Why my code and ideas are public

Derek, you continue to inspire and amaze. Please keeping moving ahead... there are quite a few of us following!

Many people seem afraid to talk about their innermost thoughts and feelings.

And Derek, as for code or anything else- the secret sauce is not in the secret sauce- it's in the person who made it.

Anyone, with work, can learn to copy something already done. Creating something new, that's a magic that is difficult to duplicate.

Corporations try it all the time with marketing experts and focus groups, and it usually ends up with crappy products/entertainment that bombs or succeeds only for the short term.

Magic succeeds for the long term, even if the chips are down for the moment.

Shockingly right. Realizing I, too, am the only one that cares, I may do the same. Maybe the trust alone will cause greater things to occur than I am capable of singularly. Thanks for the inspiration!

wow... you continue to amazing me with how your mind works.
thanks as always!

So risqué! Now you have to blog about what it felt like when you clicked the "publish" button for this post. Cheers to adventure!

Paul McCartney's 'composing' synapse... Coca-Cola's recipe... (just being funny)... you - and Valerie - make good points.

Awesome :-)

Just wondering about Karmalist and Peeps - I didn't fully inspect yet, but is it an open database of contacts and names?, or just the source code behind it?
Just the code. The database - the information about the people - is not mine to make public. The database has many reasons to be kept secret! — Derek

Of course it means nothing to anyone but you. That makes so much sense now that you've said it. What an incredibly freeing insight!

Wow, so ironic, have been discussing this very topic with a friend. What means something to you, but no one else. GREAT topic for reflection :)

T

Great point, Derek.
This addresses, in a more general sense, the criteria by which we attach value to things. Value is a human abstract when you get right down to it, so it's no surprise that the things one person finds dear are without meaning (or value) to another person...OR in another setting, to wit:
There was a movie I saw once (regrettably, I forget the name) where the main character is wandering down a dark deserted street at night, kinda bored...he comes upon a theater where a concert is going on. He buys a ticket and elbows his way to the front just as the frenzied crowd gets in a brawl over the pieces of the smashed guitar a rock star has just thrown them. Our main character comes up with the neck, hides it under his jacket and elbows his way outside, finding himself on the same quiet, dark deserted street. He brings out the guitar neck...now worthless outside of the context of the frenzy...tosses it in the gutter and moves on.

Derek,

I'm so thrilled you are back writing, sharing and challenging what we all thought we knew. Secrets are facts! And facts have no innate power, it's how you apply and use them in new ways.

Someone asked me recently why I talked so freely about how our ecommerce company has grown using Inbound Marketing. "Aren't you afraid they are going to steal and copy your secret sauce?" No. Even if I gave them the play book, most wouldn't understand, fewer would take action and even fewer even want to enter my small niche. Yet in talking and teaching, I learn from the questions that make me think. In sharing I am exposed to new ideas. Like one of my favorite author says "What's obvious to you is amazing to others"

lately I've been finding myself more free when I share and free the information and that brings new secrets and information back again.

You're right Derek, it is mostly code/projects that are specific to you and no one else, but I'm looking forward to learning from your coding and how you solve problems in coding. :) Thanks for doing this, you never know who will learn something that changes their life just by browsing.

Hope you and the family continue to be well and happy!

A very interesting premise Derek, and I think that there is a lot of validity to it. I know I've tried very hard to make many of my secrets public over the last couple of years - but there are some I will never share because they are such low points that I never want anyone to use against me - but maybe I should share them too, after all I am not that person now.
Food for thought - thank you Derek

Love it! But I never thought about it this way until now.

Hmmmm, I've always been asked....'aren't you afraid someone will steal your song?'...and I've always thought, so what I can write another.

Hi, Derek,

What an insightful observation and so true!

I think what people fear about sharing ideas is that if someone else benefits from the idea, that somehow that subtracts something from them. Sharing as a currency is an interesting idea. I would be interested to learn, Derek, how all of the ideas you have shared have come back to benefit you. As someone who shares a lot, what do you feel you get out of the deal that's valuable to you? Money? A warm fuzzy feeling? Good karma? What makes it worthwhile to you?

Actually pretty fair man, may adopt your way with secrets now...

Ps. Tis the first article I've read through Hacker News and it's this. Looks like I'll return to both. :)

I think it brings out an important point, context. Humans add context to meaningless (semi-meaningless data), context creates knowledge and value...

Cool, Derek!

We're already at a point of information overload in society. So most people would never really care about another's 'secrets' per se. However, it can be dangerous for those who are in the public eye (politicians, movie stars, etc) where things such as location or family members, et al, being out in the open are concerned.

Reality is, most people don't care enough to be bothered about those they don't know, and stuff that doesn't pertain to making their life better.

That being said - the concept of having something be secret can heighten the desire for others to be in on the information. It's a great hype marketing tool.

Look how you reacted when she mentioned a super-secret diary. You wanted to know...
☺ Great point. It's not to say that nothing should be secret. Just that we should question (and re-question) what we're keeping secret and why. (Or vice versa: what we're making public and why.) — Derek

"I used to worry about what people thought if me--until I realized just how seldom they do."
(Author's name forgotten ...)

Derek, thanks again. Seth Godin has another thoughtful post on privacy today: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/12/does-privacy-matter.html -- I did sign the petition. Best, R

When I work on my inner most demons, the names of people who end up being my mirrors are written in mine and since they don't know what I am working through or what actually is in my thoughts or mind I'm sure they would be peeved if they read it. Other than that I don't care who reads what but you bring up an excellent point minus names!

This bring to mind conversations I have with musicians about the ever-evolving music creation and distribution model. Is your code or Valerie's journal any different than a friend's music or my photographs? Once we choose to make them public, is our hopeful audience indebted to pay? Or do we share freely with the idea that if it has value people will want to pay us for something related to it. Said works would be copyrighted anyway.

Kinda like writing music…. once it is out there , we have no control over it… It becomes someone else…… That's why we write it to begin with… For someone else….. Blessings.

Excellent post as always Derek. Thank you for inspiring, writing, and providing wisdom.

Great story, Derek.
I guess I just feel careful about putting my music ideas out there before they are in a format and platform that 'sells', because I rely on earning from what I create. But once in a while I like putting out another 'free tune'.
This is just one limited paradigm regarding secrets. I like what you are trying and will read all about your projects :-)
Steven

That is refreshing Derek, I keep giving out that i can't find people like this around me.. then i give out that i'm ungrateful... So i just need to shut up and tell my secrets.. Thanks..

as tempting as it is...if i want to create a code i'll figure it out. thanks for the temptation test. i'm not clicking ;-)

with all these con artists and greasy people out there trying to lynch you into something, all these set ups and charlatans and snakes out there you just can't get caught slipping for a millisecond! if you ain't on the level living as squeaky clean as possible those charlatans and fascist Nazi's will just screw you over in an instant! also if you have a bunch of dirt you need to sweep under the rug it just gives all those assholes ammo and leverage to blackmail and extort you into something, so much better to just be open, strip them of all ability to do anything that will result in anything more then a small misdemeanor! that being said with those thieves around if you think i'm going to just hand everything up to them on a silver platter they got another thing coming! i have to spend so much time creating all this smoke and these stupid dog and pony shows just to keep those piranhas, those jackals, those hyenas from immediately taking anything i do and releasing it to the world or simply just pilfering my ideas to make their property so they can profit without paying me, that i can barely do anything else! most of my time is spent defending against all these enemies, so yes while being open and honest is important, making sure you confuse everyone so as not to be taken advantage of is just as important. it's stupid, everyone is doing it, it costs nothing but time money and energy and every day makes me shake my head that we are focusing on this crap and not nailing in all the problems in the world! for me to just hammer in one exposed nail takes days and weeks of dog and ponying just to make sure i cover my bases and not over expose myself to get lynched up by those assholes!!!!! they say the show goes on but i have yet to see it do so!! im a full disclosure guy but if you think im going to just open myself to rape while those assholes never give full disclosure making every con-track they do up fraudulent, then yall be trippin! anyways, have a glorious day! :)

When Disney executives said, “People are going to steal your ideas!”.

Old Walt casually replied, “Don’t worry about it; I can create faster than they can steal.”
Nice one! I heard James Brown had the same approach. ☺ — Derek

Love it....its by sharing that we gain more. I always think of the visual picture of someone clasping a bunch of money and money raining down all around them. In order to grab more you have to open your hands and risk losing what is clasped in them...

Derek Sivers, Please .. so many comments here on the web-page, which are cool. In the past you worked with indie music, right, please check-out what's exchanged for a indie music venue @ ReverbNation.. or I.E.: www.reverbnation.com/tommycarl I could use the plays.. Just writing and exchanging idea..

I have learned this is true for most ideas: it's the work that comes with turning ideas into reality that is the main deterrent to theft. Hell, forget trying to protect an original idea from being stolen. We can blab to everyone about our great idea and yet getting just one person to embrace our idea is often the hardest part!

Nice one!

Although, I agree with the sentiment in the post and applaud it, I believe the analogy you are using is potentially misleading. I think privacy (which is what I think your friend was referring to) is critical for a free society. The problem "others" may have with "my facts" can have serious consequences to my freedom and well being. My religious beliefs, my political views, my past, and my sexual orientation can greatly effect my ability (and those of my family, friends, and colleagues) to get along in today's world.

I think there is a difference between secrecy as you describe it and privacy. A trusted friend reading a diary is still within the realm of privacy in my opinion. I'm not sure she would want that diary "published". Especially if her friends, family, and children are detailed within it.

The choice to be open about ideas, code, and general IP is more a strategic choice about business models, where to be secret or not is a tactic in executing the business strategy.


Exactly! It's up to everyone to decide what to keep secret and what to make public. But the point is to re-evaluate the decisions you've made. Maybe things you've made public should actually be secret. — Derek

So simple an idea - but so thought provoking. Thanks Valerie and Derek, that's awesomeness <3

Great concept and very true. I think those type of things are secret (diaries etc...) simply because our insecurity of what might people think if they knew what we really think instead of what we allow them to see.... But I've always felt an overwhelming feeling of relief when I let people know all my secrets and am totally honest....even if it is a bit scary at first.

Derek, I've lived by that concept for some time. And in so doing, I've found that there are fewer and fewer things that I would even consider as 'private', including my e-mail address above. Among other things, I make music and publish it. By that, I mean that I make it public. Of course there is a price tag involved in that process, but I've always sought support at the inception of a music project for funding and once production costs are met, the music is set free in some form. The interesting idea is that under the old paradigm, it was thought that when paying money for a cd, the payee is 'buying' which implies 'ownership'. However, under my idea, and an idea that is growing by leaps and bounds elsewhere, payees are not buying, but rather 'funding' or 'investing' or 'facilitating'. Suddenly a kind of worth that hasn't been upfront for a long time in the music business has re-surfaced. All brought about by a simple change in thinking and the mechanisms that come along with that.

Funny, that has always been my reaction to people who are overly paranoid about privacy settings on social media sites. As a musician, I wish people actually WERE that curious about the goings on in my life. :)

Terrific stuff, Derek, thanks for sharing! I hope all's well with you...

I think in most cases, the information we label "Private" isn't really information we want to hide from everyone, it's information we want to hide from a few specific individuals. The only way to achieve that is to make sure it's hidden from everyone. You still want a record of it though because at some point you might decide to "declassify" it.
Great point! — Derek

Great post, Derek! If only I could code, but I've been benefiting from your open source advice for a while.

