Be careful, this is the world of notifications

RITIKA GUPTA

Time and circumstances keep changing, the human world cannot deny this because ever since humans have learned to speak and write, they have been sharing their thoughts with each other. In ancient times, when the Internet was not invented, people used pigeons as messengers. Before that, special mention of Maharishi Narad Muni is recorded in our religious texts as a messenger. There was a time when many kings used to recruit runners to convey their messages from one state to another. These runners were used to deliver messages from one place to another as quickly as possible. You must have read the story of Marathon war during this period.

Times changed and methods changed before our eyes; after telegram and post, today the era of internet has arrived. In this age of internet, if any idea comes to your mind then you immediately share it with your friends and close ones through various means of technology like SMS, social media, email, phone and video call. Whether he is sitting across the seven seas in America or next to you!

This era is called modern or for G. It is being called the era of 5G, for example, how easy it has become to say, see and hear your message, isn’t it? But today many difficulties have arisen in this simplicity. Just a few days ago I was reading that the notifications we get through the use of social media sometimes increase our stress to such an extent. Sometimes some people are not shying away from even taking steps like suicide. Just a few days ago, a 16 year old girl from Malaysia did an online survey on Instagram asking people about her opinion that she should die. Look amazing, about 70 percent of the people advised her to die and the girl committed suicide.

A few days ago, a girl in Punjab also did the same. Meanwhile, in Agra, a boy proposed love to a girl on Facebook. The girl refused in the message. As soon as the boy saw the notification of prohibition, he committed suicide. It is amazing, isn’t it? The technology which was invented to increase mutual communication in the world, is today being used by people to increase sorrow, trouble and stress.

Why is this happening, think! You are happy at home, some program is going on. Suddenly a notification came on your mobile and all your fun was ruined. Later it came to light that you had uploaded the photo in your favorite dress while getting ready to participate in the program. Nobody liked it and commented that the dress was useless and you were not looking beautiful at all. You read this and became sad.

Think! Was it true that we would accept whatever someone else tells us? We don’t find him beautiful or attractive. Is this his problem or ours? Obviously it was his problem but we were sad. This is not some news or anecdotal incident. Even if we keep the world aside, in the year 2017, one out of every seven people in our own country was found to be suffering from different types of mental disorders. In which most of the patients were found to be more active on social media. I was surprised when I saw that about 4.5 crore people are suffering from this type of depression and their number has doubled as compared to 1990.

I believe that social media and smartphones have become an important necessity in people’s lives. Everyone depends on it. Be it chatting with friends or official mail, every task becomes possible with it. But still sometimes your mobile itself creates problems for you. Are you at a relative’s place or are you offering solace in a tragic accident? But suddenly the phone starts ringing. There are many apps in your phone whose notifications keep coming again and again and sometimes you have to face embarrassment on some occasions. Apart from this, despite so many apps and being a part of a global world, man remains lost.

Secondly, the addiction of checking mobile notifications is driving people so crazy that they are checking notifications of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp even in the middle of the road. This addiction is now increasing day by day among humans. In fact, now notifications have become a part of people’s lives even with all their important tasks. The situation has become such that if there are five members in the house but they are not able to make eye contact and talk to each other, they ask questions without looking at each other and the person in front also answers by gazing into his phone. That means technology at home has kept people far away from each other.

Not only this, I myself am a victim, during the yoga class at my Moksha Yoga Arogya Sansthan, I have to request the women every day to please keep the mobile on silent and keep it aside. But still many times some people keep their mobile close to them as if their life is not in their body but in the mobile. During that time, a question would arise in my mind every day, is there not even a little time for myself in this world? I agree that technology connects us in this virtual world, but it does not mean that it should become an addiction?

The biggest capital in the world is our health and body because if it is there, we are it. Otherwise one day there will be mobile and notifications too but maybe we will not have it, here are some suggestions for this. For example, avoid creating too many groups on WhatsApp, keep your phone away at least an hour before sleeping at night, so that you do not see notifications. If possible, turn off the internet data, do not make children addicted to smart phones for playing games in the beginning, keep the phone silent or disconnect the internet in a meeting or at a relative’s place, keep the phone in the pocket while crossing the road. Do not check notifications while driving. Keep in mind that social media is an imaginary and virtual world. Be a part of it for a moment but don’t let it dominate you.

RITIKA GUPTA