Many a times I have blessed microsoft for coming up with such briliant applications. But as with any other tool (god given,nature given or man made) we misuse or over use it so much. That I must say, diabetes may not be so much of a problem. But multiple stress injury(injury due to repeated use of a finger or wrist while working on a computer) definitely is in this age. I have already started to feel the pain in my neck and wrists.
Somehow each project that I work on has loads of 'templates' that needs to be filled out.Which means I stare at my computer for 8 hours a day and am still not done.
It would amuse me to see all those files piled up whenever I would have to visit any Government office. To see how the whole process was so slow because the empolyees had to write and do things manually. Whereas I am given a laptop by my company to work on, which was making things so simpler for me! I would pity them. But I think I was wrong. They are probably much better off than us 'MNC workers'.
After many years of using the laptop and the applications. Its making me wonder if it is all that great. Its making things simpler for sure, by not having to calculate things in my head or on paper. But is that really a good thing? Wouldn't that mean someday ill just forget how to use my head and fail to do a simple 2 + 2. Thats exactly whats happened to me. I can't do simple calculations that I could when I was still at school (and calculators weren't allowed for exams). Now I can't seem to remember simple dates (birthdays/anniversaries) unless I add them to my calender. And the worst of all, I think I may have forgotten how to write. And I realise this each time I have to fill out a form somewhere. My hands just don't move that easily now while writting. My handwritting was never good anyways, so I can't complain about how its affected my handwritting. But all this online typing and rare use of pen and paper has made me a handicap!
I wonder if our future generations would be worse off than us. As soon as the kid is grown enough to understand what computer means, he is 'working' on a computer. Most schools do not mind printed project reports and home works. Will this generation be able to cope up if a computer doesn't work or if the internet doesn't work. I don't think so. They may be more intelligent than us because of their exposure to more knowledge on the internet world, but will they be strong on basics? Will they know what it is to play a game which is not played on computer.Will they know whats its like to enjoy nature. I know ,I have missed out a lot because I was born in a different era. I haven't enjoyed the local festival's and the fairs like the way my mother probably did.Then life wasn't only about deadlines and earning more money.
Our previous generations probably got to see both worlds, the conventional and nature friendly as well as the technologically advanced and innovative world. And they probably thought they have a lot to catch up on because of these innovations. My father always talks about how he couldn't learn computer all that well when he was working. And how his juniors were better than him at it. But am sure when he sees the current generation always 'busy' at work. He must be wondering, if there have been great innovations, why isn't this generation have more time to do more things like spend more time with parents/family. Why isn't the latest mobile that her daughter owns, being used to keep in regular touch with him?
I know, one might say. That such innovations haven't been all that bad as I have written above. But its definitely worth a thought. Isn't it? And probably from our generation onwards, we need to bring in a new thought into our lives. On how to balance between the man made and the nature better. On how to use technology effectively to enhance our life and not handicap us. Not to let technology take over our lives so much and that we forget simple basic things- nature,health and relationships.
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