Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How many of us give a real answer to this question when asked across a computer screen?

Though these results can’t be extrapolated to draw conclusions about the Indian situation, one can’t deny the dependence on digital socialising that surely has changed the nature of social interactions. “I am quite a regular on Facebook thanks to my daughter. I’ve traced several old friends through this network. We’re in touch through e-mails, but then meeting personally as regularly as you e-mail is definitely different. Visiting a profile page isn’t as real as visiting your friend’s home and therefore, his or her life. Half our stories are told by the setting and the mood of our houses. Personal interactions build trust and comfort. In digital interactions, the veil always remains. In those ‘only positive’ digital discussions, there isn’t much room for discussing the grey areas of life and that’s why this sense of disconnect and a feeling of lack of real friends,” suggests 52-year-old Kanika Wali, a homemaker, from her personal experiences.

While inept use of great technology can still be blamed for creating a social disconnect among its users, similar rationalisation by psychologists for lack of empathy in present generation seems short-sighted. This hypothesis ignores that they grew up with abundant resources, undivided attention and constant protection. Perhaps, it will still take the world a while to realise that screen interactions (for now) can only help in finding long-lost friends and sharing memories, and not in creating new stories!




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