I'd still love to work with you one day! You just make sense!

Throughout my school career, I was the best secret keeper. Girls would come spill their souls to me and tell me that they knew that they could trust me. Finally, one day, one girl asked, "How do you do it? How do you keep all of our secrets?" I said, "It's simple. I forget them all as soon as you guys walk away." She laughed. Like you said, what was greatly important to them was immensely trivial and forgettable to me.

P.S. http://montagejs.org is the better funner version of Angular. FYI :)
Exactly! That's a perfect story for this point. Thank you. — Derek

“So if someone is going through my private things, for example, and gets upset about what they find, then that’s their problem, not mine!”

Except if that someone has the power to make your life misserable. Lots of people in this world that can do that, even if it is unrelated to the way that they make it misserable. So I find the argument a bit naive.
I can't see in the dark. — Derek

Today, the fascination with secrecy on our part is equal to the fascination with wanting to know on the part of others - especially "authorities" - biut not ponly. . . "We the people" live in a reality TV world where we get a jolt from discovering inner frailties, (those of others, of course). We are titillated with pointing a finger at, laughing at, sneering at someone else’s limitations, disturbances, oddities. It’s what we now do for fun. In fear? Possibly. Because if we stop pointing a finger at "them" will they begin pointing one at us? And what about our kids watching us being cruel and insensitive - and enjoying it? No wonder their electronic gadgets are more and more their only “‘friends”.

We live in strange and emotionally unhealthy times and environments. Great fodder for painters like me.

Whoa - this is so awesome!

I teach saxophone for a living. I can tell a student everything I know about technique in about 2 hours if I really hustle. On a couple of occasions, I've done so. I'm not worried about giving away all the information up front. It doesn't matter. It's the lifetime of work that goes into processing it, applying it and making it your own that makes it valuable, and so I know that the lessons will continue as I guide my students down that path.

I think most specialized information is the same, unless you're literally talking about a blueprint that the right person can copy and make their own. When you're talking about the specific output or capacity of one person to make a great use of your info... well... if it's so easy for them to make something of it and improve upon it, it's probably to the benefit of humanity that they do so!

My philosophy is very close to this. I share almost everything. My main concern is that a few things are not helpful to anyone finding out. (ie. how many cats ended up in my room last night, did we fill the 2nd trash can enough to put it out for pickup). Almost anything could be useful in context of a story, but like you mention. Making it public is more trouble than it's worth.

Rather than have a policy about what has to be private, I like to say that I LEAN TOWARD OPEN SOURCE. I suppose if I had a bevy or coders that a definitive statement would have to be in the employee handbook, but in my world, I produce what I want, when I want.. keeping it to myself but usually giving it away.

For those setting a policy, I say "lean toward open.. but don't feel you are locked in"

sharing make something good even better and more complete ;)

If people tell me that they have no secrets, I ask them for the following list. I offer them to create a website with their name and the following information:
- A list of the postal addresses of their older relatives, everyone 70 years or older, that still lives alone, including the financial status and if the relatives usually have cash in their homes.
- If any of their friends, neighbors, colleagues has a drug problem at the moment: a list of the first name, last name, city and company name.
- A list of all the countries they intend to travel to, that are not real democracies and what they think of each government and the leader of each country specifically. This list is also really good as a post-it in a passport.
Note she didn't say she had no secrets. Just that she wasn't going to worry herself about people discovering them. — Derek

Regarding privacy, I used to be far more open with people with my private thoughts and feelings. Perhaps naively so, and it cost me (but taught me too). Because so many people can be petty, competitive, vindictive, gossipy, insensitive or have biased, inflexible opinions and judgments of others (or perhaps are simply mean-spirited), my privacy and anonymity is paramount to me.

Seriously, every time I read--that is, follow along with one of your arguments or premises, I think, yep, that's refreshing! That's real! This man is using his own mind. Which makes me feel better about continuing to use mine.

my grandmother used to say to me; "it's best to have no secrets, because if you pile them up there is so much you have to remember!". she was right, at that time I had loads of secrets, and I always had to remember what I had told whom - so I could keep my part in 'the big scheme'. one day, I decided to stop having secrets. Took all those skeletons out of my closet for all to see. Some people where hurt, some suprised, some shocked and others just didn't give a damn. After that day I've been able to say what comes to my head freely, not bothered that I might say something that would unveil any big secrets. Life become much more easier, and I´ve been a luckier man ever since. Life's been grand to me.
Biggs, I adore you. ☺ — Derek

Freudian projection theory at work.

I think it was it Carnegie who said the only reason he would not share an idea was because it would be a waste of time; no one else could realize (steal) his idea. If they could, they would have come up with it themselves.

Good to have you back at the keyboard.

Most ideas take effort. My theory is that most people who want to steal ideas are lazy by nature, so the effort to make any ideas come to fruition just doesn't appeal to them. There is always an exception but not likely. Good article!

Hey Derek,

Maybe I can offer a slight twist. I read a book on entrepreneurialism, of which dedicated a chapter to having someone steal your idea. The book's contention-- don't de afraid to tell others. The rationale being ONLY when it becomes popular will someone rip you off. In the development phase, no big deal since it's not proven. Success breeds copy-cats :)

Great article!

Best,
Dave
Nice one! Thank you. — Derek

You are right!!! Meaningless.

Mmm hmm. Yeah. Coolness. Word up. Etc.

No one has stolen your ideas yet... But we'll all be sad we didn't when you get around to putting in the time & effort needed to show us how much they were worth

You sir, are truly an inspiration

Interesting..... I also have no secrets. I have shared everything I have learned or know. Not as great as where you are in this Life but I have been a teacher at jewelry making, cutting stones, marketing these items. I have shared all I know about the American Indian flute, etc. It really does not belong to us, we are just the keeps of what is and known. Blessing to you and happy holidays. TerryLee

I agree with your friend's notion, because something beyond my control, such as other people's reaction, shouldn't be my problem. It's right along the line of Alfred Adler's philosophy/psychology which I find helpful and useful in many life situations. (Although, easier said than done u_u;)

Secrets are something I keep to myself to amuse my brain, and the moment I tell someone, they lose the magic. It's ironic, that most secrets don't mean much to anyone else but to the keeper.

Privacy is not so secret. What I keep private depends on a relationship ;)

I love that you're writing! Your thoughts inspire me. Thank you!

Awesome read as always!!! :)

Secrets such as your ideas, your good/bad experiences expose who you truly are. You're right; it probably doesn't mean much to somebody else but making them public makes you feel as if you are caught with our pants down.

Just wanted to say your post was very insight, thanks Derek!

Grrr.. This one reminds me of this thing I often get into, where a 'musician' in a conversation says something like, "I'm not going to record my stuff just so someone can go and download it as an MP3 and I make no money." GRRRRR!!!

Every time I hear that I literally want to scream, 'Chicken!' in a very juvenile way. I know that this has nothing to do with fear of the music being truly stolen, but more to do with the fear of actually creating it. If someone actually shares music and you fond your shit on a thousand MP3 sites, there's something you are doing right: motivating people to share. So there's always a plus side to things.

I will say this though, while I am not big on keeping secrets, I am very into the act of concealment. :) That is to say, I don't like revealing my ideas or my work in progress, but my reason is very clear to me: It's to keep ME on track to completion, and not get caught up in talking the talk before the walk.

It is my fundamental belief that there are three things a person can do not only as an artist, but as a human being in general that is of the utmost importance to this life. These are:

1. Have compassion for everyone around you.
2. Share everything you have.
3. Don't worry about taking credit for 1 and 2.

Cheers,

Claude S.



Yeah. When I hear musicians say that, I usually suggest that they just stay home with a gun nearby to make sure nobody gets close enough to their house to hear their music. ☺ — Derek

I have noticed in 25 years of independant database development work those who are most visibly sharing their work have thrived relative to the rest of us who mostly take what we can get and give back very little.

Rad :)

Wow! Love it when you walk the talk. So inspiring. I share almost everything, but there are things I absolutely share with no one, except my love who is in on them. Everything I say/do, using the internet, a computer, smart phone, or other device that can be read by others, hacked or subpoenaed, is ruled by what I want the world to know about me. I'm like a politician, always thinking, how would this play if I gained fame and enemies? It's hard. Not because I need to keep track of lies and keep up a phony front but because I keep needing to work the process. If I feel like saying "What a crock!" I have to ask myself where it comes from, how I can let go of the judgment. The exhaust fumes of the ego are endless and facing them a daily a challenge. Maybe my next step,instead of reigning it in, is to let my ego hang out like a big lolling dog tongue! What do you think?

I was "relieved" to read your article "Why was this secret?" I have made so much personal information about myself public over the last three years as I strive to be more real, authentic, genuine and transparent during this very transformational time of my life.

During this process, I've been judged, lost friends, disconnected from family and even had people saying that I was schizophrenic (yet I'm completely sane and healthy -- mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually). Those were the negatives I encountered.

The positives? I found out... who my real friends are, the family members whom I could truly count on, tons of inner peace from no longer hiding my true feelings and allowing myself to live my life the way I want to live it instead of how others think I should.

I also found out that there are many people like me who are afraid to admit to things that many people experience and hardships that many go through. Just voicing my own experiences has helped others to see they are not alone.

How ironic that I felt very alone as I went thru this process of airing my dirty laundry while those seeing/hearing it felt less alone.

It's been liberating for me. It has taught me that we're all human, we all make mistakes that we don't want others to know about for fear they might not like us anymore, and that it just doesn't matter if everyone likes me. I can't make everyone happy, nor do I choose to even try to do that anymore.

Thank you, Derek, for continuing to inspire me with your writing. You're inspiring me to write more, too, and get my blog going.

A recovering people pleaser who is out of the closet,
Lana Love

Thought provoking. Insightful. Thanks!!

I guess that sometimes ideas are good to be kept secret until execution. The only reason is that once you keep saying to people "I'm working on something", you are actually going to do your best because, as human beings, we like to have recognition for what we do, so we'll work very hard on it. On the other hand, if you say "I'm planning on doing this and this and this" and you get positive feedback, then you start getting a bit lazy about it because you already received recognition from other people. However, I'm not saying this applies to every person or every situation.

Having written this, I'm not saying I disagree with you. This was just some food for thought =)
Exactly! See “Announcing">sive.rs/zipit">“Announcing your plans makes you less motivated to accomplish them.” and Keep your goals to yourself on this note. — Derek

I remember you talking about this at an event in Singapore, in the context of people asking you for advice about their ideas for startups and then asking you to sign an NDA.

I am curious, have there been any benefits, apart from the personal freedom, of making your work public? Has anyone identified bugs in your code? Has anyone built on your ideas?
Not yet, no. No reaction at all, so far. That said, I never really announced it until now. It was just quietly sitting openly on my site. — Derek

Derek - oh my gosh, I love how you've laid this wide open! I see people trying to develop a better mousetrap in secret and then are dismayed when no one wants to buy it. I tell there is a lot more risk in not sharing your idea freely on the front end than there is risk of them taking it and doing anything with it.

And yeah - your sophisticated programming code your allowing me to see - might as well be hieroglyphics for all I know. Thanks for letting us peek into your diary.

Derek, for some reason that brought tears to my eyes. I don't know what it is, perhaps its as clear as there really is nothing new we can think, that can't or hasn't been thought by someone else. We are all the same or completely different?

Wow, you always get me thinking.

