Definitions
of privacy include the concepts of being able to
be secluded from something, and yet allow yourself
to be revealed selectively. Tied up in these definitions
are some important truths about human nature on
an individual and group level that go back a long
way into our past and are likely to be hard-wired
into our make-up.
As mammals
which have historically functioned in groups, ‘exclusion’
is psychologically a metaphor for death. This is
because pack animals and people who are excluded
from the main pack are forcibly ejected and pushed
out, thus making them more vulnerable to hunger
and attack from other groups or individuals. ‘Seclusion’
on the other hand is a choice which groups or individuals
can make to maintain their own feelings of security
and thus meet the basic need for safety. Seclusion
allows privacy and yet allows you to reveal yourself
or aspects of your life on your own terms i.e. when,
how, and how much you want to.
