Who doesn’t find scandal riveting? Irreverent politics, vulgar social media, strategic indecency. It’s become business as usual, and we’ve all come to engorge its indulgent undeniable entertainment value. 

Our culture has morphed into complete self-disclosure—not only butt-cracks, muffin-tops, or social media trolls but now full-on red carpet nudity at the Grammys. Where do we begin? For starters, an expression comes to mind: “Always wear underwear.” 

Social media has influenced modern culture to explicitly express ALL sentiments (which, let’s not forget, can sometimes be fickle, ephemeral or a result of misinformation or misinterpretation). While the concept of “wearing underwear” entails keeping ourselves protected, proper, private, it seems we’re leaving home without them nowadays. 

“It’s a pandemic of overcommunication [and overstimulation, if I may] that’s led to an absence of intimacy.” – Mad Men

A strange thing might be happening. Our growing “connectedness” just might be making us more disconnected. We’ve lost the art of discretion, the quiet power of restraint. Every feeling must be shared, every impulse indulged, every line crossed in the name of authenticity. But what if mystery, refinement, and subtlety are just as—if not more—powerful?

Could we be forgetting that politeness and class (especially towards ourselves) are integral to our happiness?

I am not blameless here. I always feel the pull—the temptation to share, to “keep it real,” to join the fray and let every unfiltered thought fly, but I often feel I take it too far. Being transparent is lovely but when is sharing too much too much? The question to ask is, just because we can, should we?

As far as appearance is concerned, anything—everything—seems to go now. But we still wear our undies, right? 

Evidently not: