Technology is engulfing us. And they will enslave us soon. That’s what Pritish Nandy’s article “Flee the tech prision” in today’s TOI claimed. Prirtish is extremely frustrated that he can no longer calculate mentally…he needs the calculator..he can no longer remember birthday’s…needs the mobile’s reminder feature. He is a victim of technology. All the points he raised in the writeup are valid…but then valid conditionally. What is good for a guy might not be good for another guy.As far as I am concerned I have no problems with technology. In fact I love technology. I was always a lazy bum kind of character. The pen and paper is a pain in the ass for me. Before computer arrived in my life I was ok with writing on paper. But once I got the keyboard………….hoooaaaaa…..khata khat khata khat…tak tak tak…backspace…tak tak! Delete! I experienced freedom! The power to write and delete without harming trees. Classical writers please excuse me. I have nothing against writing with pen…in fact I still have a gold tipped fountain pen but then I do not have any ink. Nobody stock ink these days in shops. So my fountain pen is kind of useless…just with me for pure memory. This pen was gifted to me by my uncle. It’s a costly pen. And it is also the same pen which I once used to splash ink on one of my classmate’s shirt. And I did this when his mother was teaching Chemistry. And I got caught. The kind of punishment I got…exemplary! Such an anguish over just few drops of ink?? Such a cruel world it is for creative kids!
Now with advent of technology people are no longer using ink pens…so no more chance of getting ink stains on shirt. Good thing right? People are also no longer using rims of papers thereby saving trees…again a good thing…right? Mr Pritish has argued that technology has robbed him of his mathematical skills. Well that very same technology has improved my mathematical skills by leaps and bounds. I was always weak in maths...always looked over the shoulders…hope you understand! But now I use my cell phone for every calculation. I buy vegetables and ask the guy “Kitna Hua bhai”
He says “Alu 20…pyaaj 40…tomatar…….bhendi...eksaw challis rupay”
And I calculate parallely with him. And I do it super fast. I couldn’t have done it so fast mentally. Thanks to my calculator in my mobile. So the very same technology which is disturbing Pritish is helping me.
Pritish says that Google solves most of his questions…he has no more need to browse for answers in books..no longer necessary to mug up facts. Isn’t it good sir? Now you can utilize the time for more reading…probably you can now read few more classics..probably online. Then Pritish says that he is now no longer required to remember important dates…his phone calendar makes him remember all the dates. Sir do you know that once I had forgotten my anniversary date and my wife refused to speak to me for half the day! And after that day I loaded my mobile with all important dates…birthday, shadiday, holiday to deathday….all possible days! And I am happy.
One thing that Pritish sir could have highlighted is the encroachment of technology in the bathroom. And I would have totally agreed with him. Maybe he is comfortable with it. Five years back when I came to this big city I had a tough time in my office bathroom on my first day at office. For a small town boy it was never possible to imagine in his wildest dream that a tap can start working once you put your hand beneath it. And I was stranded in the bathroom after coming out from the loo unable to wash my hand. I had to wait full ten minutes before a guy entered. I didn’t want to show that I am not able to decipher the tap puzzlw. So I kept looking at the mirror observing myself. He must be thinking what a crazy nut I was…looking at one’s self like that! I observed him putting his hand below the tap and Viola!! Water flowed out. God God God! Did you ever imagine this when you were creating the world? And the moment he was out I put my hand below the tap and washed my dirty hands. Please dearest engineers and innovators! I request you not to get so much creative. Keep certain things as it is. I will go mad if some creative stuff happens inside the loo.