Thank you

Grant
(sorry, I responded to your email, instead of here)
________________________________________

nice writing again Derek. that kind of freedom will lift you up.
"...and gets upset about what they find, then that’s their problem, not mine!” is the safety valve behind letting secrets go free or not labeled as secrets having no protection to begin with. But it is all following rules of the game. To enter places of powers you start living a public life, having to commit to and match your 'public' image and then you are sold. As the public has a double standard, they allow themselves or their nephews to be un-perfect and they 'forgive' they steal an apple or two or get drunk once a while or 'romance' a' forbidden fruit. But they do get upset when their town mayor, their CEO, their politicians are that human too. They should be perfect. Then it is hard, very hard for important public functions to have that wise attitude to let it all go and trust they will survive the double standard.
Outside the public domain trying to live by the projected ideal set up by others is indeed silly :)

Funny - I clicked the link; read the titles and ...eh, I don't care about your code. I've got my own dragons to slay in this dept. It is interesting how importance is so personal.

I realized this when I went through the things a dying loved one had held on to to the very end. So important to them. Not so much to the family.

I can relate to Valerie! I used to(still do) carry my journal with me everywhere I go..not that I care all too much about what's in them or how private some of the experiences written about in my journal are,for me I have to write this thought down or that thought or muse downrhe capturing of an idea and bringing in to paper solidifies it for me....grabbing for a scratch of paper because I didn't think I should have my journal with me because it was "private" stopped making sense..I came to you're conclusion, too..what was private and sacred to me, would resonate with other human beings who probably had some of the same things going on in their lives..Thanks for the perspecrive Derek!!

Derek, logically sound and inspiring argument. I try, as often as I can, to live my life as your friend does, like an open book. But what if someone took your code, patented it, and made a lot of money on it - money that you needed to get by? And what about all the time you had spent developing it in hopes that it would come to fruition only to be left at square 0 with that much less time with which to do something new? I wish we could all see the reality that scarcity is an illusion and we don't need private property in order to succeed materialistically as a species, but as long as there are people who buy into the false notion of scarcity there will be theft and negative consequences. I'd be interested to hear what you would do if you found yourself in the position of having given away valuable ideas to the world only to be left struggling and penniless yourself - surely this is a possibility and has happened to others before.

I just had this conversation yesterday with a friend on the difference between privacy and secrecy. What my friend said was that he was not good at keeping secrets, but excellent at respecting privacy.

98 comments so far, and nobody has mentioned Facebook. The Winklevoss twins supposedly regret ever letting Mark Zuckerberg in on their idea for a social networking site. Zuckerberg's defense (at least in the movie) was, "If they were going to invent Facebook, they would've invented Facebook!"

As for the details of my own life, I prefer to keep secrets to a minimum, but there are a few I've guarded jealously, with mixed results. As somebody said above, it's not so much about everybody not knowing as certain people not knowing.

As always, your ideas inspire. Thank you, Derek!

Love it, Derek. I also recently made my current projects public, realizing that business success isn't so much in the idea as it is in the execution of it. And if someone else takes the idea and makes the product before me, great! It saves me the hassle and then I can just enjoy the product while they deal with all the business side of things.

I LOVE this. I can't recall the countless times I tell people that being concerned about protecting my ideas simply kills my creativity. I welcome those who want to protect me but as for me I have enough creativity for thieves and more ideas than i will ever be able to implement in my lifetime.

It's like my music project. I'm now in the 17th year of it and am perhaps too careful about not performing songs that are not yet released or in copyright.

Exiting experiment. Exiting thoughts. I haven't seen your secrets yet, but tomorrow.... It's the same with lyrics and music. You can steel frases and sentenses, but can you express the idea? Will it work. Will people buy it?

I love what you write, this was so important for me to read. Now I know what I need to do with my idea throw it out there and someone will read it RIGHT??

That's great Derek! How incredibly freeing it must be fore you as well. I think many of us spend way too much time worrying about keeping things secret or things we've created getting stolen- so much so that it could be an underlying stressor that makes our conscious everyday lives more stressful. Excellent food for thought as usual Derek.

That's Cool Derek, it's kind of funny how things that we think someone else would want to know about us or steal our ideas, and they really don't care. I realize that I have secretes, and most of them are important to me, but finding out they mean absolutely nothing to someone else is sobering. Now that puts things in perspective, doesn't it.

Sharing your work reminds me of when Leo Babauta publicly uncopyrighted the entire contents of his huge blog, Zen Habits. And from all appearances, the good karma keeps rolling in. Keep these great posts coming!

As always, you rock! Thanks for the inspiration

Very good, another piece of Uncommon Sense!

Steal my ideas & I may be flattered, but discredit my dignity & I'll renegotiate my trust. Really, when we "Prove [ourselves] brave, truthful, and unselfish", we have nothing to hide unless it's discretionary to protect someone we love and respect. Noting respect doesn't rob personal or financial value & create something for you to recover from - I keep your secrets, not hurtful ones from you.

Creatively, I agree with Thomas, "the secret sauce is not in the secret sauce- it's in the person who made it."

And, yes, we all enjoy the discussion.

Yea, and they want us to spend a bunch of money and go PRO with all our songs. Who is going to make out on that deal? The People we are paying to take our songs PRO.
www.islandfrank.com

Derek--I always look forward to your posts, books, etc. etc. They do inspire. For the last few years I have worn two hats. At times I felt like Jekyll & Hyde--living in two music worlds. I am a veteran music educator who is VERY close to retirement. But, several years ago I started to do radio promotion for my singer/songwriter son--Gregory Douglass (probably one of your first CDBaby.com artists!) I was getting some helpful advice from local music business people, radio programmers, etc. But one said I should use my maiden name and not let on that I was the Mom of this artist. So, I didn't share unless I was questioned. Then I would let the secret out. Guess what? They responded with "How Cool!" or "Good for you!". Since then, I now promote many indie artists and am not afraid to tell industry people who I really am--a veteran music educator who believes in indie music. Thanks for continuing to inspire!

Thank you

Refreshing stance on the ongoing discussion about privacy. I like the idea. Sometimes in heat of the moment I think to myself how many people would just die if human race developed the capability of mind reading.
But then, true problem would be reveled: from who do we hide "our" secrets? From others or from ourselves?

Agree, and I will add that this is a tendency. People (mostly new generations) share more and more in facebook each day, and worry less about to whom they share.

We are humans. And as humans we are social. We want to be accepted. We are afraid of sharing things, because if the people that we care about discover how we really are, we can be rejected.

We try to adapt our image to the group that we want to belong. That things that we fake (maybe not even in a conscient way) represent our identity. Knowing that your secrets, your thoughts, are no longer special because you are not so weird after all, will let us without our identity.

I am not afraid of sharing my secrets. I am afraid of discovering, because we all share our secrets, that I am just one more.

Am I so weird?

Right on with your thoughts if privacy. While its nice to dream that the original pearls of ones mind are priceless most of us who evolve realize it would be a nice high if someone thought they would be used somehow and don't fret about someone "stealing" our ideas

Vulnerability requires bravery, so props to you and Valerie. It's also access to a strong sense of self-worth, a key to a happy life. Brené Brown did a famous TED talk on this.

Reasons to keep things private? Marinating an idea to gain enlightenment or gather more facts is good. Imagine if we aired every thought publicly - the info-overload, the noise, the misinformation, the misinterpretations would be toxic. Having an idea in progress, written down or coded, you may want to keep it private. And then there's the whole connection to society and loved ones -- your own privacy may not matter to you but people involved in something with you could have real and serious privacy concerns and face consequences if privacy is not a courtesy you extend to them. I'm a business reporter. Occasionally I cover things like fraud. Think of women and men who are reporters on a crime beat every day - they may not want sources like a distraught crime victim, a suspect, a law enforcement agent, or for that matter a convicted criminal to know, for example, where they live, or what they are currently working on where. There are many reasons why privacy matters to people and should always be available. It's a human decency thing. It's also, unfortunately, a dying habitat (like silence and icebergs). Be mindful when you push things to the public that you are not interrupting another's habitat, please.

Love it! As always, very insightful.

You and your friend Valerie still got to make that decision for yourselves. Rather like religious views and many other morally-related things, the important part is that individuals should be able to choose for themselves what they believe about their own lives, and in this case, what is private, not have someone else, and particularly not the government, decide it for them. In your heart of hearts, you knew to ask Valerie first, and not just yank the diary out of the coat pocket and start going through it. That really is the important clue here to the issue.

Ray Kroc once said, "I can innovate faster than they can copy."

I'm not anti-secret, but at the same time, way too many people so scared of people stealing their ideas that they never get out into the world.

You are the coolest.

Yea I feel I don’t have a lot of secrets. I used to my parents thought everything should be secret but I don’t make it that way. When I write my book one day hopefully before I die, one has to be happy with sharing inner stuff. Yea it’s a personal thing I think. Like Derek says what we think is secret it’s mostly everyone’s stuff anyway we all have it. Jeepers look how the film stars stuff is out there. Gee I read one comment and isn’t it amazing how we see the world. Yep there is lots of rip off people out there. However lots of nice people too. It’s amazing how we all see the world and its people. We are all so different in our attitudes and thoughts. Great post … Merry Christmas all. Don’t forget to share (: have a great 2014.

I share the logic of your friend Valerie, and love that you do also Derek!

Be open and honest about all of your secrets and the people that know those secrets will have no power over you.

I too share all of my ideas with anyone who will listen, because I'd rather see my idea stolen and executed then for it to just sit on a shelf doing nothing.

SHARE!

Derek, smashing as always. All too often we strive to keep just about everything tight lipped for fear of losing out when in actual fact you gain more by sharing. Thank you for reminding.

Big fan of this way of thinking. I believe that when you give away your ideas you're forced to collaborate, defend them, and come up with new ones. Reminds me of Johanna Blakely's TED talk on innovation and ownership. Thanks for sticking to your word and writing more, Derek.

Things online should be kept private to the maximum. Before the Internet, one must break into your house to get to know your secrets (like stealing the diary of your friend). Now, someone just must gather data about you that's open source, or poorly protected on websites you use.

You never know when a psycho wants to use these data against you. Maybe never. But maybe yes.

Great article though, courageous :)

Well. I am a writer and I think about this issue of privacy a lot. If I reveal someone else's secrets, they will (probably) become angry with me. It could cause pain or trouble. I could lose a friend. The trouble is, sometimes I forget that I was told something in confidence. Ooops.

As for my own secrets, if they get revealed, it is mostly just embarrassing. I think the only things I really try to hide are my passwords. I did have my Discover Points stolen by a hacker once, though, and it was not much of a big deal.

Open source is democracy. It is the basis for creativity. True artists can't really be stolen from if they are original.

Leo Babuta does this too, over at ZenHabits: "http://zenhabits.net/uncopyright/"

Derek, this is really great, the fact that you have put your ideas, your codes, out there for the world to see. Thanks for opening my eyes even more to the value of being in this world to be of service to others. I see you doing this! Happy holidays,
Joseph

I've had many drawings plagerized (usually by struggling alternative magazines), but many more of them bought by companies who appreciated their popularity. My original book design for my bestselling book was widely copied, and several artists even adopted my name. But no one has managed to swipe my brain, and even if they did, it wouldn't be magic; it would only be meat.

Really great article!

Any reason you don't collaborate with others on developing your ideas?
I love to work alone. It's about the process, not the goal. — Derek

Derek, great thoughts as always. You inspire to think. I strongly think that knowledge, skill, ability, resources should be shared if not their source should be. We should inculcate this early among kids - share so that others can share back.

