Dr Arunav Barua
(arunav_barua@yahoo.com)
The way mankind has evolved, or rather changed, in the last few decades has been unparalleled in the history of humankind. Socially, man has reverted to a shell that refuses to break its hold upon the structures of society that we have always had through time. I still remember with wistful eyes the interactions we had as children that slowly morphed with time. Marriages were different then. A relative's marriage meant months of preparation together that involved the active participation of all family members, including hordes of cousins, uncles, aunts, friends and all other relatives. All tasks were welcome, including getting the marriage cards ready, going on rounds to distribute the letters with cousins, and taking an active interest in the food that was prepared. The youngsters took on the responsibility of distributing food, happily toiling to ensure everyone ate to their fill. I use the example of a marriage to illustrate how closely knit society was back then. If we come back to modern times, we see a stark difference. Yes, there is more variety in food now, and yes, marriages are more lavish, but something has gone missing. We have lost something that was a part of families then. The catering teams today are not the same as the family members and friends who used to distribute food during our early years. Though the marriages are lavish now, I still wistfully remember the simple times of yore, which tied all of us in a bond that can only be felt to be understood.
While marriages are one aspect of the change in the human condition, let us explore more of the nuances of change that the human condition has witnessed. Technology has given us wings, or has it? We used to visit friends' homes to meet them, but now we use WhatsApp. Yes, it may appear that technology has brought us closer; conversing with anyone we wish to chat with has become significantly easier, hasn't it? Instead of actually meeting someone at a distance, we now have video calls that we can make at the tap of a finger. I am sure, like me, you must have realised that human connectedness has actually dissipated, and now we all live in a virtual world. Distance has grown, as has human connectedness. The marriage cards we so carefully put in envelopes and the names and addresses we wrote on those envelopes have been replaced by printing and design studios. I take this example only to bring in view the gap that technology has brought forth in our lives.
Do we still visit friends and relatives unannounced? Seldom, if ever, do we just romp into any home as we had done in the not-so-distant past. Technology has brought us closer, but is it truly closeness if we announce our visits well in advance, whereas in the past we would simply bang on doors without worrying about whether they would open? We would freely open our aunt's fridge and take whatever treasures it had to offer, as it was our fridge. Yes, we message some of our friends and relatives almost every day, but is that of any use? While messages may create an impression of connectedness, true connectedness is achieved by spending time together in person, where we physically meet and share meaningful experiences. Times have changed, but so has the human condition...
The bond that we once took for granted as active members of society has slowly changed and morphed into something that requires time for us to understand. The changing dynamics of our dependence on technology have created a new existence that has altered the human condition. Observations indicate that today's youngsters lack the social adeptness that former generations possessed. We observe a shift in the human condition, where solitude and online interactions have become the new norm. Though it is true that technology has made connecting with someone easier, it has brought about the loss of actual connectedness. Where once human bonds were so strong that any trouble faced by a friend or relative was a shared problem we all had to solve, we now see youngsters grappling with their issues by themselves, trying to seek help online. What one has to remember, though, is that the internet can never replace the actual human connection that social bonds give us. The human condition has changed with time, but some aspects of our past are worth saving. If there is one thing that we need to preserve from our past, it is the effortless bonhomie that we shared as a closely knit unit. That part of the human condition needs to be saved, or rather, revived...!