I have to admit that there are benefits to being a man’s man. When my cousin, one of the most macho men I know, heard about Tiger’s 2 a.m. car crash, he confidently said, “I bet you there’s another woman involved.” My cousin could have broken the story that has monopolized today’s news.

I immediately rejected my cousin’s half-baked take on the car crash and accused him of jumping to conclusions. I thought, Tiger is smart enough to know that, today, one can not get away with transgressions—at least not for long. Who would take the risk of being photographed with an extra-marital lover? Who would risk having your wife find your girlfriend’s phone number in your cell phone? Who would take the chance that your lover may keep your voicemails, emails and text messages and sell them to the tabloids? That just might be Tiger.

While we are still waiting for more details, two things are clear. One, Tiger committed some undisclosed transgressions against his family for which he apologized on his website. Two, Tiger is clueless as to how technology has made it nearly impossible to get away with ongoing crimes, affairs and other misdeeds.

I must admit that I was really taken aback by this story. I was more intrigued by Tiger’s apology than the morning talk heads who were pontificating about President Obama’s plans for Afghanistan. I actually visited Tiger’s website and read the infamous apology. (Until now, I didn’t even know that Tiger had a website. As they say in public relations, all news is good news.) As I skimmed through the apology, looking for the events that led to the apology, I came across two sentences that struck me. He wrote, "But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy…Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn’t have to mean public confessions. "

What makes Tiger think that privacy exists for any of us? Shows like Cops, Cheaters, and America’s Dumbest Criminals, are just some examples of how television captures even the Average Joe in his worst moments. Privacy does not exist for most of us.
I have often joked with friends that technology has made me a more honest person. From close-circuit cameras in elevators to search engines that monitor our personal email for advertising opportunities, very little information remains private. Our bosses, for the most part, have the right to review our email, text messages, and any other information that goes over the company’s network. And, when we call our banks or credit card companies we have all heard the message, “This call may be recorded for quality control or training purposes.”

I’m sure that there is a study, statistic, or dissertation that reveals to what extent technology has busted cheating spouses. The idea that cellphones can take pictures and record video, I don’t know how Tiger thought that whatever his transgressions were would stay private. As more details about his situation are revealed, I would like to think that his experience serves as an example to all others who are considering their own transgressions. However, it is human nature for us to think that we are special enough to avoid getting our hands caught in the cookie jar. Until the next scandal…