Thanks, Derek, thought you'd like this; “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” - George Orwell, 1984

Derek,

I'm visceral about privacy but not regarding the topic you chose. Given the privacy crisis we face right now I struggle with the focus, tone and point of your story. The information we need to covet and protect is mundane daily digital footprints we now leave in the sand. And the issue is "will someone collect it and use it with intent to harm, control and manipulate?"

I've never worried about my IP because true competitive advantage comes from thought leadership... by the time anyone's integrated what they've stolen I'm 3 versions beyond.

I think you and others participating in this conversation have greatness in your past and can choose what next to impact. Let's direct that awesome power towards the good fight.

Dan Wagster

(I won't be offended at all if you chose not to publish this)
I'm the same. I do a lot to not leave digital footprints. I must have been unclear with this article, because people think I'm advocating total transparency. I'm just advocating questioning which things you keep private versus which things might as well be public. — Derek

You always help us to see the other side of the proverbial coin. Thanks for the new perspective.

I have worked in big companies, worked on brand name software. Even if you had the source code and without the assembled knowledge of the development team it would take you so long to make a development environment and get it working that you would loose any competitive advantage. The only reason to keep it secret is to obscure from the world any security faux pas that you may have made and those are better exposed and fixed than remaining hidden..

Yeah, most of my "most private, low-down, dirty secrets" are either mundane or meaningless to the average third party. I still don't want someone to take away my right to privacy - either via electronically-enabled data-gathering or the more traditional slow accumulation of small data from which, cumulatively, large inferences can be drawn. It is not the general population learning details about my life that I mind, it is the potential ill-intentioned malefactor looking for a vulnerability to exploit.

I don't know if its an introvert thing, but I've kept all sorts of "notes" on life for the past few years ever since I aged into an adult (I'm 24 at the moment). I've always felt SUPER embarassed when someone started reading it as they were playing around on my laptop or phone since I kept these notes in Evernote. Like Valerie's, it was a lot about introspection, goals, failures and their postmortems, and contained many of my insecurities, such as not being able to act like an extrovert and socialize well enough, perhaps even containing strategies for how to respond to certain situations and all that.

It wasn't until I found that a friend that was reading it for fun was just skimming it. The parts I felt most insecure about - he wasn't interested. It meant nothing to him as well. He just took delight in discovering my secrets, but its not like he attacked me after for it or made me feel bad.

As for sharing our own projects, I'm perhaps more afraid of sharing the source code for the project I've been working on, but this might just change my mind :D.
Awesome! Great example. Thank you. — Derek

Where false starts? Where we pretend that we don't have secrets. To be honest - it means to be lonely. I don't remember who said this, but I want to share these thoughts with you.

yes I find this topic interesting, because whatever is private just shows who we really are and if you can't share that, then why bother. and it is special to us, and sometimes boring or similar to another person. Everyone wants to tell their story.
the question is, who is really interested in hearing about it. that is the key. someone who cares enough, will want to know how you became the person you are today. We are all on the journey. Derek, you have a great following.

I like your style. . .
There are things best kept private, mostly personal stuff ('who I bonked in 10th grade'), but you are correct, as an individual, most stuff I do isn't private. I have a friend, with whom I have a fairly long term relationship, who boarded up his windows . . . for privacy. Doesn't matter that no one wants to look . . . he wants private. For a government, of course, this is inapplicable . . .because they do so much stuff 'under the covers' as it were.

Nicely penned, Derek. You've got me thinking, a knack of yours. Thanks for that.

You are always so refreshing, so ready to get rid of habits or prejudices, so fresh to take initiatives, to question things, to revise standard values and to start all over again : such a refreshing attitude, a creative approach, an inspiring courage !

Love all of your posts, I never know what to expect! This is great! Thanks for sharing to the n-th.

I agree with "secrets" not meaning much to others, just think about how you change as a person... something when you were younger was so important is now something you joke about, it's all about perspective I guess.

Actually my email is pretty much public when considering I get at least 100 or more emails each day. Aside from that I agree very much that the term 'a penny for your thoughts' may just be inflated even in this economy. Thanks for sending this article - it helps to underscore just how easily it is to be a legend in your mind. Have a great holiday season.

HI Derek,

Great post and reflects some of my own thinking. I had a startup call me recently and want to discuss a fairly standard mobile application idea with me. . . .but first I needed to sign an NDA! I told them I would not and could not. I added that no mentor or investor worth their salt would sign an NDA. NDAs are for very specific bits of IP that could easily be ripped off by those with the know-how (more commonly for hardware innovations which are ultimately patented).

When I served in the US military there was a general policy not to "over classify" things. For example, if everything became top secret but should be only secret or confidential or even not restricted at all, then the system became overloaded and could break down. We certainly had a lot of sensitive information on a "need to know" basis but too much of that was NOT a good thing. I think you discovered the same thing here.

The mirror image is that sharing information can often make things better because others can hack, check, challenge and leverage to do even greater things. In the end, the best sustainable "IP policy" is to out-innovate the competition.

Great food for thought Derek,
It seems to me that there is no competition on the true creative plane, with the connection being to a higher source than ourselves.
As for your secrets and privacy...WHO HAS PRIVACY ANYMORE??? LOL. Or as my Dad used to say "Give me a quarter for a new "secret" seems like I've seen everything I need to know on reality TV:)

I think you've done great.

Secrets are either: 1) our inconsistencies in the image we want the world to see ourselves. or 2) our defense against the competitors

Spiritually, they're all unreal b/c we're not separate.

It is amazing how we THINK we are being super super private by jotting down our thoughts and feelings in our diaries, when in reality, as human beings we have not yet devised something through advanced biotechnology to TRULY read our darkest & deepest thoughts and feelings. When we jot down anything secretive or personal in our so called diaries, we might be amazed that we might be jotting them down as if we somehow have a subconscious desire of wanting someone in the future to read them (like an audience who read and praise us in some ostentatious way - this audience being privileged and privy to only YOUR deepest and darkest thoughts and feelings); just like being actors on the personal stage of life.

Our private journals emulate Reality shows nowadays; they are so fake and scripted because as soon as a camera gets directed towards us, we automatically tend to become actors, having a wanton desire to consciously direct our actions towards a certain goal.

So, in effect, why does anyone have a secret journal? Is it to keep it strictly to them self and hope that no one else truly ever reads it? I do not think so. What a waste it would be if we were to suddenly 'expire' in our life and no one ever finds or reads it.

Thus, to re-emphasize Derek's point - Why is anything ever a secret?!

WOW! The freedom from secrets is the wings to fly into realms of self acceptance and grace to BE truly who you are....

"I still believe in privacy. It’s just a matter of questioning which things need to be private, and which things really don’t." Derek Sivers

That is the key to a mature mind.

There is no blanket answer foe anyone unless in context, for that individual, something works. Everything is context in that sense- no blanket answers for anyone. ("So don't follow leaders, or walking parking meters.")

That said, anything taken in a moment, in a particular context,can resonate the truth. One needs to be sensitive to that for oneself. For instance, I have felt the same about my ideas and my music. In fact they have been 'stolen' and profited from. Yet, I know I hold on too tight and that reality needs to be balanced with a willingness to share, which then opens doors.

To put this all less cryptically, I agree with you and feel that I have held on too tight. I could DO with opening up the vault and sharing. Some of which I think is so precious is hardly that at all. Yet, to go full circle, again, a mature mind knows when things need to be kept private. Sometimes keeping things private is in fact the attribute of a leader and is done to both protect and nurture. One holds so that others don't have to. I see that I could spiral from topic to topic as i follow the strains of these thoughts. In the end, I thank you for your insight, as it has a good effect on me.

I was not going to put my full name after this, but I did. I think that's a good thing, though I am not certain. Therein lies the risk and in all risk lay the potential for great change.

This reminds me of the current NSA eavesdropping scare. I am sure that agency does not have the manpower, memory storage nor inclination to sift through endless boring msgs. We are simply not that interesting. It is unlikely that any common joe would make their radar, and let's say it's you; what are they reading? They can do nothing. I feel that the "police state" has effectively neutralized the impact of cameras or snooping. Now that everyone posts almost everything, there seems to be little use to data mine outside of what people give.

How do you think this applies to music? Someone pours tens of thousands of dollars into a production with the hope of monetizing it some day to at least raise money to produce more at the worst. Giving it away for nothing (and maybe not all that many would even take it!) makes the possibility of any money being paid to the production a virtual impossibility. (most likely)

Does this apply? What is the best action? Who cares? Ho ho ho! I probably care too much! Ho ho ho!

The concept of privacy has evolved and will continue to evolve apace with the changes in how we communicate. It wasn't so long ago that writing a letter was effectively the only way to send your thoughts and opinions to someone without speaking to them directly. Now most of us think nothing of writing a note on a website to do exactly the same thing... Don't get me started on Twitter...

I often wonder why our government keeps so many secrets, and tend to believe we'd all be a lot better off if everything was out in the open for everyone to see.

Having that one genius moment creates almost no value. Producing original respectable product on a daily basis over a period of decades creates real wealth.

Great article, years ago I decided it was best not to keep secrets people will either accept things about you or not. Its been a very liberating experience not having to think about what I've told different people. Social media really helped me with this over the past several years. I do still feel some things are private but for the most part I don't keep secrets anymore. As far as putting out your programming code for others and business ideas public, good for you, this may just inspire a new generation of people by doing this. I think you will find this liberating too.

Very interesting theory. I tried looking at one project's code...didn't understand a thing! This one's good for reflecting upon.

Derek,

This is such an insightful post, that is timely and thought-provoking. I am a physician and often thought that health care would be miles ahead in innovating and serving the people it was meant to serve, while being able to crowd cure/treat many more people faster with higher quality if privacy of data was not so much a concern. eg. finding a suitable electronic medical record platform that is portable and compatible with other platforms, furthering research with big data mining. Of course, I see the reason why people would opt for privacy in certain cases. Wonderful writing, Derek! Thank you so much.

Things that you do seem easy enough to you but they don't come easy to others. You have your talents and could start over and be successful again yet you could not teach that to someone who can't see it in one hundred years. Others see it once and get it but may not have the motivation necessary to use it. Tricky world at very least. Anyway secrets are for the keepers and make the world a confusing, frustrating, annoying and downright beautiful and interesting place.

Very interesting. I have the attitude that anything I post online is not private, no matter what privacy protocols are in place. I also live with the curtains open in my house. I like to look at the houses and trees and not be afraid of people seeing me. Everyone else has the net curtains. I really don't see why. It's liberating to not really care.

"I was surprised it was all meaningless to me. These pages meant the world to her, but to me they meant no more than any non-secret conversation we’d ever had. It was the same stuff that we all think."

Spot on. Unless it's your 11yr old daughter's diary :)

Very cool of you, Derek. I'm excited to see now how folks build on what you've revealed.

reminds me of the story of the black-nosed buddha

Privacy/secrecy: what a HUGE secret I kept before I came out as gay. Laughable when I look back, what a waste of energy. Everyone reacted to my revelation as you did when you read the super-secret diary: of barely more interest or import than any other aspect of our lives & friendship. Privacy is good; no one needs secrets. Now my life is an open sewer. Oops I mean open, running sore. No wait, an open BOOK that's it.

