Georg Simmel — German Sociologist born on March 01, 1858, died on September 28, 1918

Georg Simmel was a German sociologist, philosopher, and critic... (wikipedia)

Secrecy sets barriers between men, but at the same time offers the seductive temptation to break through the barriers by gossip or confession.
The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life.
Every relationship between two individuals or two groups will be characterized by the ratio of secrecy that is involved in it.
Every relationship between persons causes a picture of each to take form in the mind of the other, and this picture evidently is in reciprocal relationship with that personal relationship.
The earliest phase of social formations found in historical as well as in contemporary social structures is this: a relatively small circle firmly closed against neighboring, strange, or in some way antagonistic circles.