Private vs. Public

I have been attempting to wrap my head around the questions and suppositions that were raised by marQueso in his post about the nature of privacy on the internet. This topic is super dense and expansive and I am staring at an intimidating list of references and articles that touch upon multiple aspects of net neutrality and web privacy.

A simple analog would be the current debate and reaction over the privacy options that Facebook has been (trying) to implement. This is an interesting case and I believe has undertones that relate to marQueso's ideas. Can you really be upset that your sense of privacy is threatened when you are voluntary exposing yourself to a community? In a real life example, would I be upset if my skinny white chicken legs are exposed while taking a swim at the local watering hole?

I may not completely understand the argument on the side of privacy but I think an element of it is how we all engage with the internet. I am referring to the actual action of engagement which includes the atmosphere and setting that the author exists in while he/she interacts with the internet. The majority of participants on online communities are inputting and engaging while sitting alone at home/work/cafe. Maybe the common understanding is that if your physical presence is alone and private while engaging, then the digital avatar should also be under that umbrella of privacy and anonymity.

Maybe this is also why the Farnsworth house was a failure for the client. In a certain setting assumptions are made about your level of exposure and the setting of the home means ultimate privacy. Innovations such as drapes, blinds, tinted glass, etc. have become necessities in order to separate your home from the outside world. I think marQueso is following an important thread here. If the internet is a whole new world of multi-linking, intertwining and reflective communities, then why should it be constrained by the same tenants of our reality.

Maybe the web should really exist as a world of complete transparency. A democratic utopia that is kept in check due to the infinite amount of eyes watching, scanning and surveying all the parcels of information that are freely floating back and forth.

Unluckily, I believe this post has degenerated into a bit of a ramble but I encourage someone else to pick up these pieces and run with it in a new direction.

Question:

Is your online identity separate, analogous or completely opposite of your actual identity? If so then how and why?