I agree. Would you care to elaborate on where you see the new line between things which should and should not be kept private? I personally think it probably relates to whether people would both be able to and desire to harm you with a particular piece of information.
The “new line” is different for everyone. I would never tell someone what I think they should make public or keep secret. The only point of this post was that it's worth re-evaluating the decisions you've made, to see if they're still applicable to you. — Derek

Hey Derek, thanks for the article. It makes so much sense and references your book... ideas are plenty is the people who execute them that makes it a great idea.
I have had so many startup idea myself, build a website design (or pay for a designed logo) go live share on Facebook and then loose interest.
Then there are people who would have a similar or identical ideal and live in Thailand for a few years to save up to pay a developer to execute their passion.

I found this insight quite intriguing...and find myself trying to apply it to my life as we speak...thank you for sharing it...I think one thing you've said here is very key Derek ...and that is that...why do we keep so much secret...why not share it and see what changes that brings to our lives...thank u for sharing...

"Secrets are lies, privacy is stealing, sharing is caring." - Mae Holland (it all works out for you, until you are talking about weaknesses or flaws which will be used against you, e.g. in services pricing and availability, or, in the case of genetic "flaws", in the same for your children as well.) (Unless, of course, you are human perfected, flawless, which, of course, you are.)

Loved the story! I do however think that everyone needs to have some sort of "private" things just to keep themselves in check. You can write down your terrible feelings towards a friend who may have just hurt you. Then you feel better and the friend never knows. These feelings will pass and you and our friend will continue on as usual. My favorite saying on this subject is this: Two people can keep a secret, as long as one of them is dead! Thanks again Derek for another wonderful article.

For your friend, there exists someone out there for whom that diary would/could be dynamite - or at least fodder to make someone's life less pleasant. For you, there exists someone out there for whom your code would in fact be a target and useful. The thing is, I think it's an issue of probability: what are the chances of the right (or wrong!) person stumbling onto the potential cache?

Still, I adore your "open" ideas even as I currently struggle with how open to make my own...so keep writing, 'cause I need to keep reading and thinking about this!

PS does your friend need a chiropractor for carrying around such a load?! :-)

What if... There were no secrets among families, groups, organizations, communities, states and nations. Think of the synergy available for resolving problems and conflicts.

Wouldn't each of us accept more responsibility for our actions, thoughts, and beliefs?

What do you think?

Your infinite wisdom never ceases to amaze and inspire me, Derek! As always, I can't wait to read your next post.

I wish you made your private key public :-(

Wow. That was an experience. Thank you.

A powerful way to lead by example.

Some things to me I Want private.I like the fact that nobody but me might know about somethin special.Being the only One that knows is just cool.I believe some things are to be kept secret...This is a matter of oppinion.I always find your thoughts intersting and admire you.cdbaby had never been the Same since you left.On this in MY oppinion is that some things are to be kept secret..little notrs between me and my wife I dont care to share with others...ok Didnt quite get this artickle..sorry.
.but Keep me in your Post..Thanks..gatorjaw

Derek! you are always so inspiring and thought provoking :) I wish we had spent more time talking when we were in our song class together! love your radicalism.
a

Some secrets can be used against people to hurt them. Not everyone is strong enough to weather that kind of cruelty. I have always been in awe of the open life certain people have. People who use their own name publicly on the internet with no fear of verbal assault or who knows what else(??!) freaks me out. I guess it's a BIG challenge to decide what needs to be secret and what doesn't. I enviously suspect that the stronger a person is the less need for secrecy. Some secrets cause pain and perhaps there is a need for them to be private but ideally I suppose ... those secrets could be challenged and evolved into strengths. That's a happy thought....

absolutely well said, Quite some time back my principal said, "we hide things only when we think we are done something wrong or others might not approve of it, so why hid anything when you are not doing anything wrong.", but that can a topic for another post.

And about questioning which things need to be private, and which things really don’t. we can loosely follow the below chart method.


where anything meaningful can be classified into following:

Anything which is meaningful for
1) You+Others = Secret (can be immensely useful or hugely exploited, play it safe or your choice)
2) You+Not Others = open (will not be useful for them)
3) Not to You+Others = open (will be useful for them but not you so don't gain anything by keeping it secret)
4) Not to You + Not Others = Useless

Transparency. Mot du jour. Yeah, kinda uninterestingly Mystery-zapping. Good article. As always.

I have hurt myself between the grabbing back of things about to said & the anger of holding things hidden ... isn't it in our nature (some of us) to speak the truth of what we experience regardless of consequences? Because if we don't, who will? It's time to step up and stop all the strategic positioning that keeps us apart. I'll risk being cast out from any club that doesn't want me as a member.

A good viewpoint, one I'll try to incorporate. There are reasons for secrets someone's

I dig, it isn't the idea, it's what someone can or chooses to do with it,

It's great to see these posts of yours again, Derek! Always thoughtful, thanks.
I get the spirit of your post, but privacy is also one of the big issues of our times, and how it will look in the future is uncertain.
In Dave Eggers new book he examines the subject in a world where society has adopted the Orwellian motto: "Privacy is Theft."
I think we still have a chance to fine tune our relationship to privacy and come up with with our own level of comfort around what we share and what is, for whatever reason, For Eyes Only in our lives.
Personally, I'd be embarrassed with someone seeing my more 'private' journals, because I know how un-profound some of the stuff I wrestle with in those pages is, since, as you mention, it's stuff everyone has to sort through.

Thoroughly enjoyed this.
People prey on our fears for our privacy.
I just do like Obi Wan and tell people to forget me. They do.
I've never had an unlisted number.
I laughed when I read that my email was for your eyes only...

Derek, This is go simple and yet so effective. I don't know if I have the discipline to do this , but would surely try. Thanks for the inspiration.

Thanks Derek for this new article
Jan.

This is one story i personally identify with.Secrets are just our own fears....

Hi Derek, Once again food for thought.
Surely all good news is out there, I always thought secrets were the things one was ashamed to admit to others, so that was why it was a secret.
Secrets are about judgement??? So I think we should keep our secrets to ourselves.

It sounds like this was triggered by a conversation about government eaves dropping, Snowden, the NSA, etc., no?

Please remember: you cannot have an effective separation of powers in a big brother scenario.

There have been several documented instances of local law enforcement agencies (and even of federal agencies) that have targeted law abiding groups of people that they are not comfortable with (political activists, LGBT folk, members of non-Christian religions, etc.). They commonly step far outside the bounds of power that the law grants them. (One could argue, that this in and of itself is a problem -- and one would be correct -- but this problem will always exist to some extent.)

And sure, while most of us probably have nothing to hide -- it should be our own decision what we choose to share. The "I'm okay with the NSA knowing everything about me because I have nothing to hide" is just an excuse to ignore the issue. It is never an acceptable argument:
I may not have anything to hide (certainly, I have nothing to hide as far as legality is concerned, that's for sure) -- but there are several reasons why I would still expect my personal privacy to be protected.

Will I share code I write? Absolutely. Will I be honest with my feelings to people? You betcha!

Do I want to be targeted for harassment by authorities (or for my employer/other institutions I belong to, to be secretly harassed by such) because of my political leanings, race, sexual preferences, religion, or creeds? Heck no! (Again: this all happens.)

"Oh, but that only happens to other people" -- it's not okay for that to happen to anyone.

Conclusion: Sharing and Honesty is good. Big Brother is bad. Open source is good. Open government is good. Personal liberty is good. Regardless of whether you have anything to hide or not, if they don't have a warrant, the government doesn't need to know about it.

Good point. Meaningful to us, meaningless to others.

And letting go of any fear is a step towards freedom.

Your subject brings to mind the concept of intellectual property and how it has been applied throughout relatively modern history in Europe. In the baroque era it was considered a compliment and form of flattery to have one's work or musical style copied by another composer while in post revolutionary France, the copyright law was done away with and far fewer books were written. The law was reintroduced and more books were written again.

Well said, Derek. My path has also led in this direction these last few years. It has taken a load off me to not worry about it anymore.

Yes and no, Derek. I agree that we can sometimes get obsessed about securing something that wouldn't mean much to someone else - we all have our own priorities.

I would maintain, however, that sometimes it's more sensible to remain silent about something. In my experience, people have a nasty habit of using the information we give them against us later, so it's vital for our own welfare to sift what we're going to say to whom and to choose our confidants well. Sad but necessary.

wow that was like a punch in my belly. when i was 14 my mother read all my diaries, there was allot of encrypted data that she never could have uncoded but she was mad and I was deeply hurt. thanks for always making me think in new ways and explore new thoughts Derek

Hi Derek,

Thank you for the thought provoking post.
That's a great experiment. I would be very interested to learn about your conclusions and lessons from it.

I personally think that privacy is really about choice. That is, that we reserve the free choice of what we want to share with the world, what we want to share with a select few, and what we really prefer to keep to ourselves.

Our privacy is violated when we no longer have this choice, or when we thought we did and it turned out that we didn't (e.g. facebook and other social networks).

As for secrets, it really depends in what you're doing. There are cases where you are involved in projects or activities that if made public were to put many people's lives at risk. For most people that's not the case (thankfully). However, we do need to recognize that some secrets should be kept this way (at least until the risk associated with them is gone).

My Best Regards,
Ziv.

You said, "...it was meaningless to me...". That is the thought of a sane, decent person. But, as we all know, there are many out there who are not decent, and definitely not sane - who will steal whatever they can get their hands on - if they think it will benefit them somehow. Maybe your code is safe, but mostly because it would be useless to most people - same goes for whatever was in your friend's diaries. But, there are many people out there who do not want certain parts of their private lives to be viewed by the public - ergo "skeletons in one's closet". Just one example is what the papparazzi does - and their agenda of exploitation for profit is not exclusive to them - there are a whole lot of self serving, horribly dishonest people out there who would just as soon steal for profit as look at you. Also keep in mind, that there are many who would not only exploit another person, but they would also have no problem distorting a photo, statement, or situation beyond recognition for their own profit or benefit - because most people love dirt - as sorry as that is, it's a fact.

I believe that if a person wishes to keep certain things private, that should be up to him or her, and not for any other person to decide against that person's will, to divulge any of it.
While you and Valerie may not care if your property is made public, there are other folks who do not want their stuff out there for the whole world to see or know about.

I'd had a few of my songs as free downloads for quite some time before I read one of your articles in which was mentioned the idea of making your music free - or at least having that as an option.

'Cool' thought I and the dusty notion that anything given away freely can't be worth very much just evapourated. That article nudged me into cheerfully making all my songs freely available.

O.K. ... it's made little difference externally.... just as obscure as before but internally it's been sort of liberating.

It helps that I've never been in a financial position to give up my 'day job' and that gives me a freedom from 'having to make it' with music..... and it gives me a lot more. You covered the positive value of not giving up your day job in another of your articles.

I like sharing freely.

Love your articles Derek.

