Have you tried unlocking your house door by showing or swiping your badge and wonder why the door has not opened?
Were you trying to increase the TV volume with your cell phone?
Most of us proudly proclaimed that we did it and that we ARE nuts. But reiterating on the same, are these to be dismissed off as an aberration? Isn't it that it needs some thought?
One could say, What big deal? I was just pre-occupied or engrossed in some thoughts. Even so, isnt that your first instinct relies on technology? At the switch of a button, your AC is turned on, at the swipe of a card; money at your disposal. Don't you feel empowered?
You don't have to walk to the switchboard to control the AC, you don't have to run to the bank, wait in queue to withdraw money. Your favorite songs are all loaded into your ipod. Your contacts are all at the flick of your finger tips, imagine jotting them down in a diary and carrying that book around everywhere you went.
You have created a virtual world around you. If you have a problem, tweet it and just watch how many advices, support and sympathies you get. So many virtual shoulders to cry on huh!....If you feel alone, just pick your phone, choose, call and connect.Technology lets you keep connected emotionally and mentally with one another, empowerment.
But is it really what it sounds? Are your online friends really friends? Do you really get peace of mind after sharing your sorrows online with a virtual entity. Are those smileys real emotions? Are we not creating a distance with those physically present around us? How awkward it is to be frowning at your spouse but smiling at your laptop!!!!! Is it not weird?
You get irritated when the door bell rings, but you are glad when your cell phone rings. You wait for those calls which never come, keep looking for the messages that was never sent. We create our own little kingdoms, keeping the friends we need, play the games I want....in silos. You are glad when your online friend sends a message but peeved when your spouse wants to have a chat with you.
So while you tweet, your spouse scraps. Instead of sharing the thoughts with each other, its tweeted and scrapped!!!
But when its a hassle to keep away people who are physically with you, isn't it just a click of a button to shoo away those who are part of your virtual world? No expectations, no complaints. Click away your relationship :-P
Excellent observation. We tend to take things for granted either with people around us or the “technology” stuff you mentioned. Internet, cell phones, and chat facilities have thoroughly changed the world.
ReplyDeletevery true re..this is our life now - virtual..we have made that real..it keeps away the physical aspect away from you; you can block or delete them whenever you want..but that's convenient right? tweets and scraps are our lives these days..
ReplyDeleteafter a long time a good hard hitting sarcasm I am reading :)
Very nice post.
ReplyDeleteThough I agree with you, there are some positives of anonymity. There is no fear of listener (reader) abusing your emotional state of affair if you do confine to an internet friend.
Phone is sometimes good because you don't have to dress up.
Technology overall is good and made our life is easy and fascinating. Imagine, how could I share my experience with you if there were no blogging. Most of friends are not interested in reading book/stories etc.
Stating the obvious - balance is the best approach. Use the technology but maintain balance with real life. Spend time with real people, family and outside..I try to do it.
Maybe that's what makes social networking so attractive. Click someone off and all connections are cut off.
ReplyDeleteReal life's a tad more complicated :D
Nicely written Insignia!
How true. Technology is taking over our lives but we dont seem to realise that we are gaining some but we are actually losing out on our relationships.A survey reveals that married couples have reduced their verbal communication by 17% in the last 10 yrs.
ReplyDeleteUltimately it depends on who uses it how. I had more fun, running over to my neighbours to watch one tv program 20 years ago, while i can't watch even one program from 200 channels now..i think kids are missing out more, than anyone else..
ReplyDeleteconvenience isn't always wonderful:) just useful:)
But there are times when the written word doesn't suffice to the word of consolation, when the spoken word sounds hollow without the accompanying touch, when silence helps to be wanted, to be together.
ReplyDeleteVirtual is virtual convenience. Humans need actual states.
But there are times when the written word doesn't suffice to the word of consolation, when the spoken word sounds hollow without the accompanying touch, when silence helps to be wanted, to be together.
ReplyDeleteVirtual is virtual convenience. Humans need actual states.
SG,
ReplyDeleteThank you. Isnt this whats happening with each one of us? We dont realize the damage we are causing to ourselves
Neha,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Our virtual world has become our real world. We are getting nowhere in the name of 'convenience'.
I am glad you liked the post and understood the sarcasm in it :-0
A,
ReplyDeleteThank you.
I dont know if what you say holds completely true. You need not be in physical proximity with a person to be abused emotionally.
And you say, phone is good as you dont have to dress up. Is dressing up not worth to meet and emote and share some nice moments with a person who adore and call friend? A chat over a cup of coffee? Would you not like to see the happiness on the face of your friend than hear him/her saying "I am happy you called"?
I am not saying NO to technology. All I am saying is the empowerment is so intoxicating that we have somehow fallen into it. Trust me, I always sit with my laptop at home than spending quality time with my folks. Is that right?
I would anytime read a story from a book than reading it online. No glossy online page can beat the crispness of the page, the smell of the book and the music when the pages are fluttered. :-) What say?
Of course, balance is what is required. There are numerous studies and solid proofs of how the over use has made us forget the obvious things in life.
Thanks much for your views. I appreciate it.
Hi shaunak,
ReplyDelete:-) yeah. Thanks much, glad you liked it
Chowla sir,
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, we are not realizing what all we are losing and thats magnanimous. Thanks for the trivia. 17% is such a huge number!
