Referencing the famous saying from the 14th century barrister Edward Coke about an Englishman’s home being his castle, this quote from Prime Minister William Pitt (the Elder) is such a fierce and stirring depiction of liberty. After all, without the ability to close your door and shut out the world, what is the purpose of freedom? Especially nowadays where the boundaries have blurred so much, they are indistinguishable.
So this book from sociologist and Scotsman columnist Tiffany Jenkins not only proves to be an excellent call for the return of a private life for us all but also demonstrates how hard-won victories have been frittered away in the face of technological advancement and disintegrating social bonds.
Believe it or not, it all starts with the Reformation.
While we’re all familiar with the tale of Martin Luther nailing a copy of 95 Theses onto the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg (which is supposedly a myth), less discussed are the implications behind his ideas:
At the core of Luther’s message lay a profound belief: salvation could not be bought, and only through God’s grace could one attain redemption on Judgement Day. That meant that he repudiated a central tenant of the Church, the belief that good works – financial donations, good deeds and fasting – would be taken into account by God. Luther proposed a direct and intimate connection between the believer and the divine, bypassing traditional structures and established rituals.
Although intended as an attack on the decadence of the Church, Luther inadvertently laid the groundwork for the Enlightenment, something the devoutly religious Luther would have been horrified at. Funny how these things turn out, isn’t it?
Racing through the English Reformation (with Thomas More proving to be another pivotal figure), Cromwell, Puritanism, the Industrial Revolution, invention of the camera, Alfred Kinsey, feminism, reality TV, public scandals, politics and social media, Jenkins demonstrates how such luxuries we have come to expect were (inadvertently) fought for via bloody wars, how the pioneers were certainly not perfect (John Milton hated Fenians) and how strands that seem pioneering at the time (the broadcast of An American Family and The Family on PBS and BBC respectively) can end up in an Orwellian nightmare (the rise of CCTV culture, endless reality programmes and the more narcissistic end of social media).
Quite a tall order but Jenkins’ writing is seamless; allowing the reader to follow and digest the circumstances she discusses as well as the implications. In every chapter, there will be a nugget of information that will make you ponder and appreciate the meditative qualities of not being in the public eye for lengthy periods.
Concluding this enthralling and stimulating read is a defence of private life. Jenkins writes that:
Private life is double edged – it protects us from certain kinds of public accountability and interference, but it can hide wrongdoing. It can stultify and be mind-numbingly boring. But while it is not an unmitigated good, it is unquestionably necessary…we must resurrect a meaningful divide between the public and private domains. Men and women need to be able to present their best selves in public and participate as equals in a civil society, but still be able to withdraw, separately and together, to a protected private sphere.
Words to live by.
Tiffany Jenkins, 2025, Strangers and Intimacies: The Rise and Fall of Private Life. Picador. ISBN-13: 978-1529034165
⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist and is the author of A Vortex of Securocrats and “dethrone god”.
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