I change in front of the window

It’s not that I’m oblivious or confused about how windows work. I just suspect the chances of someone looking in are pretty low and I’m willing to take that risk. This is what I’m calling “semi-private”. It’s not private, by definition, but it isn’t public in any practical way. I have no concern about any legal terms or policies that apply here. I’m interested instead in the way the social contract is played out in these semi-private environments. There are things I wouldn’t do in the semi-private, like masterbate for instance. Is there class of private activities that seem natural enough to allow into the semi-private, and a class that remain too taboo?

Last weekend I was sitting on my balcony and could overhear my neighbors having a certain kind of conversation. I wasn’t able to make out the entirety of it, but the tone was unmistakable: that sort of rant that you only have in the privacy of your home. The terms “Nazi” and “Israel” made it through --- should I listen in closer?

My heart rate began to quicken, my body preparing to engage in some debate. Should I say something? No, I should not. They were having a conversation that was recognizable because it was a conversation I’ve had before (not exactly, but in spirit). It was the kind of thing people get into sometimes, but would never say in public. And I don’t think this is two-faced; we should be free to experiment with our ideas and play with our convictions and sometimes just vent. There’s nothing anti-social about saying something “wrong” in private.

But they weren’t in private. They weren’t in public either, or at least I assume they thought they weren’t in public. This was the semi-private, where the social contract only semi-applies.

I let my neighbors have their probably-wrong-rant, free of judgement, because I want them to let me have my probably-wrong-rant, free of judgement, the next time I go off on some topic with my window open. As I mentioned in the first post to this site, this blog seems semi-private too. There are things I might experiment with saying here that I wouldn’t say in public, but still under the expectation that it could be read. If the chances are low, I might risk it. All I hope is that the stranger who catches me changing in front of the window looks away and lets me keep my dignity.