Practical Opacity
Get lost without ever leaving.
Thank you for visiting.
I started Practical Opacity to collect thoughts and ideas that were counter to the increasing radical transparancy I feel is being demanded of us all in this age of constant connection, social networking, and life streaming. I feel that there is a corresponding need for balance and for choosing purposefully to opt-out of those things which do not respect your privacy or value your time.
Within this archive you will find quotes, links, posts, and video and other resources that explore and support this stand. It is my hope you will take the time to read through and consider some of these.
For my own purposes, this exercise proved fruitful and allowed me the information and research to more fully explore my thoughts and feelings on the subject matter. This work has largely culminated in my book, Enough.
I feel the book is the best place to start for my current personal take on this subject. I plan to further expand and explore this subject, as my interest in it desires, on my personal website. I would be humbled and grateful if you invested your valuable time and attention reading both.
This Tumblr will not be updated further. I will leave it active for the foreseeable future in the hopes it will prove worthy as a resource for others who wish to explore these ideas.
Thanks to all of those who read, followed, and supported this work over the years.
About Those Facebook Privacy Settings... » Blog of Rights: Official Blog of the American Civil Liberties Union →
So, you’ve done it all right. You’ve meticulously chosen your Facebook privacy settings so that only your closest friends can see the most personal information about you. No one else has access. Or so you think.
Turns out, it’s more like your designated closest friends and anyone who advertises on Facebook. (And, P.S., anyone *can* advertise on Facebook. Doesn’t have to be a business.)
Just in case there was any question who Facebook’s real customers are.
Cloak VPN :: Push Button Security →
Cloak is a service for your Mac, iPhone, and iPad that keeps you safe when you’re connected to public wireless networks like those found at coffee shops, hotels, airports, and conferences.
It is basically an easy to use and configure VPN service for those without the skills or desire to set up their own. A good idea executed well.
Let’s Unsubscribe From It All →
I am getting to the point where I want to stop everyone but people I know and work with from emailing me. I don’t want people calling me on my phone to sell me stuff or inform me of things that they think I should know. My email is rapidly becoming that way. No more newsletters, advertisements, or enticements.
Getting Back to Growth — Steve Pavlina →
In addition to refocusing on my own path of growth in 2012 and closing the door on daily social networking, I’d like to reorient my social life to spend more time connecting with others who have similar priorities when it comes to pursuing growth experiences. I had hoped I might meet such people through the social networks surrounding my work, but that didn’t happen. One reason is that such people would rather engage in growth experiences than in discussions about growth. They’d rather travel than talk about travel… would rather speak than discuss speaking… and would rather start a business than talk about starting one.
Steve mindfully and consciously opts-out.
The Dangerous Effects of Reading | Certain Extent →
If the world overwhelms you with its constant production of useless crap which you filter more and more to things that only interest you can I calmly suggest that you just create things that you like and cut out the rest of the world as a middle-man to your happiness?
This sounds like a good plan.
(via Chris Long)
PhotoBlog - Accidental photographer: Making pictures of 'our own personal little gods' →
The fairly new activity of constantly checking our phones, I mean ascertaining our dual existence, both in real life and in the virtual world of social networks, switching from the people present in flesh and blood and the uninterrupted conversation with “friends” we have across time zones and borders, is an interesting phenomenon. I was first stunned by the faculty we have to isolate ourselves for a few seconds in the middle of a loud, crowded bar, and immediately become oblivious of our surrounding, letting candidly the virtual world reflect on our faces. The social masks fall for a fleeting moment, and our pleasure, our worries or sorrows, show for anyone to see. That is the moment I am trying to capture. I see people’s soul.
Six months without an iPhone: Shotgun | 52 Tiger →
Perhaps you’ve had an experience like this. You own a car and typically do the driving. Then, for whatever reason, you spend a trip in the passenger seat and a route you’ve driven countless times looks different. No longer required to watch the road and the other motorists, you can look at passing houses and buildings, playgrounds, corner stores and more. You see things you never noticed despite having driven past them time and again.
Now that I was observing my life and not just its most tweetable moments, I felt more relaxed. I was living in that moment, not 30 seconds into the future (“Can’t wait to tweet that.” “I have to get a picture of this.” “Let me put this in Simplenote.”).
You don’t have to lose your iPhone to ride shotgun. You can do so by choice.
Seth's Blog: Getting serious about the attention economy →
Every interaction comes with a cost. Not in cash money, but in something worth even more: the attention of the person you’re interacting with.
Seth strikes again.
Gwen Bell - Digital Sabbatical →
Gwen’s page on digital sabbaticals is actually an excellent resource on the subject full of interesting links, reasons, ideas, and inspiration.
