By Guest Writer- Avani Sudhir
The pressure in our lives is overwhelming, and we all look for a mode of
escape; delving into a book, experimenting with our artistic side, picking up a
sport, lending a hand in the kitchen and the possibilities go on. We require a
source of distraction, and the modern world is brimming with them. From
mobile phones to T.V.’s to tablets, technology has been sought after as one of
these sources. I’m not going to sit here, ironically typing this on a laptop, and
tell you how ‘hazardous’ technology can be to multiple aspects of your life.
Instead, I'm going to try to convince you to look up from these screens once in a
while.
Source: Pinterest
We live in a world where we can connect to people, places, information, and
ideas in mere seconds. Through the power of text messages, emails, phone calls,
and social media, we can reach out to anyone at any time. In a sense, we are
hyper-connected. Yet, somewhere deep within us, maybe, just maybe, we crave
a little more. We buy into the philosophy that technology has helped us as a
society, but as human beings, we need more than a phone call or text message to
make us truly connected.
The increase in ‘connection’ seems to be resulting in a parallel increase in
‘disconnection’.
I am a psychology student. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that humans are social creatures.
A lack of deeper connections to ourselves and others leaves
us feeling empty, as though we are adrift in a sea of strangers, unable to know
who we are, what we want, or how to get it. How connected we feel to others is
an indicator of our happiness and feelings of self-worth.
Source: The Daily Mail UK
We know that time is linear and is constantly in the process of evolving the
existing systems and their practices. There was a time, a really long time back
when it came to technology, we only knew a drop. We’d communicate through
telegrams and letters, the thought of which now almost sounds romantic. The
Internet was still only up and coming in the 1990s. People knew what a floppy
disk was and how it worked. Mobile phones were brick-like, making individuals
reluctant to carry it around anywhere, leading to S.T.D. booths minting money.
And most importantly vinyl records weren’t collectibles but were actually
played.
Today we are drowning in an ocean, barely able to catch a breath. A single text
can travel the globe in the blink of an eye. The Internet is a household name,
nearly qualifying as a necessity. Storing data in the Cloud is the norm. Mobile
phones somehow vary in shapes and sizes, seldom leaving our back pockets or
hands. Spotify, Wynk, and other streaming platforms make all sorts of music
available at a click.
Don’t get me wrong - technology has its place and is useful, helpful, and even
necessary in so many of our interactions - but if we are wondering why we feel
so disconnected in a world that is so connected, we need to realistically assess
the limitations of technology in building authentic, and deep connections.
I look at these two pictures and think – what a lot has changed! We now have
colour TV and a range of content delivery mechanisms as well as a plethora of
other sources like computers, tablets, and phones. I can’t help but think, how
relentlessly our love for TV has stayed the same – we love gossiping about
content and we love a good story. It’s just that in this day and age, our source of
content consumption is different. In a household, we each may have varied
tastes, choices, and ultimately sources of content. Technology has brought us
closer to a certain extent but has led us apart in some context as well.
We connect when we listen to one another, respecting and intently hearing
shared stories. We connect when we sift through all our differences to find that
thread of compassion and understanding that links us. In this hyper-connected
world, searching for these simple connections becomes a laborious task.
Not until we put down our phones, switch off our computers, and look into each other's eyes will we be able to touch each other's hearts.
As philosophical as that sounds, it is true to a certain extent. Technology
consumes us to a magnitude very few things can. We’ve heard the older
generations rave about ‘when we were young…’ or ‘the good old days…’ in
their attempts to get us to look up and explore the world around us (not the best
time for that now), but have rarely ever taken the opportunity. However, when
we do, we see a colourful image full of life. We see fellow eyes, searching for
another to connect with. We experience this so-called ‘beauty’ in our world,
about which poems and proses are written. This is when we truly see each other,
in our best and our worst. Not on a screen, and not distant.
I’ve got nothing against the forces of technology, and consider it a blessing in
many senses, but do believe that as human beings, an online connection is not
enough. Research work will inform you of all the reasons why, but mine is quite
simple – It’s just not how we’re built. Because we long to know others and be
known by them, contrived communication in the form of status updates,
hashtags, and photo posts will not satisfy the deep longings of our souls.
We talk about how we’ve progressed from an age of minimal technology to a
society heavily dependent on it. Going forward, our tech use will presumably
continue to be on the rise. When thinking about new technologies, we can never
deny the facts of its importance and relevance, but let’s not overlook the fact
that we’re all humans in this system, and as humans, we have social needs. We
want to be part of something bigger, we need to have secrets, experience life,
and feel connected.
There are seven billion of us on this planet, all seeking connection with each
other, through a multitude of means. While the digital sphere does provide a
notion of connectivity, it comes with a hint of vulnerability.
Just take a step back, look up from this screen and think-
How does the quantity of your connections compare with the quality of your
connections?
It is something worth wondering, and if you do have an answer, share it with
someone, and maybe you may just connect.
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