in class yesterday we were discussing tapping (as in bugging phones/computers/etc, not the dance). my professor kept saying things like "when an average person is overheard," "when a politician is overheard," "depending on what we overhear." it reminded me of the common phrase that i'm sure everyone's heard/used/read/watched. "i couldn't help but overhear..." when, in all likelihood, you very well could have helped it.
overhearing is passive. when you overhear something, you are not trying to listen. you are just sitting minding your own business when the sound waves wander upon your ear uninvited and unannounced. tapping a phone is about as far from passive as you can get. you are not just strategically drinking your coffee near the couple having an argument to get a good story to tell at lunch, you are being way more invasive. you are taking active measures to ensure that you hear everything that is said through that phone. you are listening to conversations thought to be private. you are not just "overhearing" anything.
i dunno why it annoyed me so much, but it just seemed like they were rationalizing. you mainly only rationalize things you feel guilty about or know you shouldn't be doing. i'm not saying that tapping is inherently a bad thing. in some cases, it is needed. but the wording used to describe it just rubbed me the wrong way.
*I Write Sins Not Tragedies - Panic! at the Disco
overhearing is passive. when you overhear something, you are not trying to listen. you are just sitting minding your own business when the sound waves wander upon your ear uninvited and unannounced. tapping a phone is about as far from passive as you can get. you are not just strategically drinking your coffee near the couple having an argument to get a good story to tell at lunch, you are being way more invasive. you are taking active measures to ensure that you hear everything that is said through that phone. you are listening to conversations thought to be private. you are not just "overhearing" anything.
i dunno why it annoyed me so much, but it just seemed like they were rationalizing. you mainly only rationalize things you feel guilty about or know you shouldn't be doing. i'm not saying that tapping is inherently a bad thing. in some cases, it is needed. but the wording used to describe it just rubbed me the wrong way.
*I Write Sins Not Tragedies - Panic! at the Disco
you just called and we were listeniiiiiiiing! lol :D
ReplyDeleteit's still stuck in my head.
ReplyDelete