Yesterday a friend and I were ending our visit wrapping up a conversation about a guy we know. Nice guy. Suddenly - out of the blue - my friend blurted "I would love to look through his medicine cabinet!" Being the comic she is, I asked "What would possess you say something like that?" Again she stunned me. "I love looking through people's private things when I have the chance." I stared at her, astonished...all the while making mental note that she has an 'emergency key' for my house.
I could not let this discussion end - I was spellbound.
"OK - please be a bit more specific about going thru people's private things ... because you are one of the last people I would suspect of that." She threw a mischievous look my way and said, "You know - medicine cabinets, mail, drawers ... just going thru 'things'." There was not an ounce of embarrassment in her voice - no apologetic tone ... nothing.
Her view on this could be made no clearer, we laughed at our polar views and bid our good-byes.
Throughout the day I asked other friends and co-workers which 'team' they were on with this issue. The results were divided. There were the snoopers who felt guilty about their need to be nosy; there were the snoopers who felt no remorse and thrived on the thrill of it; there were the 'would be' or 'potential' snoopers who had yet to muster the courage for fear of being caught; and then the last camp - the one I am in .."Why would I ever want to snoop? Who cares what lingers in other folk's homes?"
I wrapped up my research project by asking my friend, the one that started this fiasco, "Do you worry about people snooping in your house and going thru your things?" There was one more surprise in store for me with her answer .. "Oh - I have a satchel with me wherever I go and in it is all my private 'stuff,' and my papers, diaries and journals. I would become a laughing stock if anyone saw that stuff."
I am still fixated on this seemingly common practice of going thru the personal items of others. I cannot comprehend the pleasure or thrill or need, but that is me.
So, am I worried that my snooping friend has a key to my house. No.
If she found the need to 'browse thru my stuff' - then so be it. After all, whatever is found will be a disclosure of "the real me." And if you think about it ... I now have a better picture of "the real her" ... and I did not even have to snoop to find out.
Interesting subject.... snooping at someones private things! hmm... i must admit that i hv this urge to snoop to someones desktop. I develop this "skill" during my "street smart" survival sales stint. A skill where it can help my sales strategies. Most of the time when i visit my prospects/customers, i'd snoop quickly at the desk of my potential customers for information on my competitor or any related information about my work/industry table.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't lift or touch anything, I just look. You'll be surprise sometimes the negligence of the customer and you can sometime see your competitors pricing, the reports, memo, etc with regards to the project :) That's why it is important that the "sales people" always find ways (excuses) to visit the prospect, preferably at his/her office and not at the meeting room.
BUT on a private matter, i wouldn't like someone to go through my drawers or cabinets (especially something which is closed, not necessary lock). Similarly, I wouldn't want to go thru other people's private stuffs either.
Agreed ... If someone's business is "out there" for anyone to see ... then that is their negligence. Which is VERY different from "prying open" to see their business.
ReplyDeleteAnd you my friend ... glancing at desktops ... that is known as using "the competitive edge."
But then again ... what is on their desktop may NOT "just happen" to be there. The client may just want to see 'the competition' and find out just how competitive you are .... and see how much you really want their business.
I must say ... we humans can be sneaky little creatures !!