We live in a digital world. Uploading pictures, sharing
locations and writing long statuses with catchy phrases and fancy photoshopped
pictures is a habit for most of us. Virtual signature and footprint and
creating a tangible virtual presence is definitely the most “in “ thing of the times.
While creating a virtual space, people forget to delimit and
demarcate the boundaries between a virtual platform and a real life. For
instance, consider the lovely relationship and breakup status, or a baby shower
or otherwise the death of a loved one. I find it appalling that few men or
women have no problem sharing the most treasured moments online. Have we
forgotten that some things are meant to be cherished and shared with the ones
close to your heart?
One of the other end of the fulcrum, lies the denizens who
seek to upload everything they do. It may be chopping an onion to peeing. Isn’t
it ludicrous that people feel the need to upload and post every place they
visit, every food they like to eat? In such a scenario, I would just look at
the said person`s Facebook profile to find where he/she is and probe what he is
upto.
The problem I have with this virtual presence is most people
have clearly forgotten to draw the lines. Moreover, I believe my upbringing led
me to believe in manners and some other little stuff whose importance the virtual
world refuses to acknowledge as important. Or probably I have come to realise
that virtual validation of my real-time experiences is not necessary.
The smell of freshly mown grass, the beauty of first rain,
the sweet lingering taste of a piping hot cake, taking in the aroma of a
freshly brewed coffee. Can we describe such experiences virtually in a Facebook
status?
Another stance many people take these days is using Facebook
as a virtual tool for expressing your political, social and religious stands. Rainbow
profiles on Facebook. I never knew a filter could be so ghastly. I completely
subscribe and endorse to the idea of marriage equality, but I refuse to use my
display picture to state the same. In India, Homosexuality is a criminal
offense, the 377 section hasn’t been scrapped. The issue of marriage equality
is a joke in the current legal scenario if rightly put. By celebrating the
legalisation of marriage in a far off progressive nation, I am degrading myself
by not seeing the regressive conservativeness of my own country`s political
gamut. And folks if you didn’t know already, marriage equality is already seen
in quite a few countries, USA just joined them.
So guys, the next time you want to share something, ask
peeps ‘to lend them your ears’. You maybe sharing more than a Facebook share.
