Confined in a cell
An early morning in Bangalore, I
was aboard one of those Big Red Volvo buses on my way to a friend’s home. The thing about those buses is that the cabin insulates you from the world outside. Fifteen minutes in to the journey, I realized my cell phone was doing the same to me. Neither was I aware of my immediate surroundings nor what was beyond it. I had been staring at the cell from the moment I got in to the bus. Then it hit me, how much of a prisoner I had become to my cell phone.
One of my friends constantly checks
his messages whenever we go for a movie. Not only does it distract that person,
the bright light of it is a nuisance for others too.
The other day, I was out having
dinner with my friends. Although I was listening to them talking, half my
senses were directed towards my cell phone! I had to consciously make an effort
to steer my attention away from it.
Now that the cell phones are
empowered with social media and numerous messengers, there is no
stopping them from being a rude intruder. It is supposed to ‘connect people’
but in reality, it is doing just the opposite, most of the times.
The greatest cost we are paying for
this luxury is losing the ability to be in the moment and soak in the
experience when it is happening. We are always busy reaching out that we forget
those who are with us right there.
It shouldn't happen so that one
fine day, we look up to realize those who were with us have walked away while we
were busy staring down at the little black screen stuck in to our palms. The
cell phones indeed have more virtues than vices. Just that, we need to learn to
keep it away when not needed.
Arun Babu
That moment when a friend of yours gets a call and keeps talking and talking and talking. You then start doubting your own existence there!
ReplyDeleteExactly...and these days, it happens once too often!
ReplyDelete