Sunday, October 23, 2011

Frandship




Just this evening my mother made a very interesting observation. She said that the way her generation grew up and the way her parent’s cohorts were raised was similar if not the same. But there is a vast difference in which mine, which is her son’s age group, has grown up and the lifestyle they have as well. Social networking sites are one of those monumental changes in the lifestyle of the yesteryear and today’s technologically spoilt age.

All that you need to know about a person is accessible from their Facebook profile. Sexual orientation, relationship status, the kind of movies, books and music they like, people they admire, sports they play, their vies about everything… et all. It’s almost like you don’t need to speak to a person anymore to get to know them better, which in essence is ridiculous. We are reduced to a generation of robots with smilies for expressions. We are reduced to a pair of eyeballs that are excited by something as trivial as a bra strap in a display picture.

But then again it’s not all apocalyptic, there’s a world of good happening because of these social networking sites as well of course. Getting to know new people has never been this easy; staying in touch with that friend in the other side of the world has never been this undemanding. You go out to a pub, see a pretty face, ask for her name, add her on Facebook, start chatting and before you know it you are in their pants or whatever your primary objective was. It’s an easy world, our brain cells are dying. Devolution is what this is, going back to our ape roots. What’s next? Leaves for clothes?

Wastage of time is a bane though. We sit for hours together doing absolutely nothing on Facebook, expecting God knows what to happen. That pretty girl you added last night is not going to add you straightaway. That hotshot guy will not say hi on chat to you unless you make a move. Social networking sites are no miracle escapes; it’s just like real life where you have to make the effort to reap the reward. And this is what people do not understand.