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I'm sure if I touch it, nothing will happen
Truly, it seems to me that much like the infinite compassion evident in most of humanity, the infinite generosity of spirit and the infinite hope of people that things will turn out for the best, there is another infinite dimension to human nature: stupidity.
Users of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been warned by police after two men were convicted of burgling a house whose owners had advertised the fact they were away.
Perhaps I’m just paranoid, but even in the days before Twitter and Facebook, when all we had for discussion the finer points of who was a bigger Nazi on the internet was access to forums, or even in the days before that, when all we had was email or bulletin boards, it seemed like an eminently reasonable thing not to tell the world in some insecure forum what your plans were for the weekend. When arranging social gatherings where “naughty things” might happen, it seemed prudent not to advertise these widely, lest some prodnose arrive to tell you off, or even worse, engage the authorities to do so.
I am constantly amazed how my friends tweet and facebook their every move, their travel plans and every other aspect of their lives. I never do this, for exactly the reason that I’m not sure whether a friend of mine might have a friend, or a friend of a friend, who is not pure of heart and noble of deed.
The next time you brag on Facebook or on Mumsnet of your impending trip to the Caribbean, or even say that you’re going out for dinner tonight, remember that you might well be advertising to some nefarious person that your home is open for their business while you’re out living it up.
All actions have potential consequences, and sometimes these are not good.
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1
September 17, 2010 at 08:50 -
“I am constantly amazed how my friends tweet and facebook their every move, their travel plans and every other aspect of their lives.”
Oh, me too!
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3
September 17, 2010 at 09:09 -
I live in fear of those perverts I’ve seen on the telly who wait until you pop out for a bottle of Windolene, and then ship in 30 vandals who pack up all your stuff, paint your front room purple and brick-up your wardrobe, then all yell “surprise” when you get home.
I’ll give ‘em surprise if they turn up here.
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5
September 17, 2010 at 09:20 -
Before we had a phone, and long before calculators were commonplace when slide rules and books of logarithms were used, we had neighbours. We talked to them, and they kept an eye out for strangers when we went away. We cancelled the milk and the papers as they building up on the doorstep were a dead giveaway – stupid not to – but it was the local community, which may have been your part of a street that was your friend. Then came television etc., and we all cower away into insular worlds. Then, along comes email, the internet, the ‘blogosphere’, and the likes of facebook, and suddenly we have an outlet for our frustrations, fears, and lack of ‘neighbours’.
Some with fewer experiences will leap off a stage expecting to be caught – to land softly as on a pillow. Stupid really.
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6
September 17, 2010 at 16:15 -
Hmm. You might have a relevant point, except that the burglars in question were caught red-handed because the neighbours spotted them. Also, the burglars were not strangers, they were apparently ‘friends’ of the family.
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9
September 17, 2010 at 09:24 -
As regards human stupidity, Einstein got it right.
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10
September 17, 2010 at 09:29 -
It amazes me too TJ but people will continue to do it. Is it part of the celeb culture or just a need for 15 minutes of fame?
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11
September 17, 2010 at 10:01 -
Since reaching the blessed state of retirement and having time to read excellent blogs like this one I have been astonished how many bloggers even in your blogroll casually advertise their absences.
It’s not quite in the league of facebook, or freecyclers telling people to pick up the setee from their back garden as they will be on holiday all week, (I kid you not) but even so. Lets see today.
Mr Wittering of W is away, Captain Ranty is in Abuja or somewhere, smoking Hot is home but takes regular advertised shopping trips to Europe. Ok maybe the cat stays home with the AK47?
Even pre internet I made a habit of telling mates in the pub where I had just come from not where I was going, but maybe the back streets of Stoke -on-Trent were safer than the internet where everyone is safely anonymous? It is all anonymous isn’t it?
Anywho, If I were jack the lad cat burglar extrordinaire it would make a good read.-
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September 17, 2010 at 11:52 -
It’d be great – if only the burglar had access to the addresses of these foolish people who announce their impending absences.. I’ve not seen such details on Facebook or in the blogosphere yet, but since stupidity is de rigeur these days, it’s only a matter of time. As for our cats, they’re deadly accurate with crossbows.. but nobody has made my day yet ;-(
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13
September 17, 2010 at 10:18 -
Just wait for the howls of anguish and accusations of “profiteering” and “not caring” the first time an insurance company (quite reasonably) refuses to pay for damage and / or loss, if a house is burgled after the owners have advertised their absence.
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14
September 17, 2010 at 13:51 -
They do that already, just because you went away.
Insurance Companies will use any excuse not to pay.
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15
September 17, 2010 at 14:03 -
What, you mean just because you went away – as in you left the house unattended, say while on holiday? You must be buying the wrong insurance; mine stipulates only that I must notify them if I’m away for more than 30 days.
The point, of course, being that it’s advertising your absence, rather than the absence itself, which could be regarded as breaching the contract with the insurer. I’d have to say that it’s not my experience that insurers will use any excuse not to pay, but maybe that’s just me.
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16
September 17, 2010 at 15:09 -
The problem with making the Internet idiot-proof is that idiots can then use it.
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17
September 17, 2010 at 15:59 -
A neurologist this week talked of what damage the internet may be doing to the way our brains work. I don’t think she mentioned how it induces us to invite burglars round to our houses while we are away but that’s the sor of thing she meant.
That sad billy-no-mates little geeks like Page and Brin, Zuckerberg, Gates and yes, even Steve Jobbies think we should all live our lives online, that so many people are prepared to be led by the nose by such sociopaths is a consatant schock
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18
September 17, 2010 at 17:38 -
Did you hear the one about the Nymphomaniac who Twattered she was going out, & waited patiently as an endless stream of male visitors arrived?
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19
September 17, 2010 at 17:55 -
Frankly, I have never used, nor will use, Facebook or Twitter…or any other vanity program. Folk complain, rightly, about intrusive Big Brother gumment but are prepared to bare their stupid souls on the Net. Really!
Just how bloody moronic do you have to be…..Oh!….Wait!….They have Privacxy Policies so everything is kosher, innit…..
Believe that & you’re even dumber than users of these programs…and, in any case, the gumment has only to get a Court Order to acquire any information not voluntarily turned over.
Ha-ha-ha-ha-hah! All that in just 60 minutes, apparently ….
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