February 07, 2006

Rendez-vous with Technology…

25 years back, I use to spend my summer holidays in my dad’s village Aruppukottai, (Humm! Difficult to point it in a map of Tamil Nadu) in my grandma’s house, place which is close to my heart, I remember getting up early in the morning at 5, with my aunty to go to temples, that’s how she starts her day, From morning 5 to mid night, until my uncle returns back from his rice mill, the doors of the house are never closed, friends of my aunt, uncle and my cousins just walk in anytime into the kitchen, to taste some delicious food cooked by my aunty (she is one of the best cook, still make me drool, just by thinking about it) , and discuss their day, work and problems with my aunty, who is also a very patient listener. Even in the afternoons, when people in the house have a small nap, I have seen the milk vendor walking into the kitchen to put milk for evening tea. (That’s my aunty in the picture, with my little niece)

25 years later, now I live in a Paris apartment, with a digital door code, and an intercom, my friends have to buzz me, before entering the building, People are just isolating themselves, within three doors, with complicated locks. Is closing of house door is the reason behind psychiatrist opening their doors in the west? Well! I still crash land in my friend’s house through Google talk, skype and through my blog. We are getting closer in virtual space more, than in reality. Are we really a social Animal?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes you are true and you are hitting the nail in its head, true humans are becoming digitally social and trying to get away from real gatherings. I have also read longtime back that in Japan people particularly youth suffer from a psychological state called 'Hikikomori' where youths go into their rooms and lock themselves and connect with their PC's and Mp3 and never open their doors for months. Its strange as Japan has the highest inflow of technology and their youths are getting strangled into such behavior. Its hightime that such things are given an importance and prevented from getting global. How about a 'Day without digital intervention'?. Well about the milk man entering when everyones asleep! that sounds too naughty but I like it!
- ash#

Uma Maheswari said...

I have not read about 'Hikikomori' but I can feel it..some weekends..i do 'suffer??' from this.

;-)

Anonymous said...

Yes, true, we are really getting closer through the internet in another sense. If not for internet technology, I wouldn't have seen your blog and found some interesting things bout you. My father's town is also Aruppukottai, and even now life hasn't changed much there.

Uma Maheswari said...

Thanks Sid!

Nice to know about Aruppukottai, I really miss that town, I was not able to vist it for a very long time. Nice to hear about it.

Anonymous said...

I did a google search for Arrupukotai and found this site as well. My folks are from APK and we used to go there for our summer holidays. My dad still lives there. I was back there in April of 2001 and it did not seem to have changed at all.

BTW, when you look back, things always seem simpler and more fun.