Born in the 1980s and after seeing all the changes that gushed into India in the 1990s through the stream of liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation, I thought I had seen it all. What more could come anyway? Television, computers, mobile phones, smart gadgets, all were already here.
On the one hand, life has become more comfortable as technology and services of the advanced world made its way into India. On the other hand, the cultural and lifestyle changes that the new economic model ushered in had in one way left a stark question on whether the changes had come for good.
When we were busy exploring the new-found excitement of sending instant messages and keeping in touch, our parents and grandparents were struggling to adapt to these new-age gadgets. When our text messages advanced to short forms such as LOL, ROFL, LMK and NVM, one whole generation struggled to catch up. Nevertheless, we all had our share of fun looking at them struggle at these new but simple things. What we forgot was that we lived in a constantly changing world, and for good or bad, times were about to change.
Losing touch
Now, in my early thirties, I have started feeling that the generation gap has already started setting in place between my cohort and Generation Z, or Gen Z.
I am a little bit averse to the race of keeping pace with the emerging trends and technology and could never even cross the first few rounds in the hit video game Temple Run, getting caught and smashed by the demonic monkey that would come chasing from behind.
I could never get my hands on PUBG before it got banned. The lack of this youthful curiosity started casting a doubt on whether I have already started getting old.
The Gen Z, the digital natives immersed in smartphones and social media, is way smarter, and the competitiveness that has set in has always raised the bar on their performance in exams or at any events. The pace with which they can move is difficult for us to catch up like the same way our previous generation found it difficult to catch up with us. So, a laugh at our struggles while juggling to stay relevant with the new generation is due.
Far from the virtual
While preparing our children to keep up with the changing pace, we must not step on, or throw aside, some of the most intuitive aspects of life.
Social media and smartphones should not lead to an alienation from the real world, which is way more beautiful than the seemingly more attractive virtual world.
We ourselves are already so sucked into the magic of smartphones with which we spend most of our day. So, the possibility is so glaring that this new generation can get deeply sucked into the precarious depths of the shiny virtual world.
The only way to have a real life is by binding with nature. No man-made creation can ever match the beauty and awe that nature has to offer. The new generation needs an introduction to nature, away from the bright lights of the screens they are glued into. A meaningful life is possible only when we feel ourselves part of nature, the sky above and the universe so amazing and still incomprehensible and challenging the human ingenuity to explore.
ashokbbalakrishna@gmail.com
