I have talked a lot in past of discretion online and how you the reader are responsible for your own actions online. This issue is just a reflection of what is going on in society today. Remember what goes on online is just a measure of society as a whole..
Case 1
Discretion is something our society today seems to lack. When I was younger we carried what information we shared and how we shared it. Today’s technology charged people do not seem to have the same care or beliefs that most of us did 20 years ago. Part of the issue is that we know have personal devices that allow us to invade the space of others. How can that happen? Let me show you with some example of how that happens and what should have been done instead. All the stories I am going to share with you are real situation that I have run into recently.
Yesterday afternoon I was on a city bus in Toronto and a young girl (In her teens) was talking to her mom on her cell phone. She called her mom a bitch and then proceeded to argue with her loudly. The bus must have had a hundred people on it. A hundred people which now just heard her entire conversation. Not only has this girl show her mom disrespect she has showed such a lack of judgement. The entire bus now knew that she called her mom a bitch. The fact that she did it on a bus did not even phase her. I know when I want to have a heavy conversation I take my phone to a spot where their is no one around. It used to be we all protected our personal space. This girl has chosen to invade communal space with her phone call. Most of all, she has shown a lack of discretion in keeping her own personal business private.
Case 2
The second story which also happened on public transportation is even more appalling then the first story. I was on the Go train in Toronto when a business executive called Air Canada to purchase a plane ticket. In purchasing the ticket he read his entire credit card number as well as the security code out loud. After he was done with his call I went up to him and explained what he did. I even suggested that he cancel his Visa since he had had read the card number out loud on a train which was packed. He was in the process of telling me to mind my own business when I read the card number, the security code, his name and the expiry date of the card back to him. His attitude suddenly changed and he thanked me for pointing out his error and he called Visa to cancel his card. If I was not an honest person I could have committed fraud and used his card.
How Do We Fix These Issues
The problem is we need to watch what information we give out in a public place. Remember we are not in private. As humans we do not like our private space invaded so please let’s not invade public space. Just because we have cell phones and other technology devices, please show some respect to the people around you. I twould make the world a better place.
Call to Action
How would you have handled the above two situations? How do you the reader feel about discretion. Please share with us by commenting so we can all learn a little more.
