(Why) Should we fast-forward so?
One minute is 60-seconds long, isn't it? Not any more...not since we let technology rule our world. Days seem short, years speed by. And more often than not, by habit, or as a convenient excuse we shamelessly say 'I don't have time', when we actually mean 'Quality time? What's that?'
Why do we insist on fast-forwarding into the future? Taking our kids along (sometimes letting them lead us) as we hurtle headlong into next year, next decade? No one seems to talk of leisure, actual 'free time' is still consumed by the likes of the internet and the tv, and not by a good book, or by simply doing nothing while grey cells get a chance to refresh themselves.
What is wrong with slowing down - so that we age at a graceful pace, and let our kids be just kids for a good number of years? Seen the Snoopy sequence titled 'How did one survive' (pps)? Those are the kind of days that kids anywhere in the world need to remember, and not regret.
Perhaps we are staunch followers of Kabir. (kal kare so Aaj kar, Aaj kare so Ab, Pal Mein Pralaya Hoyegi, Bahuri Karoge Kub). The pralaya too, will be man-made, and brought on too soon for our own good.
I thought of some recipes for slowing down. My pesonal, proven one - a weekend at home in a village, where the cable has not reached yet, the cell-phone picks up only at a certain West-Northwest corner, one can do without transportation, one can run down barefoot to the river-banks... sadly though, in a sense, all this actually means 'running away'.
We need to slow down in place, as is, and not have to seek out a place and a time to do that. To that end, we could try these other recipes, without cheating ourselves.
Net-less weekends
Car-less Mondays
TV-less Tuesdays (I'd far prefer TV-less evenings, also)
cell-phone-less Wednesdays
PC-less Thursdays
Flight-less Fridays!
So - which recipe would you like to start with?
Why do we insist on fast-forwarding into the future? Taking our kids along (sometimes letting them lead us) as we hurtle headlong into next year, next decade? No one seems to talk of leisure, actual 'free time' is still consumed by the likes of the internet and the tv, and not by a good book, or by simply doing nothing while grey cells get a chance to refresh themselves.
What is wrong with slowing down - so that we age at a graceful pace, and let our kids be just kids for a good number of years? Seen the Snoopy sequence titled 'How did one survive' (pps)? Those are the kind of days that kids anywhere in the world need to remember, and not regret.
Perhaps we are staunch followers of Kabir. (kal kare so Aaj kar, Aaj kare so Ab, Pal Mein Pralaya Hoyegi, Bahuri Karoge Kub). The pralaya too, will be man-made, and brought on too soon for our own good.
I thought of some recipes for slowing down. My pesonal, proven one - a weekend at home in a village, where the cable has not reached yet, the cell-phone picks up only at a certain West-Northwest corner, one can do without transportation, one can run down barefoot to the river-banks... sadly though, in a sense, all this actually means 'running away'.
We need to slow down in place, as is, and not have to seek out a place and a time to do that. To that end, we could try these other recipes, without cheating ourselves.
Net-less weekends
Car-less Mondays
TV-less Tuesdays (I'd far prefer TV-less evenings, also)
cell-phone-less Wednesdays
PC-less Thursdays
Flight-less Fridays!
So - which recipe would you like to start with?
O I have been thinking of this... I think we are all hurrying too much. Definitely we must slow down a lot... We are all in a mad race... to where I don't understand.
ReplyDeletePradeep, only if more of us think - and act - towards setting a sane pace in our lives, the next generation will get a chance to be more human and less robotic.
ReplyDeleteWow new look.
ReplyDeleteI arrived late!
Your recipes if followed will really make this world wonderful place to live in.
Well to be frank car less, and cell phone less are impossible by me. How many are you following??
Indrani..just try some of those recipes. Me? TV-less evenings are so easy, cell-phone less days are common. Even car-less is comfortable, (the bus rides bring back old memories). But it appears that people do not want to get de-addicted.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere in the US, I believe there is a professor who got a bunch of people and tried to teach them how to wean themselves away from hi-tech addiction!Also there was a program on TV last Wednesday where a lady had decided to do no cell-phones on Wed evenings...
I can't understand why the abstension should make news!
I agree. I do not watch the tv much myself except the news at 9. And my cellphone hardly rings. I do have plenty of time to myself and to spare.Having been through a 16 hour work routine a few years ago, coming home only to eat and crash, I am quite happy with my situation now.
ReplyDeleteIt is worrying that many of the youngsters feel 'lost' without these gadgets. They simply do not know other ways of occupying their time and feel depressed without their aid.
Usha, thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post! I think I'd like to start with net-less weekends... not switch on my laptop for an entire weekend! I am not addicted to much else actually.
ReplyDeleteBut what would I replace that with? Let me see. A walk by the river behind my house, an evening in the balcony - stargazing, some arts/crafts in the afternoon, music at night... wow, there's a LOT I can do! I must try this soon. Thanks for the idea Swarna!
Thanks Swarna - What a lovely blog you've written. It's true, technology hurtles us thro' time, leaving things a blur..!!!!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog would like to conclude...
Less-is-more..!!! :)))