A
sadhu catching a cell phone indeed!. What has the world come to ! Is
this an example of juxtaposition of tradition and modernity which is
supposed to co-exist in India? No, I don't think so I feel it just
shows the popularity of cell phones.
Cell phones are used widely and in every possible place and even in
the most unlikely of places in cars, in elevators, in cinema halls,
in theatres, in restaurants, in meetings and even in a restroom. One
is enjoying a quiet evening of classical music in the silence of an
auditorium with a large audience listening to the strains of music
coming from Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's sarod and one starts hearing a
familiar beep beep. Immediately all heads are turned in the
direction of the beep. All this while the person on the cell phone
carries on the conversation on his phone oblivious to all the
attention. Is he really oblivious or just pretending to be
oblivious?. In fact he may just be enjoying all that attention. I
somehow have to agree to the latter view. In this insecure world
people, I think are hungry for attention. Otherwise what could be so
important that one has to keep the cell phone on even in such
places?. Similarly in a restaurant, one comes to enjoy the food what
is the point if a man is so busy that he can't concentrate on his
food. What really mystifies me is when people use cell phones when
driving cars. How can one carry on a conversation on a cell phone
and drive a car at the same time is a mystery to me. This happens
even in India where cell phones were introduced some years back and
where the roads are narrower and the traffic rules are lax. The
mystery finally gets solved when the driver of the car meets with an
accident. Having a cell phone has become a sort of status symbol.
One goes to a party and there are enough people flashing their cell
phones brandishing them almost, like swords. In ancient Europe it
was alright for gentlemen to carry swords. I think in modern times
cell phones have replaced these.
Generally, talking is considered a women's habit. Women are accused
of constantly gossiping and talking about one's neighbors and other
acquaintances to their girlfriends while men are considered to have
more serious occupations like discussing politics and business,
respecting one's colleagues while keeping out of their personal
life. One has to just look at the popularity of cell phones among
men to know that men are equally bad when it comes to talking
non-stop or gossiping about each other. It is difficult to imagine
how a person can talk so much. Are we so bored that we have to keep
doing something all the time to keep ourselves occupied?. Somebody
once said ultimately mankind will not die of disease, starvation or
a nuclear disaster but of boredom. Maybe this is true. Two years
back I happened to visit a local college a few times regarding some
work. I was surprised to see the number of teenagers using cell
phones. This may seem nothing surprising for somebody raised here
but since I had just arrived from India, I found it a little
surprising especially when I found they were quite at ease talking
on their cell phones even in a crowded place. I wondered how they
could concentrate on their conversation with all the noise around
them.
Cell phones are so popular that some people have stopped using their
landline phones altogether. Cell phones are easy to carry around and
they can be used anywhere and everywhere. Cell phone companies post
attractive ads in the media to entice prospective customers.
'Unlimited local minutes for only 49.99' goes the ad for a cell
phone company, 'Talk until Hollywood gets real' goes another. Things
start getting serious only when the phone bill arrives at the end of
the month. People can't for the life of them imagine how the bill
could be so high. Did they really talk so much?. "No I did not go
over my minutes!" a lot of customers argue. Who should know this
better than me who works for a cell phone company?.
In this fast paced, modern world cell phones are a necessity. Cell
phones are handy and can be carried around in a handbag, purse or
one's pocket. Having a cell phone has proved to be very useful in
emergency situations like when the car breaks down in the middle of
the highway, or when there is an accident or some other type of
emergency where earlier one had to look for a phone booth and also
search the purse for change. In some situations like last year's
World Trade Center tragedy or the massive earthquake in Gujarat,
having a cell phone has proven very useful. Some people who were
buried under mounds of rubble could call on their cell phones and
direct rescue teams and volunteers to the spot where they were
trapped. Ultimately cell phones reflect the advances in technology.
Wireless phones have evolved from cellular to digital phones. Cell
phones nowadays offer advanced services like text messaging, fax,
email and internet capabilities which are very useful in the modern
world. A cell phone can be an asset if one uses them wisely and
responsibly.
Coming back to this picture this could be a famous ad for a cell
phone company.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by
Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
A
sadhu catching a cell phone indeed!. What has the world come to ! Is
this an example of juxtaposition of tradition and modernity which is
supposed to co-exist in India? No, I don't think so I feel it just
shows the popularity of cell phones. 