Urban Loneliness

Just yesterday I was sitting and talking to my maid of many years who is very old. I was teaching her how to use the smart phone as she can make free calls using jio modem. She does not have a phone now. Some time back she had a new smart 3G phone which her son had bought for her, I was asking her what happened to that. She said her grandson broke it. She was telling me both her grandchildren always want the phone to play with. The younger of the 2 is in UKG this year. She says even she does not know how to operate and her grandson teaches her.

She was saying her daughter in law never listens to her and always gives the phone to these children to play.

I was laughing and telling her when the child is in the womb itself they learn to use the mobile. So on coming out the first thing they seek is the mobile not toys.

So urban loneliness starts at birth

 

Dear Omsrisai,
Wasting their time and getting addicted to smart phones is one thing and one of the negative aspects is they become lonely when they grow. Nothing is comparable to interaction with live people and not gadgets. First parents should set an example by spending more time with children without gadgets. Interact with them.
Recently my uncle has celebrated his 80th birthday. Sons made good arrangements, took parents to a good restaurant and had lunch. One of the photos was put on internet. in that photo....except the senior couple all four sons and dils were looking at their phones clicking something.
Syamala

 

@omsrisai,

There is one more social issue (I am not sure whether I can call it as an ethical issue as yet) that is hidden behind this loneliness. The industry calls the time the users spend in the smart phone/tablet as "Attention Economy". How many eye balls viewed is a big measurement to mobile space advertisement. The big corporations are constantly selling something or the other through this habit of surfing the internet non-stop. The games that are popular are bombarded with ads as well. It is just not data usage and mobile phone sale but many other products and services that intrudes our private life due to this habit of human beings. Internet Addiction Disorder is another social issue that involves health of human beings besides loneliness.

Viswa

 

More and more Connectivity = less and less real connection.
If you look at old family albums , it is full of group photos . Very few show single person. So many memories of togetherness .
Today's digital albums have more solo Selfies than groups .
I , Me,Myself is the modern mantra.