Absolutely nothing...

An excess of anything is a risky proposition, I had heard somewhere. The meaning of this expression found roots in the fact that individuals tend to do something too many times and too often. Why this is a bad thing? Well there is always the fear of becoming an addict. Even if it involves something as noble as reading or writing there are ways to make an individual less productive in everything else, was an opinion I had heard.

I had pondered a few moons ago about the ease with which people are able to communicate in today’s world. In fact communication using various media is now more a lifestyle and less of a luxury. With changing hands of the masters’ around the world media and communication is definitely one of the best used commodities out there. Everything between Emails to snail mails stand proof to a planet that once upon a moon used birds to send across messages. All the gadgets from cell phones to answering machines are visible entities that make being in touch someone’s idea of a joke.

Fair enough.

But then here lies my wondering. Are we communicating too much? Are all this rapid and user-friendly communication channels making us forget the concept of ‘missing’ someone? Don’t we need to pace ourselves in a way that the other person has some gap in time where he/she can actually wonder about our whereabouts? Counter-productive features of these various technologies are becoming more apparent with each passing day.

I see some people at work who are stuck to their cell phones all the time. It’s true! Every time I see them they are either a) on the cell phone or b) checking their SMS on the cell phone or c) Checking their emails on a website/cell phone or d) all of the above. Its bizarre to think that these people actually believe they are so important that there is someone out there, a different person every time perhaps, who is actually missing them and checking to see how they are doing. Who are these people? And what is with the ‘I am needed’ complex they have? I find it fascinating that they don’t even consider the idea that their acquaintances are actually feeling a little tired of their attention seeking lifestyle.

This situation is only going to get worse with changing times and generations. It has now come to a point where actual email exchanges happen where I write ‘What’s happening?’ and the other person says ‘Absolutely nothing. How about you?’ and I say the same.

Suddenly using birds to exchange greetings seems like a wonderful idea. Maybe by the time they reach their destination we would have done something worth talking about.

--ShaKri