I spent a lot of money this year to copyright my music and other ideas i had.. and I know anyone can steal them, I may never know about it.. but now I feel more relaxed to share this with the world, just in case.. but know that I've done it I think its just for my inner peace.. the next step would be to just let it all out there and not worry

with everything going on with the NSA et al, I think we live in a unique time where we are witnessing the end of privacy. Our children will have a very different perspective of what secrets are, and what kinds of things that we should keep hidden. In my own professional life, I've found secrets to be the most troublesome aspect of my work life. (why do I need to keep information from people until the right time?) Sometimes I get it, but mostly I don't anymore. Somehow I think secrets are linked to fear...fear of people discovering your vulnerabilities, your weaknesses. They can exploit your knowledge. I think your right. Let em. To grow as a culture, as a people, we need to rid ourselves of our secrets. I find that many stories involve keeping secrets (it seems to be one of the essences of good drama), hiding information, not telling...especially feelings, desires, etc. Secrets are linked to mystery, the unknown, which are both feared and desired. As a society, I think we are now just slowly transcending that. (but we're not happy about it.) thoughts on the subject...peace...ben

I like the idea behind this post and even more that most of the people in our web development community think the same way. Sharing is caring and this makes our job so amazing(besides the fact that the job itself is amazing ;) )!

What an inspirational topic. It's the people that have the fear of losing - that lose!

As a filmmakers, I am often amazed at the super secrte screenplay and documentary ideas other filmmakers think will be stolen if the share Keeping these ideas "private" robs them of an opportunity for inpt and most often, the screenplays are never made. hey were too "secret" to share with people who might have rovoked action. Just as your article outlines, my "amazing screenplay idea" is really meaningless as a labour of love to anyone but me - until it gets made / written / produced. No one else has the time or interest in making the projects I feel so deeply about come to life.

Very interesting and thought provoking as always Derek.

Here are a few quick thoughts -

In an ideal world there might be no need for secrets. If you are in a society where you can be persecuted for your beliefs, sexual orientation, etc, this might be different. There are plenty of places and times in history when this has been the case. Also, data collected for one purpose might be used for another. The recent trend towards a more liberal approach to diversity is not necessarily irreversible. I keep getting asked my sexual orientation in data being collected in order to ensure a lack of discrimination. Public policy in my country is to fight discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. However homosexual acts were illegal here only a few decades ago.

Another issue is the personal boundary of privacy. If choosing to be open reveals something that identifies someone else, their right to privacy has to be balanced against another individuals right to self-disclosure.

Having said that, on a personal level, I prefer to be as open as possible.

My husband and I run a product design agency (since 25 years) and own a luxury brand for which we create, manufacture and commercialise products based on my husband's designs. Over the years, people have come to us with ideas and the first thing they say is "I would like to show this to you but I'm afraid you'll steal it". This always makes us laugh. For the truth of the matter is that Its gives us absolutely no pleasure to borrow or steal someone else's idea or creation. The beauty and magic of any idea or creation is the seed from which it came and the nurturing of it until it becomes a reality. Stealing another person's idea is like gestating a baby until birth and then trading it in for someone else's...

Breaking through resistance and challenging fears is a great mentality to have. Creative ideas are endless. It's the execution, drive, and willpower that matters in the end. Excellent post, Derek!

Derek, I like your thinking. I wrote this comment piece along similar lines... about how I am only flattered if someone is at all even interested in my secrets and what I think, which I assume by default that they are not. http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-23330-paranoid-and-buoyed/

I gave a secret diary (with a lock) to my 8 y.o. daughter.
Then she asked "Dad, what should I write in this secret diary ?"
I answer "Don´t know... all your secrets, things about your life"
She says "But Dad, there is nothing secret about my life !"

I like this approach and I think you're tackling some more significant than private vs public and actually talking about the ideas of fear, ownership and trust. All things I have either been writing about or discussing via my conference for a while now. I think there is a real opportunity to look at the role that fear plays in holding us back and conversely how trust is a necessary element toward changing the way we engage with one another. I wrote a piece on trust about a week ago..happy to share if interested.

Instinctively, I find Valerie's position compelling, but I do have some reservations and doubts:

I spent much of the past year and a half (or so) suffering from an extended bout of depression; moderate in the grand scheme of things, although still severe enough relative to my own life's norms and patterns.

My wife has been having a similarly stressful time, so rather than venting my feelings in her direction (which I felt would make things worse, rather than better), I reached out (via email) to a suicide helpline for assistance on a handful of occasions. Much of what I wrote consisted of incoherent ranting; but it helped me to deal with my feelings and (gradually) to get back on my (metaphorical) feet.

My wife recently made the decision to go through my emails, presumably because she suspected my of infidelity. Rather than finding evidence of cheating (there was no cheating; therefore no evidence to find), she discovered my letters discussing suicide, and various frustrations both with my life and our relationship. Clearly, this caused her great distress; far more hurtful to her than to me; since I had already processed those feelings and moved on to a more constructive place.

Should I have been honest in the first place? Communicated how I felt when we were both in a fragile and vulnerable mental state? Was I right to keep my anger, bitterness and self-loathing secret? Certainly being closed and uncommunicative increases the level of gnawing doubt and suspicion that we feel in our hearts, but being forced to confront (and respond to) tumultuous emotion when feelings are still raw, unresolved and extreme does not help either. Clearly there is some balance to be had; a balance that is nothing if not tricky to strike.

The largest part of why we keep secrets is to manage our relationships with those that we care for. One does not have to have "something to hide" to want to shield our loved ones from every worry and care that creases our brow. Equally, trust and friendship are nurtured by openness and transparency.

Perhaps most importantly, there is the argument from enlightened self-interest: we benefit most when we are able to tell ourselves the truth; to process our problems (technical and emotional), and to be able to move forward with our lives. Being open with other people is one part of this; by reflecting our internal state off those around us, we gain better perspective on our own problems, and can make better and more informed decisions in our own interest.

Another part of this is being open to other people; able to listen to our friends and confidants, not necessarily to respond or opine, but merely to gift the space and place for reflection; to enable us all to come to terms with our own selves.

Oh yeah, and I also make (an increasing number of) my business and technical ideas public too: http://startupidealist.blogspot.co.uk/

Wow.....I must be the most secretive guy on the planet! This one is a toughie! More respect to you D, for sharing. Now, let me go and lock away my super super super private stuff. Lol!

I'm instantly reminded of the Johari Window - look it up folks...

There are four parts -

"Open" - those things about you that you willing share and make known to everyone. I'm male - you can tell if you saw me :-/ I wear a wedding ring telling you I'm married etc.

"Blind" - an interesting one. Things that others "know" about you but you don't know they know - might be true or may actually be their perception or another's they've heard and accepted as fact about you from their position

"Hidden" - the secrets you talk about here Derek

"Mystery" - the things you don't know yet and nobody does. Can I waterski? Don't know I've never yet tried to.

The idea is that you consider moving your "open" section to be wider as that is better in your relationships. You do this by opening up secrets from you "hidden" area. You increase into your "blind" area by asking for feedback from others and you increase your "mystery" area by doing things you've never done before and learning

Interesting stuff...

While I dont share some of your thought here, I see them as a very interesting approach to the privacy issue. Your text makes me think, and that is, in itself, something I would never thank you enough.

As my dad always told me, "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember what you said."

Thank goodness for pep talks. Lawd knows, we need 'em.

They say you're only as sick as your secrets.
That's why I don't have any. Just about everything
about me is on my website. If it's not there it's not
worth knowing. Besides, if you truly believe that
we're all ONE, then nothing belongs to anyone.
Rather, everything belongs to everyone.
Just my take. Thanks much for sharing your thoughts.

Thomas

Photo by Silvia Viñuales
I tried to read it.. a secret writing code?

I see a huge difference between keeping things private and making them public. Take your friend's diary. Because they are her mental meanderings and where she bares her soul, her diary is private. Making it public would be far different from allowing a friend to see it. After all, laying your innermost thoughts out there for the universe means dealing with, or at least being exposed to, others' reactions and possible attempts to help.

Seriously. Have you ever told a problem or issue to a friend who things what you want is it fixed rather than an ear? That's my concern with public.

My ex, a very creative guy (RIP), used to say "if anyone wants to steal an idea from me, there are plenty more where that came from" That was before the days of the internet, so I'm not sure it applies exactly the same way today, but the idea seemed right.

I have come to realize that you can't give your ideas away even if you try. I have had a revolutionary idea for a robust and advanced flashcard application since 1993, available where anyone in the world can see it. It has aspects that even today are not incorporated in the myriad flashcard applications available.

I have submitted the same idea to relevant software companies to see if they would develop it. Nada. I just don't have the chops for developing (designing, yes!, developing, no). So I am working on a separate business. If it does well enough and brings in the money I want it to, I'll be hiring out developers to develop an application that anyone could have freely stolen. It would be funny to end up exiting a software company I create for that software by selling out to a company I tried to give the software away to.

Hi Derek,

I'm inspired by all the people who have left comments. You've created a community of wonderful people with your strikingly positive approach.
Thank you!

Hi Derek, I don't know if I read your article well enough to negate any concerns, but I would feel a little bit unsure of offering my code to all and sundry. True no one apparently seems to have bothered to use it todate, but depending on how that code can be used or how some of it can be used, there might be an occassion for someone to use it or learn from it to create something less than desireable. As an extremely intelligent person with a lot of goodwill, been positive minded and trusting is highly admirable trait, but is one likely to overlook that our universe is not all occupied by angels? There are terrorists, people smugglers, child molestors and a host pf other shady characters that appear to be unlimited in supply. If all of them are stupid and would not know code from a toad, alls well; but if some of them are advanced in computer programing, then it depends on if they have the ability to utilize your code or to be in a position to use some of it conjured with some of their own for a malicious purpose. This does not mean in anyway that your code is manupulative for a bad intent. I am just expressing a view. Thanks for giving me the occassion to express my views,

I'm struggling with this right now. We don't have locks on many things. However, intellectual property, I want to protect until its fully formed and ready for released. I'm a member of the WGA. And, we've often heard the fastest way to have your screen play idea stolen is to register your sreenplay with the WGA.

Hi Derek
It’s good to hear from you again, I notice in one of your replies to a response I think its No 49 you wrote "Exactly! It's up to everyone to decide what to keep secret and what to make public. But the point is to re-evaluate the decisions you've made. Maybe things you've made public should actually be secret. – Derek"

With the revelations regarding the NSA collecting everyone’s secrets without their consent. Gathering information about you Derek, who you are emailing, calling, giving to and taking from. They are using this to profile people and later to target people. I fear that the information collected by this generation will be abused by the next generation and used to divide people into smaller groups and therefore easier to control. This may sound paranoid but do you have any idea how difficult it is to collect the private information of over 3 billion people, where they live, work and play, what they talk about and who to, where they go in their free time and what they spend their money on. A thousand little details can build a pretty clear picture. No one goes to this kind of effort without a payoff. This information is already out there so I am afraid the point you made saying we should evaluate what we keep secret is no longer valid. What we keep secret in not our choice anymore? Not in the digital domain anyhow. Can I just finish by saying I used to think it was a difficult task to collect the intimate details of the billions of people in the global digital community, but not anymore, all you need to do is hack the NSA database and its all yours.

Moyzie

Awesome perspective...as per usual.

When I was a kid I used to go watch this great guitar player. He would turn his back whenever he played a solo. I realized after a while the reason was fear that someone would steal all his licks. I think those kinds of fears come from a lack of understanding that the more you give, the more you have. And we can never really own anything like knowledge but sharing it is where the joy is.

I've long thought the steal my ideas claims are bogus and have given my ideas away freely for a long time now. Lately I've take it one step further; I actively try to motivate other people to work on my best ideas without expecting anything in return (no equity, no guilt, no "remember where you got this idea"). It matters more to me that my best ideas are in this world than in my head or on my laptop. If they make it big with my idea, that's reward enough for me.

Courageous.

One of your top 3 articles. You're a hero brother. Thank you for what you do.