Hi WD,
ReplyDeleteYes, one needs to control. I do get what you say. I used to wait to watch programs on DD and run over to my neighbor's house to catch a glimpse. Now with a Plasma tv and 300+ channels, you dont want to watch anything. :-)
Holy Lama,
ReplyDeleteThats what I am trying to convey here. Just a word that "everything will be fine" online or a hug by a friend. Which is effective? :-)
nice :) we are indeed dependent upon technology for every small thing. It might have made our life easier but it is also harming our health. For instance few years ago, it was said that keeping cell phones in pocket leads to reduction in sperm count. Similarly, buildings in mumbai did not want the tower to be set up in their terrace as it was believed that it would lead to severe brain damage.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am trying to say is that one should try to be less dependent on technology atleast in order to avoid such serious health problems.
Lamba ho gaya comment...maaf karo jee.
hmmm we cant help it can we.... neengala parava ila... i forgot my fly :( ... thats y i wrote the post! parthingala
ReplyDeleteGayathri,
ReplyDeleteTrue..lot of such examples could be quoted. The missing sparrows in our neighborhood, the carpel syndrome, RSIs.....
Thanks for your views, and dont ever worry about the length of comments. Its your space and views are encouraged :-)
Hary,
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha. Did you really? I have a fictional story on that. I hope you have read that :-)
you can choose to be whatever you want on the virtual world.isnt that good enough a reason to get addicted?
ReplyDeletesoin,
ReplyDeleteBut is that for real?
cent percent true!!!.The machines are influencing us more than the real world around!!
ReplyDeletenice one
ReplyDeleteonline its easy to share or connect or disconnect
Ah ! The ways of the world ! When writing on anothers 'wall' is a matter of routine and 'pls scrap me
ReplyDelete' is a matter of respectful request, we sure understand the world has moved a few places !
Ofcourse when tweets were what birds did, Apples and blackberries were just fruits and Java was just a bean....life indeed was different !
Such a wonderful post! If the virtual world was not possible how could I get wonderful friend like you...:)
ReplyDeleteI agree with A. "Phone is sometimes good because you don't have to dress up". Its just like dial a number and start talking as much as we want...:)And If you don't want to listen you can even keep aside and do your rest of the work....;-)
chitra,
ReplyDeleteThanks. Rather, i would say we are getting influenced by them :-)
sm,
ReplyDeletethanks. exactly!!
Kavi,
ReplyDeleteSo true :-) And when farming is no more soiling your hands....:-D
Thanks Megha. I am not saying virtual world must be taken off. I am only saying are we striking balance?
ReplyDeleteWe are not!! And regarding the phone being good..I have shared my views to A's comments :-)
I agree with you completely.
ReplyDeleteIts all about the false feel of comfort that we chat and tweet and scrap or write on some wall..
Sometimes I dont even think that the emotions are even true.
I wrote sumthin long tym back on this thing.
Facing the book v/s facebook.
The virtual world still remains and may be the puppets are still typing oops tweeting..
Cheers
Nuts
I was just pointing some positives of phone and internet at emotional level.
ReplyDeleteAlso I do believe technology is great. I am able to read, comment and talk to you because of technology.
Also it is my bread and butter. Everyone in the world shall use a telephone, cell phone, internet and all other devices that we will make.
Of course balance is must in life.
YEah I know what you mean.. when you say "So while you tweet, your spouse scraps. Instead of sharing the thoughts with each other, its tweeted and scrapped".. I think we are loosing the touch of talking to people who actually matter ..
ReplyDeleteRegarding online friends.. It depends.. some are genuine Some are not.. you just got to hope that people are genuine..
and YEs sometimes it helps talking of your sorrows etc with a online friend because you dont get GRIEF back.. and its off your chest..
A very good post :)
Hmm..Matrix becoming a reality..
ReplyDeletemachines taking over..
no wonder we are loosing the humane part of humanity
Nipun,
ReplyDeleteExactly, you put in the right word. False feel of comfort.
We are addicted to it.
Thanks for the comments. :-)
A,
ReplyDeleteYes, I get it :-)
I am not saying that its a total No-No...All I am saying is we are becoming a slave, and what we would have done earlier, we are shunning away as internet and technology are at our disposal.
Its my bread and butter too :-) Technology is my passion.....And yes above all, we wouldn't be discussing about the same if not for it. But we should know when not to surrender :-)
Thanks much for your views, very much appreciated.
Bikram,
ReplyDeleteYes....I agree..genuine ones are rare to find...:-)
You dont get GRIEF back...hehehehehe...
Thanks
Sorcerer,
ReplyDeleteHmmm...Yes.. We are losing it all :-)
Cool. You work in technology. I could have never guessed. I seriously thought you were in publishing or something similar..
ReplyDeleteA,
ReplyDeleteWow!!! Is that a compliment? My work is in business critical advanced technology in the field of computers and IT :-)
Virtual and real.
ReplyDeleteOnly your view point can state what is what.
Some time...Real life (as you say it) happens to be quiet virtual and vice-a-versa.
True Makk. Real and virtual boundary are so think now.
ReplyDeleteTruly said. We're more hooked on to our online friends than our real friends. Conversation means chatting, liking and commenting on facebook and sending scraps. We ignore people around us, who really care for us and we devote more time to this modern day contraption called PC than ever. I wonder where we are heading. Imagine 10-15 years from now. The very thought frightens me.
ReplyDeleteAjay,
ReplyDeleteYes, the idea of thinking about what might happen is frightening. Right said. I really dont know where we are heading!! Its to be brooded about
Absolute true point...Everyone should be aware of the difference between real and virtual world, Real and superficial friends. Life becomes much simpler once you get that line marked ...
ReplyDeletePratik,
ReplyDeleteYes, glad you agree. Its that inability to get the difference that has landed us in this confused state. Thank you.