Remote in a Gadget Age

Back on cyberspace after 18 days of no internet, television or ipod!

This techno deprivation necessitated a fall back to the now not-so-in ways of spending time - books, friends, walks, watching (the ships), listening (to the rain drop), talking (to myself).....In retrospect, it wasn't that tough! And created some memorable moments with a quick yank back to the world of people and sights.

Watching others (the non-deprived) absorbed in their PDA's, laptops and chats, I safely wagered a bet that most of them were going home to the TV and some more surfing.

In the significantly favourable odds of this wager festered a question - are we becoming gadget addicts? What is it doing to us and our families? Kids hardly play outside now, babies donot eat without the barney DVD, we can't sleep without the mobile next to the pillow, most of us spent more time staring at the computer screen than looking into eyes, traveling without the ipod is unimaginable, in peak of summer the AC's freeze us into woolens, we walk more in a gym than in the park and the closest we come to rivers and forests is on the TV screen.

Where are we headed? One thing is for certain, the direction leads away from ourselves, nature and fellow beings.

To be further certain, I read Ann Dooling's perspective on the challanges posed by technology in her classroom; PC World's raptures over the 50 greatest gadgets; The yearning for the Ultimate Wired home; Electrosensitivity of human body; and the summary of the Sept 1997 special issue in New York Times on what Technology is doing to us!

One of the books read on this tech-detox spree was 'Confessions of an Economic Hitman'. Mr. John Perkins, I have'nt been able to stop talking about it (yet) with everyone I meet. At a professional level, the unraveling of the politics of aid strengthened some core concerns on the social-economic developmental process. But at a personal level, my key take-away from the writing was the co-relation between professional or life aspirations and their consequential 'shaping of our world'.

It reminded me of a couplet by Kabir

"Sayeen Itna Deejiye, Ja Mein Kutumb Samaye

Main Bhi Bhookha Na Rahun, Sadhu Na Bhookha Jaye"

Its literal translation is 'Dear God give me so much that is enough to suffice the needs of my clan. Let me not stay hungry nor let any visitor go away hungry from my place.'

Though in today's age, how much is enough?