Haha, I'm going to steal your ideas and make millions :)

I liked your posts and sharing few things which I like about secret . When we share our thoughts with others, writing it is so inspiring if other people like them . May I live fully, fearlessly, faithfully.
May I breathe in love-
my heart overflowing.
May I spread this love-
your love-
to all I encounter.
May I listen
and know
I am not alone.
May I pay attention
to miracles each day.
May I live my spirituality daily
so it rains
down
on
everyone
helping us all grow.

haha, good for you. I had the exact same thought about a year ago and no one has even looked at code/business plan as of yet.

As for code, I think most people are skeptical on how well they write the code. I always believe my codes are noob-ish.

Fantastic! I'm an editor for Opensource.com and would love to hear about the things you discover as you pursue this. Feel free to drop me a line.

My home is my castle. I want my home to be my castle. I want to be myself at home. Accepted. Accepted by the ones I share my home with (same with them).

So my secret is MY SECRET.

Since I'm not a naturally speaking English, I'm not sure if I got you right.
I do not have any problems that anyone might "steal" my (so unique) ideas.
I do have a problem with everyone accessing my data without asking me.
I do have a problem with everyone accessing my private data (without my permission) (at least I blame myself for my dumbness, to letting them do so).

but: I cannot agree with what I understood, reading your blog.

Hi Derek! You are absolutely right (as always). I suppose I'm an odd duck because I have never wanted to know secrets of others because as you found out and said so eloquently, the writings were meaningless to you but very meaningful to the person the diary belonged to. Reading someone's deep dark thoughts have never been of interest to me.
Happy Holidays to You and Yours,
Jacqui

Hello Derek, and yes we all do it. Keeping something secret. For me personally information is learned, passed down or acquired in some form and not meant to be kept secret but, there are some immediate superiors who are afraid of losing their positions in life if others learn what they know. Real secrets are highly personal and never shared or discussed unless found out, for a fear of embarrassment if an idea should fail leaving them with egg on their faces. But i do agree with some sentiments here that a secret shared is a secret solved. S keep sharing.

I like your comments on the P.S. portion!

It's cool that people have and want to have secrets...after giving your article more thought, I don't think I have any secrets.
Are fantasies secrets?

<3 this Derek.

I always enjoy your thoughts. Thank you so much for putting them out there!

Great stuff as usual! thank you for sharing.... SHARING, that's kinda what it's all about, right?

As always, simple and direct. One day, me be like dat. thank you Valerie and Derek!! scotty da songmon <3

Thanks Derek for the article. I think people to do not want to open up with their private thoughts, is because they do not want their private information to be used against them. There are bullies, and nasty people out there, who will take the information to knock you down, to try to better themselves. Our private thoughts is sometimes our armor, to defend ourselves against nasty people. What they do not know is your best defense.

Hello Derek !

I don't remember having already commented on your blog. But this time, even if I am the 270th something comment I don't care, I had to write.

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your great ideas. Once I see an email from you, I always click because I know it will be great.

I receive loads and loads of newsletter. But most of the time, I can't stand the manipulative language (after all I am also a blogger and I know all the tricks).

I think that your initiative is a bit dangerous. And no, I would not share all my private life, especially the sexual part, since so many people are intolerant.

But I can see the bright side of sharing your project. Perhaps it could bring you collaborators.

Congratulations for your courage. Big respect to you. See ya !

Twice, over the last 12 years, I have made the trek to Nashville with a pocket full of songs. Left demos here and there, met with many people and shared those songs. Both times, within 6-8 months after, songs were released based on my ideas. Coincidence? I think not. In one case, I know not. That tells me I had great ideas... but I didn't follow through with the great song. You can't copyright an idea.

Once again, thank you! Marty Boyzuck's comment below is right on, there are 'quite a few of us following!'

I liked your short piece on privacy as I echoed some of my thoughts and actions. I suppose my age might have something to do with that as I am 65 and have come to some conclusions based upon experience. What we think of as important this December is most often of very little importance to us by next December and all of the energies that we heaped upon it were merely wasted.

A venture capitalist told me that he does not invest in ideas. He looks at the person who is going to implement the idea and makes his decision accordingly.

Hope all is well, Sir Sivers. M

The degree of friendliness of one's surrounding atmosphere has a lot to do with our desire for "Privacy". All the good things mother nature offering us reminds me the way how she treats her "secrets"... Derek, I am very much inspired by your thoughts today. Thanks!

Wonderful post as usual Derek. I would venture to add that on so many levels, we are all more similar than we are different. We keep things private much of the time because we fear people will perceive us as weak or inadequate. The irony is that much of what we go through is part of the human experience. Maybe if we opened up more, we would see that and give ourselves the compassion, kindness and acceptance we give to others.

SOME SECRETS ARE KILLER FUNNY ! Great article ! I like watching the Food Channel when they visit a really popular restaurant and they show how they make popular selling dishes. Then the host of the talk show asks about the "SECRET" ingredients...the response is always the same: " If I tell you then I will have to kill You !" LOL !! Its always the same response. Some businesses in order to survive must keep their secret formula's or they will lose business or get it stolen. For any successful business I understand that. People's lives are similar to successful businesses and for the most part it's better to keep one's deepest secrets to yourself in order to be successful person's. The Laws of TMI ( Too Much Information) applies. Why? Because sometimes its better left unsaid to maintain balance. Here's a simple principle: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. (Substitute the word "love" for "God" and He is the one you ultimately can share your Secrets with..Trust no other)

Despite watching the news and seeing all the bad in the world. I refuse to believe that people are bad and that we should live in fear of each other.

Sharing your life/work lol whatever... despite maybe meaningless on the surface allows people to connect with each other on a different level.

I think with that connection people can then become more accountable and moral. Maybe then things like stealing ideas or what have you wouldn't exist?

The danger of making stuff public is that you become aware how little anyone cares.
☺ Exactly. — Derek

I think fiver.com is the basic end result of your muckwork concept

Awesome platform, I use it a bunch..

Step out, letting it all hang out;) No secrete unsaid, no danger to bed! August moon doth make a starchild wild and free to impress without regress;) roar you mighty lion's of the cosmic sea! They are all listening.....

very funny about the "for my eyes only" re. email adress!



My database is something that is VERY worth keeping private. I was never saying that nothing should be private. — Derek

Amazing post Derek, as always you make me think and re-evaluate my thoughts.

I told a fellow student my idea for the short story I was about to write; then spent a couple of days polishing my little gem.
I turned it in.
Next day, the teacher handed it back to me: no grade, because I had obviously copied the idea from the young man who had turned his story in a day earlier than I did.
I stated that it was my idea, showed my old drafts, but then was upbraided for trying to get him in trouble.
The fact that the creep was later accused of plaigerism on several occasions, by different people, has done nothing to change my mind that some things just have to be kept private: secret, if you will.

Hi Derek ... I always enjoy your posts. Please continue sharing them. My response to your above post is as follows: "The perceived value and the safe-keeping of what one chooses to share with others will be determined by those who receive it." Thus, with one's creative works, it does make sense to Copyright those works prior to publication in any form. JMO, of course.

"I was surprised it was all meaningless to me."

This lesson was brought home powerfully to me some years ago in this TED talk, "Hasan Elahi: FBI, here I am!": http://www.ted.com/talks/hasan_elahi.html

I guess that's the reason everyone WANTS to keep secrets. It makes one feel "special". When they're revealed, and no one really cares, that bubble could burst - and that's too scary to accept?!
Yes! Great example! I had forgotten about that talk. Thanks for the reminder. — Derek

Maintaining a secretive posture takes energy that could be better used elsewhere, like developing some beneficial humanitarian aid, however great or small.
I feel that the only things in my life that should remain private are those things that will effect others. Information regarding others is a trust that I'll always maintain.

Derek, thank you for SHARING and thank you for WALKING YOUR TALK & LEADING BY EXAMPLE. Powerful truth about how holding on to something can reinforce the safe confines of a self-made, mental prison-construct. Great reminder that we have the choice to be free and open in this abundant universe. I recall the advice an Alaskan native elder shared with me: let go of the side of the river bank and meet people in the middle. Peace & gratitude my friend.

wow, mind changing !!!! I think secrets are the reasons for a lot of depressions too...it takes too much energy to keep them all "under water " ...energy that is not available for every day life, for dreams.....

I am convinced that the graphics on the can the cola comes in determines whether my wife will like it or not, not the actual liquid she is drinking. She's a Coke girl. Hates Pepsi. My point is the secret formula for both is imperceptible to most, though most are willing to argue one is better than the other. Did you know for two weeks, we spent time looking for a Starbucks in Venito and Tuscany and couldn't find one? Turns out Starbucks apparently determined long ago that Italians would reject the Starbucks model and coffee. There's a coffee shop in every corner in Venice and Florence. The Starbucks secret sauce is lost on the Italians. So, indeed, you have once again hit on an interesting truth of human nature. Thanks for sharing all that you do! Happy Holidays!

When i read your ideas like Songtest i new you were the detail person we need.could you help me with an idea to help the poor.CareCash.A new currency the well off spend on luxury items.i think my daughter and i have come up with a way for this to work.A person is issued a percentage of carecash for money donated to charity.There is more to this then i can explain here.We need help from someone like you.I am a carpenter with no capitol or connections.I am NOT doing this for fame or fortune.I just want to help kids and to help them you have to help there parents.so if you take this idea and do it without my involvement that is fine. Thank you John

While I agree that its a great practice personally to practice being more open honest and engaging with the world, I am, quite frankly, disheartened to hear yet more advocacy for sharing and the devaluation of privacy. This notion that privacy is outdated, limiting or not necessary is constantly being promoted by huge companies and governments through media and propaganda to help extinguish the outrage as a 'total surveillance' culture is being built. Knowledge is power, and it is the one-sided transparency of the population that is used to subjugate them while those with power remain fully cloaked.

The right to privacy is the cornerstone of free people and the torch which staves off slavery and oppression. Let us rekindle our passions for this basic human right instead of submitting to the temptations of the brave new facebook world.

Positively provocative post, Derek, and, as always, inspiring.
With my engineering hat on I will say that intellectual property protection is key to corporate growth, for obvious reasons. The risk of IP theft may be lower than people think, yes. But it does happen. And ouch - the financial implications are serious when it does.
However, on a human level secrecy is a slippery beast. In these networked days any carelessly divulged personal secrets may simply become absorbed into the general background noise with no side effects at all. As for freely sharing everything I create? That's a great way to open doors. But eventually every door needs a key.

mm. moot point, right now. do you just go 'ere, 'ave, the lot
-and expect exaltant response from your interest group?
failing which you may end up feeling a little bit deflated,
as you gave away your life's work for not so much as a µµµµ
(and got not so much as a µµµµ in response either)
or do you just go stuff it let them figure it out for themselves,
ingrates?

Interesting, thought provoking, no people pleasing & being.
I liked what someone said, " You may lose a whole lot of old friends but, gain some new ones. "
The audience originally hoped for.
Thank You for Your Generous Presents.
God Bless Derek
Merry Christmas
+++
:)

Interesting, thought provoking . . . no people pleasing & being. I liked what someone said, " You might lose some friends & gain a whole lot of new friends. " The audience originally hoped for.

Hi Derek!
Thanks for the blog! Nice to hear your thoughts again! I think as artists we always evolving in our journey, there is always...NEW. Life is a wonder to be explored:-)
a friend always
Rachel

Only those who have gone through loss that is truly irreplaceable as a life or a loved one can be a generous as you with your "Secrets". I am sure there are precious moments in your personal and family archives that will never see the light of day and are truly the "Secrets of your existence!"

