Few decades back, we only used to imagine how the future would look like. In the present, those scenes from ‘Nobita Doremon’s’ are more like reality. The all-surprising world with its technological revolution told us that it would bring people close and humans will see a new phase of bonds. Well, it actually did, but the other side (the darker side) only a few talked about it.
We live in a world full of bright screens and nonstop notifications, yet we have never felt more alone. We celebrate ands praise our individual success. We chase likes, shares and followers, yet behind every username there is someone hungry for real human contact.
As Will Rogers said, "Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like."
If we swap money for attention, things for posts and people for followers, his warning is all perfect. We have forgotten the warm hugs of home because being popular online doesn’t bring one.
The Illusion
We scroll through artificial perfection. Those numbers under each profile–thousands of followers–judge our worth. But think about it: do those quick digital thumbs-up fill the empty void? Can the viral become the vital?
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “It is easy to live for others, everybody does. I call on you to live for yourself.”
Ironically, we now ‘love for ourselves’ by sharing our lives for others to approve. We build online masks that fit invisible standards. But the best moments–the smell of a home cooked meal or late night ludo's play–don’t fit into a 15 second reel. They can’t be posted, only lived.
The Family Life
Family used to be where we found ourselves. Those grandparents stories, shared meal at the dinning table, kept us together. But now, many of us live like islands, bathed in blue screen light. The soil in which family life takes root is time spent together. Yet our most important gift–time–has been stolen by the screens.
Lust for Fame
Chasing fame and fame only is like a devil’s deal: we give away privacy, our true selves and often our moral values, just to be noticed.
Poet Mary Oliver asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Will you use it up chasing empty praise?
Real success isn’t counted by retweets or reactions only. It’s measured by how deeply connected, how honest and how kind we are towards each other.
So how do we fight our way back? Let’s start by putting our phones down at the dinner table. We try looking at screens, ask our loved ones how they really feel and then, carry on with the discussion. How about a weekend with our phone turned off? Or maybe, a handwritten note instead of a text, an evening spent sharing stories.
By stopping the chase for online followers and returning our attention to family and friends, we find a deepers and more lasting meaning. Let’s step away from the tricky of screens and rediscover the hidden means. It may feel queer, but it will workout.
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Reason: Recently went out for dinner with friends. Everyone was busy with their phones. As soon as the food arrived instead of enjoying it, they started taking snaps from different angles 🙃.
(Restaurant review: Food looked amazing through my friends’ camera rolls. Still wondering how it (actually) tasted. 📸🍝 #outing)