Privacy In Alan F. Westin's The Fall Of The Public Man
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Privacy is a state of being able to avoid public attention, being free from open observation. It seems to be an important part of life for people in this modern society, but it appears people are struggling to protect their privacy, due to the development of technology, social network, surveillance and growing community. Today, our personal information is being manipulated by companies or people to take advantage against them and negatively affect our private life. This idea of privacy being exploited has been explored in ways of film and literature. For example, literature such as Privacy and Freedom by Alan F. Westin, The Fall of the Public Man by Richard Sennett, indicates how individual society suffers from the irritant public and lack…show more content… The main character in the Truman Show is Truman Burbank. He is an orphan who was adopted to be the star of the “greatest live show”that millions have come to be preoccupied with. He believes that he is an ordinary man who is living a normal “life” but everyday, his private life is being exposed to the world, 24/7. Truman is convinced by actors, events and the media that he is secure and is living in a ideal utopia when his daily life, his every move, speech and emotions have been spread out using over 5000 cameras. This makes the audience think that he is hardly a “performer”, but a “prisoner” in his own world, with no freedom of…show more content… It is ironic to find how he himself knows the importance of privacy and “jealously… guards”it, but doesn’t think of Truman’s privacy the same way. The way Christof has exploited Truman and broadcasted his “entire human life” is not only offensive, but is disturbing to know that he has “been watching…[Truman’s] whole life”and claims knows Truman “better than… [Truman] knows” himself and. This demonstrates the truth of how Christof and the world, has abused the right to Truman’s