One of the questions that came up again during this pandemic is; when it really comes down to just survival; we humans…are we naturally good? Do we act co-operatively or are we innately selfish creatures?
The last I wrote a blog was May 28th as a part of my 60-day Lockdown series. When the entire nation and some parts of the world was in lockdown for more than 3 months, we collectively took measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. We disconnected physically and chose to increase deepen our connection with a lot of relationships that we let go off in our hurry to ‘grow’. In my family circle, WhatsApp groups were formed, now there are regular zoom calls, with everyone assuring each other during this crisis. All this using the same technology that we thought was responsible for disconnecting us from relationships as it monopolised our attention in getting 10,000+ friends on social media while all we needed probably was a close-knit circle of 100 odd friends!
Come to think of it, It is not technology that brought us together during the pandemic; zoom calls, WhatsApp groups – all these just happened to be around. What brought us together is the deep human desire to survive. And to survive, you need to connect with real people, build real network and real relationships, not just virtual ones. On social media information if dissipated through bubble filters which through data collected from user predicts their preferences and accordingly suggests people who are like them. Content consumed, conversations had then all start to sound the same, very rarely diverse.
By nature, I am not a trekker, I prefer running or sports. Yes, I am biased (or rather was), I looked at trekking as a physical activity to be fit rather a means to bond with nature. My idea of connecting to nature looks like a beach! In the early 2000’s, on a Friday evening, a friend would call , ‘Let’s head to Goa!’ Similarly, I received a call this Thursday; let’s head to the mountains (or as my friend from up north reminded me, you guys have plateaus, not mountains). Just like contrasting information, I like diverse activities, maybe because I am a sucker for variety I guess or maybe just the challenge of doing non-routine things. I immediately said yes!
As I packed on Saturday morning for the Bhivpuri to Garbett trek, I had just 3 things to carry, Food, Water and Charger.
While I stocked my fancy multi compartment bottle with peanut butter, jam, almonds and a hydration pack, I forgot to carry my mobile phone charger and my phone wasn’t fully charged! (a poor 50%). As I sat in the car I asked my friends if they have a charging cable I can use in the car. I was expecting a vehement No…because they have time and again told me that I am hooked to my phone all the time, even while watching a movie or just chilling over a beer. Guilty! FOMO for some, validation for others, most of us are hooked on to a screen and we justify. My options were either to go back and get the charger or buy an extra cable when I reach Bhivpuri market. Luckily, it was early in the morning and no shop was open. Pushing the anxiety of drained mobile phone away, I focussed on the climb, which was approx. 2700 feet, needed enough mental charge for it!
With the mobile on lowest power consumption mode, all apps off and the camera kept active, we climbed. Nature with its serenity amazed me! For most part of the trip, we were just three of us. On our way up to the plateau we stopped for chai at Sagaachiwadi village, a small village with probably 10-15 families. These villagers regularly walk, rather climb for hours to get essentials and for their livelihoods. It was heartening to see how children in this village enjoyed in abundant nature while our kids in cities they are hooked to darkened curtains and video games and our own adult lives spent on mobile screens to even notice that kids are not even getting enough sunlight. In such a small villages with the challenges of nature and the wild at its peak, cooperation between families needs to be very strong for them to exist.
Five hours later, we were back to Bhivpuri and sat for an early sundowner. By then mobile had lost its charge and we were getting charged again, courtesy the high spirits of barley. The climb was mesmerising and triggered my senses, the conversations during the sun downer were engaging. Both of this would have been lost if I would have been on the mobile screen.Live updates of our status, posting where we are now and replying to our followers in real time as they express awe at our adventures, these are probably validations we seek. We are not living in our present, but theirs. In a converged social media, where everything - messages from family to work decisions to breaking news are 24/7 relayed on this small screen, it is surely taking control of our lives. As we learn to master our thoughts and compartmentalise time, have we really thought about where we receive our information from? An example in case is, Instagram, one of the most popular apps now. While you are engaged in a friendly conversation, suddenly there is a feed on the wall” breaking news”. We never ARE truly in the moment!
Back in the days, there were walls around our stories, now our stories and walls are on the same page.
Heading back to the question that I began with - what’s our human nature and how does technology and social media intake, enable or disable it?I think the problem is not with technology; the problem is with our usage of technology that is stemming from intuitive egotism, which connects, to some kind of validation that we seek by projecting we are “different”. It’s like Breaking News with flashy burning red colours. We are using our posts and stories like that Breaking News!!
Pondering over these thoughts, this time, instead of posting the pictures immediately as soon I was home, I came home and charged my phone. I choose to delay the entire story album on instagram to the next day (yeah right after posting one picture of where I mentioned, more stories tomorrow…teaser…hahah..Well... human nature!).
We humans are not intuitively selfish; our first instinct is always co-operation. We see that in a non-virtual world, in our villages, in our societies, whenever we are connected by humanity and nature, we see this human spirit. That’s probably why we long for that road trip, to the mountains, to the beaches. One of the pictures I posted on my instagram handle is of 3 youngsters walking so nonchalant like the Beatles on the Abbey road album cover; I hope many of us get to see this beautiful village on the way to Garbett plateau.
If not for social media how would these moments be shared, we would just selfishly capture these moments for ourselves.
Maybe... It is time for us to ‘Un Break’ our news that we share on our stories. Let's enjoy the moment ourselves first, then share it with the world at ease; probably they may want to try what you did too. Here again, no compulsive rationale that you have to slow it up. First you have a moment, and then share.
I am certainly trying this and I do intend to lose my charger more often on such trips :)
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