It was hard for me to decide the topic for this blog, it may not sound very appealing. But the purpose of writing this blog is to go through the accomplishments and some side effects of modern technology and the smart devices (iPhone, tablets, all smart phones). Smart phones and gadgets are so common, very popular among young generation and to some extent all ages. The information exchange is so quick within a blip messages are sent to any part of the planet with no distance barriers…thanks to Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter to name a few. The world has changed and all these tools , technologies have made the world so small in a finger tip, there is no distance barrier.
Recently I was in India for a short trip, the trend of using smart phones is no way less if we compare it to USA. Peoples have more options to buy cheaper phones with big screen. I was traveling from Patna to Delhi in Patna Delhi Rajdhani train first time ever in my life. The train started from Patna and when every one settled down after adjusting the luggage etc…most of them in my compartment started using the smart phone. It was little unusual for me to notice that, the last time I travelled to Delhi from Patna by train was about twenty years ago when I was in my college. I remember those days we use to go in second class compartment. After train starts and every one settles down within the compartment travelers use to mingle and start talking. You may find peoples talking and exchanging ideas on different topics in different compartments on politics, education or any day to day affairs. Peoples use to exchange food with others and share what ever they had. By the time they reach Delhi some of them even exchange their home address or landline no ( if they have ).
You would now realize why I used the word Unusual when I was traveling this time by train people in the compartment were either chatting / texting using WhatsApp or talking with their friends families on phone. There was hardly any interaction with other fellow travelers. The only time I noticed talking peoples to a fellow traveller when they have to use a common charger point available in train compartment to charge the cell phone. The next day morning I couldn’t stop myself to ask a fellow traveler, about why people don’t talk now and mingle with others. He replied LAGTA HAI BAHUT DIN KEE BAAD AAP TRAIN MAIN JAA RAHE HAIN (*It seems you are traveling by train after long time). The fellow traveler easily noticed that and reminded me the fact as if it is my fault to use train after so many years. May be yes it is my fault, or may be the world has changed drastically after the technology companies picked up but can’t dare to blame Facebook giant Mark Zuckerberg or google CEO Sundar Pichai, some of the big companies and CEO’s to name with. I know peoples response and I am of the same opinion, technology is just the business enabler and it is up to peoples how they want to use it. This was of course not the goal for technology companies to make you addict of smart phone or gadgets but may be I should not speak for them, let the companies top executives respond and add their opinion.
The addiction for smart phone is every where even within the Home. People will immediately start talking if something is wrong with WiFi router. Well I can’t excuse myself one day my son took the phone from me and put it on the carpet about two years ago, but that is when I realized it. Peoples prefer to exchange messages rather than talking over phone. It works well when you are local or meet at least once in six month. I have few relatives whom I haven’t met from few years and some of them in decade. Being old fashioned or outdated still like to pick phone and call, but in today’s world everyone is busy. It is very hard to find time, but when I tried other way round contacting my loved ones by posting a comment on Facebook, I will get many likes and responses. It surprised me when I posted something on Facebook and saw a response from one of my relative within few minutes whom I last met in 1995, but I wish could hear his voice at least over phone.
Well we all adopted the modern world technology it made our life easy in one way, but on other hand we are confined to the gadgets. I was telling one of my friend may be we can afford to live without air (of course I am exaggerating) for sometime but not without internet.
As I myself adapted and and used technology exessively it will be hard for me to advise and conclude this topic. But if I have to choose I would prefer to go back to old age, where there was no smartphone. I wish I could teach my kids, excessive use of anything is bad and limit yourself to use something (smartphone as example) as long as it adds value to your life and society. Don’t waste time, time is money it is preciuos make best use of it.
At last I would like top technology CEO’s for their valuable advise on usage of smart phones, somehow they are connected to impact the culture the way people interact now on public place (Example above train compartment)
- Microsoft etc….
Thank you all for reading this blog would appreciate your feedback and comment.
