Pimentel1

RyanPimentel
Ethics&CurrentIssues
Fall2015
MyPrivacyBeliefs

Personalprivacyandtheprivilegesitcomeswithisdeeplyrootedinonesupbringing,as
statedintheclassroom,therewillbevaryingopinionsonprivacydependingonwhereyoucame
from.Studentswhoarefromawealthierorareanonlychildwilllookatprivacyentirely
differentlythanIwould.Comingfromafamilyof6inalowincomeareaprivacytookawhole
differentmeaning.Forthemajorityofmyyouth,Isharedaroomwithmytwoyoungerbrothers,
eachofwhichisquitecuriousandprettyclosetome.Withthatbeingsaidtherewasreallyno
suchthingaspersonalprivacyinmyhome,letaloneinmyroom.ThethingsIhadwerebasically
theirswithouthavingtoask.Thingsthatweremeanttobeprivatetome,mostofthetimewere
notunlessIwaswillingtogotheextramiletohideit.Ofcourse,therewasamutualrespectin
myroom,specificitemssuchasourphonesandbackpackswereofflimitsunlessyouasked
themtointeractwiththeitem.GeographicallyIcansaythatalsoshapedhowmyviewson
privacywerecreated,IamfromSanFernandoValley,justafewblocksfromthePacoima
Projects.Mymotherwasbornandraisedthereandhasseemtoughertimesinhertimetherethan
mostpeopleseeintheirlifetime.Growingupthere,failingaclasswastheleastofyourworries,
myhighschoolforexamplehadagraduationrateof60%.Knowasoneofthelowestperforming
schoolsintheLAUSD,butwithahighercrimeratethancitieslikeSalinas,andCompton,a
closefamilywasanecessity.IgrewuplettingmyfamilyknowwhereIwouldbeatalltimes,my
senseofprivacydidntreallyexistoutsideofthehouse.Therewasnosuchthingasnottelling

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myparentswhereIwasgoingafterschool,sneakingout,andnothavingaphoneonmeatall
times.Ineverhadthemindsetof,whereIamgoingismybusinessandnobodyelseneedsto
know.IdidntfeellikeIhadarighttokeepthatinformationprivate,evennowwhenIheadout
somewhereIfeelaneedtoletsomeonewhowhereIamgoingoutoffear.Iwouldrather
jeopardizemyprivacyofwhereIgoonmyfreetimethatnobodyknowingwhereIamand
endinguphurtorworse.
Wakingupearlyforschoolandwatchingthenews,amissingchildorworseadeadone,
wasnothingnewtousandtimeaftertimethesekidswouldgosomewherefamilynotknowing
wheretheywerewasthebiggestfactor.CarryingaphoneandneverhidingwhereIwasgoingto
beatanyspecifictimewasatypicalthingforme.Religionplayedlittletonoroleinthe
household,thoughwewereraisedCatholicandleanedtowardsthebeliefinGod.Religious
practiceandprivacywasestablishedbymyparents,thetwoofwhichcamefromverydifferent
backgroundsasfarasreligiongoes.Mymother,alightheartedCatholicfromaMexicanfamily
cherishedreligion,butcaredlittleforthechurch,believingaslongasyoupracticedGods
teachingsyouwouldbefine.Myfatherssidewasthepolaropposite,Alreadysplitupfrom
contrastingreligiousbeliefs,hewasraisedPentecostalwithadevotedPortuguesefamilywho
demandedchurchshouldbeyoufirstandlastthoughteveryday.Notwantingtheproblemshe
facedwithhisfamilytocarryintooursbewalkingawayfromthechurchandembracedthe
ideologyofmymothersfamily,allowingustopickourownpath.
Withnoveilofreligiousbelieffloatingoverus,therewasnopresenceofourparents
hoveringoverus.Aslongaswewerentdoinganythingbadasfarasthelawgoes,myparents
nevergaveanyhassleasfarasprivacygoes.Surprisingasthatsoundstheywereactuallyquite

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strictwhenitcametoeducation,thebasicruleinthehousewasyoucanjoinanycluborhave
anyhobby,toadegree,aslongasyourgradesreflectedaperfectstudent.Growingup,my
parentsdecidedtowaituntiltheir30stohavekids,butduringmyearlieryearstheywouldcare
formyoldercousin.Hismothersviewofparentingandprivacywasthetotaloppositeofwhat
myparentshadplannedoutforme.Shewasalwaysatschoolthemomenttheringletsthekids
out,shewouldquestionwhathedideverydayandhavestrictcurfewsforhim.Thisultimately
leadstohimresentingher,andputhimonahorriblepathofanguishwhichendedwithhim
beinglockedupfortherestofhisadultlife.Writingthis,itsoundslikeitcouldbeanisolated
coincidence,butsadlythisistoocommonofaneventinmyfamily.Parentsbeingoverbearing
andsnoopingoneverylittleaspectoftheirkidslife,eachofwhichendedonthesamepath,
strugglingtogetbyoronthewrongsideofthelaw.Fromthisitshapedmyparentsideaofhow
toraisemeatmyyoungerageandmyfuturesiblings.Reflectingonwhattheylearnedfromtheir
familyandthepathstheirchildrenwereonchangingeverything,mymotheradmittedtome,at
firstshehadthemindsetofwatchingoureverymove.Likeahelicopterparent,shethought
nothingwouldevergowrongtoherchildifshewasalwaysthere,butseeinghowharshofan
adverseeffectothersinourfamilyhadseenwiththeirkidstheychangedtheiroutlook
completely.Inmyopinionmyparentsfoundtheperfectmedian,beingmindfuloftheirkidsas
faraswheretheywere,butneverinteracting.Keepingthemontopoftheirstudiesandkeeping
theschoolastheirtoppriority,andofferingasmuchsupportaspossiblewithoutpushingthe
child.Iamthefirstinmyfamilytogotocollege,notonlythat,Iamontracktograduateinon
timeforthenextspringsemester.Allmysiblingsarenowcurrentlyenrolledata4year
universityandlovingit.Overall,thoughIfeellikeIdidnthaveasmuchfreedomasthenext

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persongoesIwouldntchangeitonebit.IwasabletodothestuffIwantedwithoutbeing
limitedbymyparentshoveringoverme,myprivacywaslimitedbyallowingmeenoughroom
toliveafairlyfunchildhood.Privacyisanecessity,nothingshouldeverbeacompletesecret
andIfeellikehowmyparentsraisedusandtheprivacytheyalloweduswasperfect.Some
wouldsaythecheckingineverytimewewouldgosomewhereisabitexcessive,buttherehas
beenmorethanafewtimesthathaveaphonetoreportitalltomyparentssavedmylife.
OverallIcansaythatthoughIdidnothavethehighestamountofprivacygrowingupit
didntfeellikeIwaslimitedatwhatIwasabletodobecauseofit.IconsideredthelimitsIwas
givenasachildwithmyprivacywasacceptableandIwaswellawayoftheamountofprivacyI
wasgrantedgrowingup.EvenfromtheinteractionsIhavehadwithfellowstudentshereon
campusandthetypeofthingstheywereallowedtogetawaywithwhentheygrewupvaried
frompersontopersoncomparedtomine,somewerewelloffandhadlittletonosupervision,
whereontheothersideofthingsIhavefriendswhoseparentswatchedthemlikeahawkfrom
thetimetheyleftthehouseuntiltheygothomeeveryday.Havingfriendssneakingoutornever
tellingtheirparentswherewereoffat,atanygiventimebutIfeltsafewithwhatIhad.