Emmalene Pruden

I personally think that this news grew old fairly fast…and when I talk to my friends about it, they feel the same way.

The problem is, we are all so involved with this peep culture that even though most of us say we don’t ‘care’ or that he deserves privacy, there now seems to be this underlying need - or dare I say addiction - to keep paying attention to the developments.

It’s like starting a book (good or bad) then knowing you’re getting to the climax then you lose the book or remember the library will charge you a bajillion dollars if you don’t bring it back. You’re left wondering what/if you will miss anything actually interesting.

It’s a strange mess this peep stuff has gotten everyone into…and oddly enough, I’m still proud to be in the mix. Equally obsessed with putting myself out there and knowing what everyone else is doing.

Anonymuse

Hal, here’s how it’s working fo me at this end. I was cruising at the library and saw your book, and yes, I’ve seen/heard a bit about it, and I also know you are a ‘growing’ voice from the Toronto literati ‘seen’, so I picked it up ....

I’ve read 74 pages and so far I’m going - hmmmmm, nice conversational ‘style/tone’, but nothing earth-shattering or outstandingly insightful. Yet. I’ll likely plow on a bit longer, but I have to tell you this - I am also finishing up the read of a truly FANTASTIC book, Chris Patten’s ‘What Next? Surviving the 21st Century’. Patten is ex-Governor of Hong Kong, a career diplomat and a erudite, informed writer who has a grasp of world events/affairs that far surpass the usual media ‘sound bit/e’ drivel. It is a book to sink one’s teeth into. A real BOOK. And that, I have to say, is kinda my ‘complaint’ about your effort thus far. In comparison yours comes across as ‘populace paplum’ that kinda beats a loud drum drawing attention to your Self, but otherwise doesn’t really have anything to OFFER - me. I don ‘t feel/think I’m going to LEARN anything from your words that I don’t already know. Sure, you may be boosting your numbers, and crawling up the ‘psuedo-celebrity’ ladder - but, as a reality check, you ain’t no Patten. He IS, and has been, in the ‘thick of it’ globally. He has been ACTIVE in questions of governance for over 3 decades. You, meanwhile, are skating around poking and prodding but to what end?

See my point?

I wrtie this now only to say, yes, you are being ‘watched’, but unless you pick up your game quite a bit and TACKLE front-and-centre the issue you seem to be skirting - ie. ‘PRIVACY from the GOVERNING & GOVERNED points of view - you are kinda ‘pissing in the wind’.

Kingwell once wrote, and I paraphrase slightly as I can’t remember verbatim, that we are increasingly ‘trapped’ in ‘panopticons’ of our own making. You would seem to be a prime example of this, in that, you are both the ‘jailer’ and the ‘jailed’. Breaking out of this incessant NPD ‘disorder’ will only occur when you DO manage to step away from your Self - to the greater world OUTSIDE of YOU.

Please do read Patten’s book, I’m sure you will DEVOUR it. If nothing else it may assist you to SHARPEN your own FOCUS and strengthen your resolve to be not only a ‘watchkeeper’ but a VOICE that MATTERS as the GOVERNING increasingly tightens CONTROL of the net.

Good luck.
Anonymuse

p.s. Your preview ‘option’ on the comment submission page doesn’t seem to be working correclty. You might want to ‘fix’ that.

Emmalene Pruden

As an avid reader of Hal’s blog and having read the book, I see where you are coming from in terms of Patton/vs Hal BUT I think you have to compare apples to apples.

For myself, The Peep Diaries is perfect in the set-up. It dives in deep enough to each subject to show people what is happening…then he tries it for himself, which is neat to read about…and then the way he sums it all up makes one think about it

Also, his book is a great start for people wanting to learn something. Not everyone is already well versed in all things ‘big brother’

And lastly, wouldn’t a book about the Peep Culture that also brings attention to himself be embodying Peep itself?