A few days ago, I saw a guy wearing a see-through backpack. I was struck, when I saw all the jumbled, packed-in contents, how it takes a certain amount of chutzpa to walk around with your life on view to the general public like that. I stopped myself from really studying the contents too closely, feeling, I suppose, a little embarrassed to be given so willingly so much information about someone I didn't or most likely wouldn't ever know. Still, a see-through backpack invites inspection, and had I been in a situation where I had nothing else to occupy myself, such as a bus ride, where we were momentarily trapped together in a small space, I would probably have looked more closely and made some personal observations as to what his life may be like and what kind of person he might be. Maybe I would have struck up a conversation and asked what it was that made him purchase or use the clear backpack.
The irony is that I do the same thing -- all we bloggers do -- to a certain extent. Just as Backpack Man has control over what he displays in his backpack, so do I have control over what I put into my little musings. We don't, however, control what other people think of these things -- what observations, conclusions or assumptions others make as they filter our words through their own life experience. It never would have occured to me to use a see-through backpack. I would always have felt uncomfortable with that level of openness to complete strangers, and even if I had bought one in some fit of...whimsy?...it would most likely sit unused in the back of a closet somewhere.
Yet here I sit, typing the words of this experience and my thoughts into the vast cloud of bits and bytes that I visualize lurking in some nebulous realm, until someone chooses to pull them into their computer and read them, making their own observations and drawing their own conclusions about me. I'm fairly certain that no one would conclude that I'm an axe murderer (which I'm not), and that's pretty much all I was worried about.
3 comments:
I'm constantly watching people. Had I seen that backpack, I probably would have followed him around until I knew every bit of info about what was in his pack. I might have even asked him for a closer look =).
Maybe if we all had to use clear backpacks there would be fewer problems to carry around. I for one would have less clutter in my pack than my purse currently holds. It would be interesting and insightful and just think of how much harder it would be for all my Jr High kiddos to hide stuff. I think I should talk to the principal about the idea. Suddenly it has merit. Lol
My reaction to clear backpacks and clear purses is much the same as yours. Yet, I blog. hmmm.
I generally think of my blog as a substitute journal (another faggot on the fire) and a open letter to my many family and friends I don't have time to write to individually. And what I save on postage!
My blog has also surprised me with delightful new friends. I doubt that my backpack would!
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