Public vs Private Space

I take public transportation a lot. I don't understand what has happened to the concept of public versus private space. Yes, cell phones give you the ability to talk to anyone from anywhere. But does that mean you have to? Does everyone on the bus with you need to listen to your argument with your significant other, hear your suggestions of where to meet for dinner tonight, endure your complaints about your boss, or need to know who was hitting on whom at last night's party? Until recently, these were generally considered private conversations. If you were in a public space (on the bus, in a restaurant, or in a store) discussing one of these topics with a friend, and someone nearby was clearly listening in, most people would have some choice words for the eavesdropper and would walk away, out of earshot. Now suddenly, perhaps since the other participant in the conversation isn't clear to those nearby, it's ok not just to eavesdrop, but to be forced to listen to these same conversations.

While typing this I needed to change a setting in my web browser. In searching through the menu options, I came across a setting called "privacy". When working on my computer at home, whether connected to the public Internet, I expect privacy. Yet somehow we have grown to expect privacy everywhere but when we're in public.