BREAKING SHACKLES

Independence Day. A day to celebrate the struggle that led us to the stage where we are our own country, a recognized state. But is that it? Our forefathers struggled, fought, marched, protested just to be Independent of a Colonial Raj? To name a few, where Is the freedom from cruelty, social taboos, moral policing?

We, as human beings, have always been very fond of “Freedom”. In our casual language, we refer to an ideal condition where there would be no boundaries, no restrictions or limits. A world that is free from the tyranny of constant nagging of people to follow their notion. But have we ever succeeded? We always seem to be jumping from one confinement to the other. Somehow, we follow a pattern. Even if our hearts demand a shackled free life, our brain seeks out to something that we can depend on, count on or find solace in. This eventually then turns into dependence.

But how does this pattern come into play?

Flashback to 1800s, when Britishers came to India with a simple proposition to conduct trade. This simple proposition slowly and steadily spread its legs into others areas. With the growing distress amongst the rulers, Britishers saw the opportunity to plant their roots. Slowly and steadily, they gained their feet. Just by convincing, by hook or by crook, how people under their rulership will be benefitted.

Cut to present. When you get up in the morning, what are the first three things that you look for? I am sure, the top 3 list will most definitely include your mobile.

A modest mobile phone, which was first introduced to make sure people were connected, on call. Running a step further, messages were then incorporated into the devices, which cut down the hassle of actual calling and just sending the desired message. Nokia, one of the most popular brands and a front-runner in the mobile industry, had its tagline as “Connecting People”. To update the existing technology, came in features like camera, music player and so much more. A time when the internet could only be accessed through computers was soon replaced by phones. Now Mobile phones have become so advanced that you see the person sitting somewhere halfway across the globe. You can access information and get news from not the only country that you are residing in, but from the tiniest country that you didn’t even know existed. Connecting with a long lost friend, sharing a photo from a place you travelled, sending your thoughts across, are just some of the functions that can be carried out by phones now. There are abundant, unexplored, still under development projects that soon will be a part of your daily life.

A mobile phone, which came into existence with a simple agenda of connecting, has now become such a big part of our lives that we just cannot do away with it? Has it not taken over our lives in a major way? You sit with your family in the living room, and you will either find members engrossed in their phones or engaged in an activity which in some way involves mobile phones. One keeps checking the phone every few minutes to expect something, but sometimes in vain. We start with an agenda in mind but soon drift, leading to a waste of time. We have forgotten where to draw the line. As a 90s kid, a time when mobile phones were not in abundance, we involved ourselves by going outdoors to play. We came up with different ideas to engage ourselves and be creative. do we see that in children nowadays?

Just like how the Britishers introduced a simple idea of trade and spread its roots, a mere device designed to aid us has made us it’s slave, something that should have been the other way round. It has convinced us that with phones being a major part of our lives, we will be benefitted. Yes, we have been benefited; but at what cost? We simply ignore the people who are present with us, to make a conversation with people who far away. We immerse ourselves so much into our handhelds, that nothing else matters in the world. Is this not dependence? Are we enjoying “Freedom” then?

I, as a human, as a citizen of the world, demand freedom from technology which aims at revolving our lives around them. Research shows that our body will evolve a design itself in a way just to incorporate these devices into our lives.

This is the extent to which we have become dependent upon them. Then, how will we get the “Freedom” we search for, when the culprit is in our own hands.