The “Digital generation” as we call ourselves is one of the most selfish generations to have resided on this planet. We don’t see what can be learnt from our Gen-Ex but, we google a lot of other things. Things have changed a lot in this age, that we feel that we don’t need anyone to support us. We feel that we are independent to lead our own lives, but, search for new virtual friends every day. We have so much digital security around us, but, still we feel so insecure about ourselves, looking for recognition in a virtual world.
Earlier, society was largely confined to the neighborhood. We used to get to know people when we venture out to play in the evenings. After school, bring your friends home and the respective mothers, catch-up with each other. There were no Saas-Bahu serials to discuss upon, but, exchange of cooking recipes and knowledge on religion were a part of the usual story. Dads came back in the evening with chocolates and ice-creams and obviously, weekends meant to play with GI-Joes and Hot Wheels. Life was uncomplicated. We knew people, we were happy in the real sense.
Things have changed and I don’t refute that the same things are being done by the kids of our generation and the succeeding one, but, only with a simple twist. The Facebook status goes saying, “Got a new GI-Joe, who wanna come and play”, and followed by “23 likes” and a few other comments. The Tech companies have made so much in-road that sensing your urge to play the particular game, they create online platforms and let you rot in it. There were no cell-phones, but, still we found our friends, but, now, the call is perennially on wait. These are just a few examples. But, the real question is where have we gone wrong? We have so much time, yet, we don’t spare a moment for each other. Why are we lacking the integral part of our integrity?
My view on this point is that we have moved away from religion. Taking a cue from a personal incident, a few years ago in an audition for the Literary Circle, NIT-D, I made it to the final round. There, I was asked a question, “If you were given a page in our magazine to write upon, what will be your genre?” I answered, “Spirituality”. I wasn’t paid much heed from thereon and was eventually not selected. I don’t say that I was not naïve, but, that was all I knew irrespective of the confusion, which religion to follow. Thinking from a magazine’s point of view, they were right in not selecting me because spirituality hardly sells (Deepak Chopra has got it in him).
But, neither do we learn from our elders. They have lots to offer – assiduousness, determination, security (financial, economical, emotional and spiritual) and lots more. But, we hardly seem to notice them all. We seek for a closure online. We try to be cool and look like a fool (obviously, copied from song lyrics). Are we are still happy – in a virtual world and in a virtual sense?
