I love the potential of electronic gadgets! But far greater
is my love for living Life in the “here and the now”!
Recently, I spent a couple of weeks in Singapore. Although I
had lived for several years in Singapore, it was much before the wave of
electronic gadgets took over our lives. In those days, people couldn't wait to
get to their homes so that they could get onto their TVs, computers or other
electronic amusements. Now these very 'amusements' accompany us wherever we go,
seeking to engage and entertain us all the time. As a result, most of us who
live in these cities tend to be constantly restless -- texting, playing games,
reading posts, checking out videos, fiddling with the music lists, etc., seeking
out one diversion after another.
Almost everywhere, you see people being caught up with their
electronic gadgets - smart phones, tablets and iPods/mp3 players. We are
constantly seeking fun, excitement, and at a deeper level, an escape from the
reality of our daily lives. And in
response to our demands, the electronic industry is producing more and more
things that are portable and can zap you into a world away from the present.
Singapore is one such city where the potential of losing
one's self into this world of gizmos, is the highest. MRTs and bus stations are
the ideal zones for people to get lost in their gadgets. And you could also see
people glancing expectantly or texting mindlessly while riding on escalators,
walking on streets, and even while crossing traffic signals.
Security is both a boon and a bane. The outward security of
life that we sometimes find in the cities doesn't necessarily ensure inner
security and on the contrary leaves the mind free to dwell on its inner fears.
This is how the 'addiction' of electronic gadgets has gripped the whole city.
It gives us an escape from boredom and "inner insecurity" of our
lives and it promises something, which at best is only a temporary diversion. Unfortunately,
we fail to see how grasping onto these gadgets deprives us the opportunity to
live life to the fullest, to connect with other beings and to cultivate our own
strengths in coping with life, no matter how it manifests itself in the here
and the now.
After a few days stay in Singapore, I began to realize that
this phenomenon is not merely addictive but it also seeks to “proliferate”
through us. Having a smart phone and a tablet creates a certain “itch” in the
hands. We use ‘apps’ that draw others into this web more and more and thus the
positive power of digital networking becomes a tool for the whirlpool of
unproductive chattering. Although the digital world has many privileges of
networking and spreading positive cheer to people, the gadgets in themselves
carry a certain energy, which is a potential breeding ground for the restless
type of energy.
The kind of energy I felt when I am absorbed in them was
temporarily exhilarating but in reality was only draining -- mentally, emotionally
and physiologically. Isn't that what addiction is all about? It gives you a
temporary high, but leaves you depleted when you are off from it. So in order
to maintain the 'high' you indulge again in it. But the next time, it leaves
you with a less exhilarating effect and thereby necessitating a larger
'dosage'. Test yourself – how long can you keep a gadget in your bag or in our
pocket without fiddling with it during your spare moment? The next step is to
see if you can shut it off at night when you go to sleep and how long before
you activate it in the morning? Even when there is no message or a call, we
seek out for new posting, new video, etc. Sometimes the addiction is so severe
that some people can no longer go away on a retreat or anywhere in Nature,
where these gadgets are no longer active!
At the end of my couple of weeks of stay in Singapore, I
felt that although the population there had increased, I only “saw” a few
people there! Even the lady at the counter who smiled and offered me my drink
was restless to get back to her gadget.
I saw the danger and the potential “environmental hazard“ that
lies for all the cities in the world. Although it inspired me with a new
determination not to lose myself in this world of gadgets, I wondered about the
possible antidote that was available for all the Singaporeans, and all those
who live in modern cities (especially the teens and young adults). And how
about the peer pressure and the ridicule for those who seek to ‘take a break’
every now and then from these gadgets?
Do send me your
comments.
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