All I have to say is that it is not secret that I am so proud to have you to converse with and to tell everyone that you are truly a friend and that is one Secret that is no longer under protective custody!

Great inspired piece by a great inspired man!

Agreed. It's not always a big deal if your "secrets" are shared. In fact if we stopped treating politicians who share pictures of their privates as people with the plague, maybe we'd realize how silly we are about this kind of thing. we're all people. we all do people-like things.

Just think, this is just the beginning of your new journey! I feel that we are going to get some truly inspired writing from you!!!

So true about revealing what we want to, Derek.

Oprah revealed much about her early life . . . . and am sure it helped her in many ways, as well as beating the tabloids . . . and many could see that, no matter where you start in life, it holds you back only if you let it.

And Richard Branson does not keep it a secret that he has a notebook handy always . . . for who knows where an idea could come from?

Seems successful people . . . . in all areas . . . love to share.

I see you are an INTJ . . . I am an idealist teacher ( ENFJ ) . . who could have guessed mine ? :)

Cheers!

Best,
Lauri

I second the first two commenters, I'm heavily impressed by your style.

My parents always taught me to keep everything to myself . We never talked to one another and we were always emotionally detached from each other.
As an adult, I have been very open and honest regarding my life and I find it so liberating. I also create many intimate relationships with people who would have normally just been associates. I share and they share and I learn so much from them.

Thank you, Derek and Valerie.

The recent controversial law in Japan has made many people, myself included, debate over this issue. The word “secret” alienates people out of anxiety. The less secrets you have, the more friends you gain, it seems. Privacy should be always respected and you still have all the freedom to decide what is to be public and what should be kept to ourselves.

Interesting point.I guess that's why people are moved by lyrics with music then simple reportage.

My sentiments, exactly, Derek. People occasionally tell me I should change my password so that people can't get a hold of my profile. Well, so what if they do? I have nothing to hide. I have nothing anyone else would be interested in using. I've seen other peoples "private" profiles and I really couldn't care less. It never looked all that private to me. I think people are just too paranoid these days.

Hi Derek ... this article made me remember how adverse I was to sharing my "secret" gluten-free recipes when I tried my hand at a gluten-free bakery 4+ years ago. Later, as the gluten-free idea caught on, I noticed more and more online blogs from bakers who freely shared their creations. Now I do the same, and it was such a joy to "tutor" a friend in her process to create her own healthy baked items.

I no longer have the bakery ... lasted only 6 months because I tried to do everything myself and didn't trust that I could get "the right person" to help me ... held on too tight; lots of other reasons. Now I experience more joy just baking for a few individuals (when I feel like it, and not on demand) and sharing recipes ... knowing, of course, that even using the same recipe, their results will not be the same as my own ... some secrets just cannot be explained so easily, as they reside deep within one's own energetic field.

I'm a longtime appreciator of your brain and heart Derek.
Secrets we Keep
All of us have a script within us due to all of the interactions we've had in our youth. Many of these are positive, many are not. These secreted memories that formed our opinions of ourselves need to be examined and possibly evicted. As a musician I keep exposing my heart

You are right! It is astonishing (and sometimes demoralizing) to realize that what we consider to be so personal - and important - is of little importance to others.
As for taking this concept to the execution test, I would suggest that - while that is the USUAL thing for MOST of us - those of us who are writers or creative professionals would do better to keep those precious
ideas to ourselves! The key here, is to realize that while the words and phrases in literary pieces are copyrightable, the underlying concept or idea in a work is NOT - despite the fact that it is the driving force guiding the finished piece. Thus, I will happily reveal my poems and personal ideas to anyone; BUT I do NOT discuss ( and would not open to the digital world) the concepts, outlines or story-lines of any work I have undertaken for professional purposes. Thus, my hat is off to you for your courage while I remain half-hidden guarding my "babies." It is perhaps easier for someone like yourself who has demonstrated an almost infinite cache of new ideas… so you might think: "If one is taken, I have 20 more on hand."

Hi Derek,

I first read this a few days ago, and I still think this is a great idea. I see it the same as the idea of open-source, in your case is open-source-and-ideas.

I like it. No need to wait for you to fiddle around implementing them. May be someone will get on board, do something with it, and share it with the world.

I hope so, and I'll take a closer look when we are finally living on our boat.

Cheers,
Ramón

Derek, this is bordering on the philosophical. Honestly, I am not sure if i am ready to agree yet. I have been on both sides of the fence - protective of ideas, filing patents, propping the ego a bit; and on the other - sharing ideas with a group, feeling the warmth of the team. There is enjoyment in both - agree that it is a difference between black and gray. I guess I need to be more introspective to 'understand' what you are talking about.

Thanks so much for sharing this. It is a fantastic insight. Probably the best advice I may ever receive in my life .. :)

A very good insight. I have been employing something similar to music for a while now. Don't worry about the ideas you create being ripped off, especially since you have probably ripped off more than you have been ripped off. Just put it out there into the world and move on. If someone does rip you off just be happy in the fact that you were onto something at that moment. Know it sounds tough, but try it and see how enjoyable making music is supposed to be.

Interesting conceptually, though I think that the distinction has to be made between secret and private. I'm sure many of us have lots of thoughts that we would like to remain private (that joke wasn't funny, the boss is an idiot, I didn't find that presentation interesting, the comment I've just read was tedious) to protect ourselves or others either emotionally, financially or otherwise. Also, there are some things which need to be kept a secret (the recipe for Cola, the location of certain military assets, journalistic sources, the Google algorithms) again for the same reasons. I would suggest that whilst we can think of several things which we would like to keep private, the list of genuinely 'secret' items is considerably smaller. To discuss lines of code specifically, if that code is my source of income, I would be financially disadvantaged if others had access to that code for free, so I would see a value in keeping the code a secret. If that code was written for a non-profit viewpoint, it would potentially benefit me and others if the code could be collaboratively developed. I think the danger is assigning the same value to all code, or all information (or all personal journals). The saying information is power is pertinent, if its my information I want to filter who does and does not get access.
Yep. I failed in my communication of this blog post, because many people thought I was saying that nothing should be secret. I just meant that I re-considered the reasons behind keeping my programming code and business ideas secret, and decided there was no reason for me to keep those two things secret anymore. That's all. I never said or implied that nothing should be private. — Derek

Interesting. Asking somebody to read their diary... I tried for many years to put my story to paper, with no real success. Usually that's how I work, Put it on paper first then do my edits on computer, or online, etc. I finally got into it online in the form of a blog, and it just rolled on and on. What got me inspired was a conversation about friendship and relationships during One New Year's Eve... This lead me to first Write a review of the past year, That single review of 2009, lead me to review my life in the last decade. By the Time I finished that, it was a good six months later and I wanted to just keep going. So I did, I went back even further, and connected to two sections covering well over 20 years of life, in blog form. It was a great release, but very personal. I couldn't believe I left it all out there on the internet, but at the same time, it didn't matter to anybody else.

Very interesting Derek. Glad to read your comments, they are never boring.

Guy Leroux @ Fizer Music Productions

http://fizermusic.webs.com/

Hi Derek,

Would you consider looking at my website and telling me what you think about it, etc. Would appreciate hearing from you.

http://davenelsonjazz.com/

My best and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours,

Dave

Derek, You are so always so far ahead of the curve that it takes a long time for most to catch up. I have been with you from your very early days when you got CD BABY up and running and you made a difference and your are challenging us again. "Fear" the coldest room in the house. We all deserve better digs.

thankyoumerci ø:) #charlie::http://micrab.tv/charlie/?tPg6WA

Hi Derek,

Hope this season brings joy, love, peace, compassion, magic and mystery for you.

I knew an older gentleman who was about to pass away and he showed me an 8 foot bookshelf full of miscellaneous papers and folders and asked if I'd like to edit it and orgainize it for him. I started reading through a few loose random pages, many illegible to me, and came to a similar conclusion, only through the filter of time:

Why wait until you are dead to reveal everything to the world. Why not share what might inspire or uplift or tickle or enliven someone else's life now as you go along.

Then, there is the issue of keeping our physical form housed, fed, healthy and inspired. We need to "make a living" and some of it entails "intellectual property". It all comes from the same source anyway, only it comes through our own unique filters.

The old Sufi saying. "trust in God but tie up your camel"

Cheers,

Buddy

very good point, and an interesting concept. I think that letting the code out is good for the world and not keeping it private. The concept is important too. imagine how better the world could be…

ALL IS ONE

Really interesting article and very brave experiment. I totally agree with not keeping secrets (though sometimes it's necessary). I had hired some programmers to develop my Toccata website in the past. Things went wrong and I had to quit working with them. One of them encrypted all the codes and threatened me to sell the codes if I don't do what he wants. I told him that I would be happy if he did that. The other guys, apparently, sold the codes without me knowing and I recently, accidentally, saw a website that was exactly like mine and I knew that's what they did. But for some reason I don't feel bad about this and I say to myself if someone can steals my codes and make them work in real life, then I will have to be smarter and come up with more unique ideas to beat them. I guess somehow I have realized that having attachment to our possessions stop us from growing and going far.
Thanks for sharing this great experience...

You really truly think or believe they, who ever they may be to you as in every case it has to and must be some one different to you and every one else, do not already know?

bravo, I have said I have no secrets, but I do like to have my privacy respected. Is that a contradiction?
You close the bathroom door, don't you? It's no secret what you're doing, but you want privacy anyway. — Derek

Derek, Your observations and questions about the why's and how's of life IS what makes you the Great and Successful Man that you are! I have to rely on my memories of ALL my escapades and adventures since I did NOT continue to keep an ongoing diary or up to date journal. I have squeezed about 4 entire lifetimes in to my one body. And, I must say, I have enjoyed ALMOST ALL of my wild and sometimes dangerous encounters in my travels. Life IS an adventure.! Keep living it my friend. And, please continue to share it with us. Clair

Derek,

Does this mean that you don't keep a hand written journal?
I don't, no. — Derek

Derek, although I realize you believe in being "painfully" clear, and I realize you exaggerate to make a point, nevertheless I don't like your statement to commenter # 316:
"I failed in my communication... because many thought I was saying..."

I think you are being too noble, and being "responsible to a fault." As I see it, grown adults have a responsibility to read slowly enough to comprehend what they read... especially if they are going to comment.

Children in school, of course, are tested on reading comprehension, and that's fair, because our children are impulsive: They read too fast, make guesses, and don't stop to think... but I believe adults should all be able to comprehend.

Therefore, when I write my blog-essays, I do not take responsibility for those who won't read.
(Then again, very few will ever read my blog, not like when you wrote to customers of CD Baby)
Good point. Thank you. Most articles I write are not misunderstood, even for people quickly scanning them, so I feel the difference when I write one that is misunderstood often. I still believe I can improve it so that even quick readers don't get the wrong idea. — Derek

Hi Derek,

Is the link to sive.rs/projects broken? It redirects to your home page as of now. Have you taken it down intentionally or is it a technical issue? I would love to see what ideas you have listed down there (and maybe steal one of them :p).

Also, is the source code for sive.rs available anywhere? I love the minimal flow and the simplicity, and it looks like you've built it from scratch. It would be great if you could share it so that others can learn from it and customize it.

Thanks for your posts!