Imagine our lives today without technology and we will become almost disabled. Few hours of internet break down and we start panicking. This is what has become of us today! We are at an age in which every one of us uses some form of technology and it has in fact made our life so easy; and just about everything is more convenient and accessible at the click of a button. However, on the contrary we are so dependent on technology that we are becoming less self-reliant. Many of us keep ourselves so engrossed in our mobile phones, laptops, etc. that we sometimes tend to neglect our real life. It is a very rare sight today to see the children sitting down together with their parents and interacting. Technology is a boon and indeed we need it for our society to progress; but let us not become slaves of it. Kinitoli Aye, Asst Professor, Department of History
Times and people are changing. There are certain human universals that everybody shares like language, rationality, perceptions, and emotions etc. These universals of development feed the changes of our subsistence.We have driven our society to a whole new level of creative and intolerant morals. Why is it important to study the society? Because it construes our well being and that we are sweeping ourselves to an erroneous perception to live; of life as individuals with no moral obligations.
There are many daily social problems that we deal with; and generally ignore without consideration of good and bad, being rational beings. We are not socially impaired or clinically unstable to differentiate right from wrong. There has been a lot of change in our community. Growing up as a kid things were different and simpler back then. There were less evil ailments in the society, until the breaking age of technology and the more hideous side of the minds of men. What I am referring to is the way social media has erupted creating a catastrophic effect specifically with regard to a problem that appears to be predominantly emerging in our land – ie. adultery. The number of broken families; husbands cheating and wives on a thread of infidelity has increased manifold. There is no room and time for people to communicate face to face. I believe that is where the problem begins! I do not mean to say that mobile phones and technology are the only reason for the degeneration in family values but it is one of the many reasons. So many are addicted to cell phones and the number of mobile phone users have rapidly increased. The count is spiraling and people these days spend more time on their cell phones rather than with their family and loved ones.
Now, in an era where things are progressing rapidly, the simple entity of love is being shattered. Many people do not care for each other and this very phenomenon starts in the family. It was not common for a husband or wife to cheat on their partners; sadly these immoral feelings to cheat and betray have increased in our society with the freedom of internet through social media. Following such acts of immoral behavior was considered shambolic and disgusting. Marriage is holy as considered by us (Christians) and to maintain the sanctity and trust of marriage is our soul duty, taking vows to stand by each other in good and bad times. How many of those couples actually keep their promise as vowed on their wedding day and stay true to each other? This is where our society is reflected; to speak of the evil ailments that have set in our community as a virus that keeps reproducing without warning.
Infidelity is a rising issue in our society. There are countless hidden secrets in our society which is suspended with the knowledge that ‘IT’ being a social evil. This is becoming very common and people just do not give a thought to it.As an example let me generalize a common issue; an individual who is respected and has status, advocates about being true to their partner and keeping themselves astray from wrongful conduct, in which case the irony is that his own family is torn apart by his selfish act of infidelity. Is that rational? Why preach something when you cannot practice what you preach?
The introduction of cell phones and internet has definitely made our lives easier and durable but it has in a lot of ways also broken families and inflicted the society with social complications and unnatural conscious. It’s no wonder in the world filled with ‘I’Macs, ‘I’-Phones, ‘I’-Pads, which has separated the ‘Us’ and the ‘We’. Technology has made us more selfish and separate than ever. While it claims to connect us, the connection has gotten no better. We are living in a generation of media overstimulation where we are all participants in the pageantry of vanity. We have stepped into an age of digital insanity.
We are taking a step ahead into the future with every passing year. This advancement should be a source to connect us, bring us closer, share happiness and freedom; not distance ourselves from the world, from the people we care and love. The road for our future is taking a different turn separating us from the reality of life. Taking into consideration all of the destructive nature it has, it is indeed a sorry thought that we have the nerve to call this very destruction of our own, a progress. The ugly truth is “it can be denied but, it cannot be avoided.”
“Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. For feedback or comments please email: admin@tetsocollege.org”.