Digital World
A friend of mine updated a blog today on how we have become slaves to technology... which is so true to think through really... however, the question is - can humans ever control their dependency on it? Should we or should we not?
For example, I have been living by myself for past 9 months and will do so for coming couple of months without a question. Technology has become my best friend of-late - TV, Movies, sitcoms etc. While at work, constantly on laptop... when back home again on laptop / tv / phone.. but this is truly a savior for me.. I can't go out everyday and spend time with friends... It is now easy for me to be by myself and remain positive even when you have got only yourself to live with!
But this becomes sometimes a lazy bad habit. Again quoting my own instance, when my husband comes over.. there are several moments when we both are just into our phones busy networking or browsing.. Back in Delhi, I remember my mother in law saying while bringing some snacks from the kitchen - bas phone pe hi raho aur ek dusre se baat hi mat karo (be on the phone and just don't talk to each other) - very valid point considering 4 of us in the TV room with TV on and we were just busily looking into our phones / laptops instead of having some family time!!
On top it you have to keep up with the rapid pace at which technology is growing... In a social group of 4 if one of you don't know what GOT is all about, all you can do is just stare at them and smile awkwardly... same goes for sports, reality shows, features of new gadgets, latest tweets etc..
Gone are the days when I had time to listen to my Mom with full attention.. now i have to make an effort to keep my phone away in silent mode and then strictly take time out and talk to her.. one beep on mobile shifts your attention totally after all! Even at this point while blogging, i am whatsapping simultaneously - so called multi-tasking!
My dad had official guest house in a forest before his retirement... He had all the facilities and great view as it was on a hill... Whenever we went there, there was absolutely no connectivity.. no WiFi and no mobile network (except for BSNL)... day 1 used to be total getaway with just to yourself and your family.. but by next day you have an itch to just get out and get into the connecting world!
The fact is we are addicted to busy lives... I went to Scotland back in May... the high-lands had such an amazing peace and had a lovely time.. After that I stayed back at Stirling at a friend's place for a day... The place had deafening silence...So Saturday night was really amazing with complete peace but by Sunday night I was missing busyness... Although it was calm, it was not serene to me anymore.. I was missing the buzz!
In short, i have realised that we need time and space to introspect... But we can't stay away from social interaction for so long... its unfortunate that our lives are getting more and more comfortable with digital world.. we are happy to have as minimal face to face interaction as possible.. if its a necessity it fine but it is the option we are choosing these days... And the only way to come out of it is to make an effort and keep moving and keep meeting!!
For example, I have been living by myself for past 9 months and will do so for coming couple of months without a question. Technology has become my best friend of-late - TV, Movies, sitcoms etc. While at work, constantly on laptop... when back home again on laptop / tv / phone.. but this is truly a savior for me.. I can't go out everyday and spend time with friends... It is now easy for me to be by myself and remain positive even when you have got only yourself to live with!
But this becomes sometimes a lazy bad habit. Again quoting my own instance, when my husband comes over.. there are several moments when we both are just into our phones busy networking or browsing.. Back in Delhi, I remember my mother in law saying while bringing some snacks from the kitchen - bas phone pe hi raho aur ek dusre se baat hi mat karo (be on the phone and just don't talk to each other) - very valid point considering 4 of us in the TV room with TV on and we were just busily looking into our phones / laptops instead of having some family time!!
On top it you have to keep up with the rapid pace at which technology is growing... In a social group of 4 if one of you don't know what GOT is all about, all you can do is just stare at them and smile awkwardly... same goes for sports, reality shows, features of new gadgets, latest tweets etc..
Gone are the days when I had time to listen to my Mom with full attention.. now i have to make an effort to keep my phone away in silent mode and then strictly take time out and talk to her.. one beep on mobile shifts your attention totally after all! Even at this point while blogging, i am whatsapping simultaneously - so called multi-tasking!
My dad had official guest house in a forest before his retirement... He had all the facilities and great view as it was on a hill... Whenever we went there, there was absolutely no connectivity.. no WiFi and no mobile network (except for BSNL)... day 1 used to be total getaway with just to yourself and your family.. but by next day you have an itch to just get out and get into the connecting world!
The fact is we are addicted to busy lives... I went to Scotland back in May... the high-lands had such an amazing peace and had a lovely time.. After that I stayed back at Stirling at a friend's place for a day... The place had deafening silence...So Saturday night was really amazing with complete peace but by Sunday night I was missing busyness... Although it was calm, it was not serene to me anymore.. I was missing the buzz!
In short, i have realised that we need time and space to introspect... But we can't stay away from social interaction for so long... its unfortunate that our lives are getting more and more comfortable with digital world.. we are happy to have as minimal face to face interaction as possible.. if its a necessity it fine but it is the option we are choosing these days... And the only way to come out of it is to make an effort and keep moving and keep meeting!!
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7 comments:
Agree with each and every word of yours; but at the same time we should be thankful of this Digital World too!
Coz of this only:
1) I can read in India what you have shared being in London!
2) We can chat , though we have not met a single time until now.
3) We share a lot, and all we know each other is only due to this Digital World! ;)
4) We understand the underlying meaning of words, at times due to the digital emoticons! ;) :P :D
So should see the other side too!
No wonder, technology has made world small, and at the same time, we forgot to keep the balance between the use of technology and personal touch in any relation.
It's more about "us" forgetting the balance between the physical world and digital world; rather keeping the Digital world at the edge. :)
Totally with you on that... Like I stated the only reason I am able to survive at this point is coz of tech... And yes we need make an effort now to come out of the easy world and make some human contact
Having said that... We shud meet in December in Delhi!!
Haha !!
We can meet in December in Pune too! ;) :P
I dont know whether I m happy not to get addicted like others. Because I always fight with my husband for spending more time with mobile than with me. Hes happy to hear voices on youtube and of Arnab Goswami, but when I talk he prefers silence..phew!!
@Soumya: He liking Arnab Goswami's voice is just too much :-P :-P
Hehehe true :P
We ARE becoming too much of slaves to technology (read: business). The premise on which tech was sold to us was that it would make life simpler, and we would have more free time. But thats yes and no. Emails and spreadsheets on the phone ensure that we work though holidays and off office hours. We spend more hours fixing tech issues (printer not working, drivers need updates, phone crashed, forgot email password etc etc). Its also made planning moe complex since people can back out last minute with just a text.
I recently went to see a top brand's car in their showroom. They couldn't open the boot for me to see because the display car had run out of battery. I asked why a simple key couldn't open the boot. They shrugged and said its all electronics.
How do we fix all of that? More tech? less tech?
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