 205), in an unconscious criticism of the mantra, SHARING IS CARING. Mae does not want to share that video because it features a private event. She despises the thought of everyone having access to the video, yet she advocates complete transparency; this contradiction demonstrates that true human nature opposes breaches of privacy.

Privacy is an essential part of our daily lives. While transparency may look appealing on the surface, there has to be some filter on what goes out to the public, and there is always something that should to be kept secret.


Work Cited:
Eggers, Dave. The Circle. New York: Vintage, 2013. Print.