I have started to feel more than ever now, that the more
technology invades your life, the more you are inviting trouble! You are also
giving room for a lot of unnecessary complications you could do without, and
the age old maxim of Keep It Simple seems to be fading into oblivion.
Don’t get me wrong. I
am not a member of the creed which derides progress, or looks down on
development through technology, which makes life convenient for a lot of
people, though learning the ropes stresses them out. I have seen people struggling with the steps
to take for getting an access to their net-banking procedures, trying
desperately to book their tickets online, which others do in a jiffy, making
them feel illiterate, actions which a lot do without giving it a second thought! We have conferences online, do money
transfers at the click of a button, send off mails changing people’s lives by
just tapping a key… there is no lag of response time! I am sure, once we get a hang of it, and work
on the mental blocks towards these procedures, life definitely is very easy,
and we can achieve all we need to do, just by sitting at our desks all day.
While I really don’t know how beneficial or detrimental to the quality of our
lives that is, I am sure a lot has already been said about the matter for us to
ponder on it here.
No, what I am talking about infiltration of technology into
is the aspect of relationships. Has it
really benefitted from the more developed communications means I wonder? With the advent of free calls, free messaging,
and the like, aren’t we complicating life?
Talking more than needed, messaging more than necessary, simply because
it is all free, and because we need to be in touch all the time? In the process, are we losing touch with
ourselves I wonder? And the worst iniquity of it all is the group chats I
feel. At the risk of sounding like a
misanthrope, these group chats give rise to a lot of unnecessary conflicts and
arguments. More than sharing
information, and learning, I think a lot of energy is spent just trying to
prove a point. In the process, feathers
are ruffled, and remarks are personalised.
I have personally never really liked belonging to the chat
groups, and more and more I have come to feel that if there is any
communication to be shared, and if the other person is important enough, or you
are important enough for the other person, share the information either by a
phone call, or send a private message.
Groups are fine for discussions, but if just hanging on to the group
means you have a sense of belonging, while you actually don’t, what is the
point? More chats there mean less chats
with yourself! And God help you if you
dare to leave the group without the sanction of the members. They feel a sense of personal rejection! I can never understand this, and I have gone
to great pains, to explain my need to exit certain groups, basically because I
have felt a sense of not belonging there, or when I feel I do not resonate with
all that is being spoken about in the group chats. In spite of explaining that it is nothing
personal about each of the members, they go on a mission to either retain you
there, or else have a committee discussion on why it has happened!
Do we lose our sense of individual self when we feel the
disconnect? Or we find the connect with self, and that is why we feel the disconnect? I am not really sure; but am sure of one
thing. If the members of the group are
not willing to connect with you personally but only on the group, then I am
definitely better off exiting the group!
MOHANA NARAYANAN
March 14,2018
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