The Circle Book Analysis

Some working environment deprives the employees their personal privacy. Technology has contributed greatly to the loss of the privacy in most of the working environments. The loss of this privacy has some advantages and disadvantages. There are different stories that have been told concerning how organizations take the issue of privacy. The circles and 1984 explain how the employees lost their privacy and the consequences of this loss. The changing trends in the offices that result to loss of privacy raise a need to discuss the consequences of this loss. Again, it is important to discuss the benefits of privacy to determine the limit that the workers should forfeit this privacy. On reading Eggers book, “The Circles,” numerous questions arise. Some of the questions include; how privacy contributes to quality of personal relations and the consequences of giving up that privacy or having it taken away. It is essential to answer these questions. 

Analyzing privacy view in “The Circle” 

The author narrates about Mae Holland, a young woman who was employed at a vast techno social media company. The circle is a combination of different social media and other internet connections such as Twitter, Google, Facebook, PayPal, and other enormous online corporation. The company is run by three wise men that recruit young gifted men into the circles. Due to its growth, the company is voted as the most admired company for four consecutive years.  Mea was introduced to the circle by her roommate Annie. Initially, Annie was working as a mere customer experience. She is assessed after every customer interaction and her performance was tabulated and was displayed to be seen by everyone within the company. After a short time, she had become a champion circler by moving closer to the company’s inner rings. Eventually, she became transparent as other members of the circles. 

They employees have made numerous inventions with the most popular being “TruYou.” TruYou is a single assimilated user interface that carries out internet interaction as well as updating them. The entire company is run under the principle of total transparency. Mae is excited to be part of the circles. Working in an environment that she terms as a brave new world motivates her to integrate into the ethos and other activities of the circles. Mea envisions on how the real life would be chased into hiding by autocracy of the entire techno- intrusion. She suggested that the government should make it compulsory for everyone to have an account with the circle. She argued that having account with the circle would increase the number of voters. 

The company also has other plans to create transparency and fro reduction of privacy. An idea of developing “SeeChange” is one of the ideas that are to be implemented in the new future. The project focuses on developing high-resolution cameras with a strong battery that can hold power for two years. The camera is to be taped up all over the place to ensure that the video streams can be accessed always. 

Mea looses all her privacy such that she was broadcasting even her life outside the workplace. For example, she could turn off the radio when in bathroom, but the cameras remained on centered on centered behind the stall door. In case she remained silence for a period, the members of the circle sent urgent messages to enquire where everything was fine. Mea looks for opportunities to get rewards, better rating, and bigger audiences. Every new invention in technology is precious to her though sometimes she felt the need to hold back and have some privacy. However, her feeling is suppressed by the demand of the circle. 

It is a requirement for all the employees to be transparent even they had a slogan that slogan that discouraged privacy and secrets. The slogan stated was “secrets are lies and privacy is theft.” The principle of transparency was employed everyone in the company including their boss Dan. Dan was stanchly sincere, which was seen on the way he nodded empathetically.  However, some people were not comfortable with the transparency within the circle. Mercer, for example, remained in the mailing list because he feared hurting people by unsubscribing. 

The Benefits of Privacy

Although the circles encourage transparency, it is essential to leave room for personal privacy. One of the benefits of privacy is that the employees have the freedom to carry their duty without fearing that they are monitored. Another benefit is that when privacy is maintained, the employees are assured of confidentiality hence they can reveal most of the personal information that can be used for the wellbeing of the organization. Again, when there is privacy, some conflicts that are as a result of gossip can be avoided. When the level of transparent is too high, there are some workers that can use the information to gossip and slander other, which can end up to unnecessary conflicts. Lastly, high level of transparency especially on internet can result to time wasting. Some employee can spend most of working hours on Facebook, twitter, and other social media platforms during working hours. 

A Reflection of How Privacy Affects the Quality of My Relationship

On reflecting on the quality of my personal relationship privacy has played an important role. Though I value transparency, I believe it is important to maintain personal space. Personal information should be held with confidentiality. There are numerous people that I have closed from my circles for disclosing my information to third part. I also believe in holding other people’s information with confidentiality. I consider people that do not have transparent as untrustworthy. From this view, I believe privacy has contributed to the quality of my relationships. 

The Consequences of Giving Up Privacy or Having it Taken Away

It is important to maintain a level of privacy. When privacy is given up or taken away from an individual, he/she is likely to have several negative implications. To begin with, Egger explained how people that are over transparent have  high tendency of being fatigues due to many hours spent on screens either responding to messages, discussing the group, and joining more feeds. Again, lack of privacy can affect how personal relationships as in the case of Mea and her boyfriend, Mercer. Mercer had a feeling his life was not right especially when Mea traced him when he had gone to a hiding.

In conclusion, the circle shows how internet and social media affect the lives of people. Although the author focused on the importance of transparency, it is important to leave room for privacy. Privacy affects the quality of personal relationships since most of the people invite others in their circles depending on individual confidentiality.