A New National Sport

I don’t believe I have ever really eavesdropped. Of course, when I was growing up and the tenement kitchen was incredibly large, I admit to sitting in a corner quietly listening to Mom’s conversations with her sister. However, that came to an abrupt end, the moment she realized what I was doing.

Beyond that, nothing. Frankly, possibly because I am not interested in other people’s conversations. Selfish, reclusive, it's possible I may be all of that, but also honestly, uninterested. If I find myself in a crowded restaurant, I prefer a quiet corner where my thoughts and time with a companion are not invaded with other diners' voices.

I love chatting with friends, acquaintances and of course, family. It's also always interesting to have chance encounters with strangers in crowded airports or dentist's offices, but eavesdrop, never.

However, today the main topic of the daily news seems to be national eavesdropping. Why? Is it because there the media is no longer equipped to handle just facts and must resort to fiction or third hand versions of other people’s communications?

That’s rather sad when you remember the newscasters of yore who reported daily about national events, good and bad. I can’t recall any of them quoting anonymous sources or overheard conversations. If they had, I believe their integrity would have been challenged by the public during those long gone days.

In an age where political correctness is heartily endorsed and tolerance of sexual mores accepted, there doesn’t seem to be any criticism of the new media sport; listening, recording and reporting other people’s words spoken in private. Why?

In a sense isn’t it a degree of invasion of privacy or worse, a malignant degree of dishonesty? The more important question to ask is why responsible persons; editors, political reporters and newscasters, no longer refuse to quote hearsay?

I recall a line in a song sung by Maurice Chevalier where he said, “I remember it well,” and then he was challenged by Hermione Gingold, who remembered it as well, but quite differently. Perhaps the same may be said for the current third person versions of other people’s words. Meanwhile hacking, leaking and evesdropping have apparently, become the new national sport.

Unfortunately, it also appears to be not only accepted by the public, but condoned.