Jessie Ede Blog 9

The line between public and private seems to be constantly blurred and evolving. I tend to internally frame this issue within the sphere of the government vs. the private sector/individual liberties. Especially within the context of sex and abortion, people vehemently feel one way or the other that private is private - or that the public should somehow be able to regulate the private. As a person who tends to be introverted, I very highly value my privacy and probably live a far less "public" life than others. I think my feelings and natural tendencies are reflected in how I feel about the place of a nation within my personal life. At the risk of preventing a Senate appointment thirty years into the future, I will admit to being more of an anarchist than a libertarian. I do not find intrusions by public entities into my life useful. I recognize the need for law and order, and I certainly do not advocate for a violent overthrow of the government or the abolition of the police force or privatization of public protections. In my utopia, however, I would be free to just live on my own with the people I choose and work at something I love. I think the balance between public and private is very difficult to maintain, as something that a person like me would view as an intrusion may not bother someone else with different philosophical leanings or predispositions. One of my best friends is staunchly liberal - not just socially, but also fiscally. We have had many conversations about efficiency and the role of the nation in our private lives, and definitely disagree on some major points. I look forward to going back and reading everyone else's blog posts for more insight as to where their ideal balance between the public and private lies.