Distracting
Technology
Shaurya Kuthiala
iPods, Gameboys, Palmtops and mobile
phones are only a few of the millions of gadgets that hit the markets every
year. They make life more convenient and definitely a lot more fun. Now,
with the simple actions of flicking a few switches and pressing a few
buttons, the average person can be lost for hours in a world where
everything is not as it’s supposed to be, and people with superpowers comb
the streets, keeping crime at bay in the world of the Gameboy. Or you could
just have a nice, long and leisurely chat by just pressing a few buttons on
your mobile, and kill an hour of time by updating yourself on the latest
gossip amongst your peer group. Many brilliant minds have devised many
brilliant different inventions…and these great inventions are now reducing
the brains of future geniuses to dust. Most parents everywhere will agree
with me when I say that it is extremely difficult to separate a teenager
from his TV serial or his mobile phone when he is chatting with a friend and
bring him to finish his homework or to study a little for the upcoming
exams. The parents’ viewpoint is, “He must study or he won’t get good
marks.” On the other hand, the teen thinks, “Why should I leave my serial
just to study?” It’s either living in an unreal world where you command and
others obey, or working till your brain is blunted by biology and muddled
with math.
As technology progresses, man regresses. These days, students are distracted
by the smallest details. The biggest problem now, however, is not the
details, as many parents have perfected the art of hiding their children’s
iPods and other devices. The real problem for parents is the sheer number of
these gadgets. Hardly have they bought one gadget, yielding to the demands
of their children, than another one is occupying their kids’ hands and
attention. How long can the hide and seek game be kept up? Then, the parent
may opt for a long talk (the children call them lectures and the parents
call them talks), which will only make the child wish that he didn’t have to
do anything but play computer games all day long. This sequence of events
will continue for as long as anyone can imagine, before any major
improvement is made.
Something that also came to my attention through an article in a newspaper
report is that continuous use of these small gadgets, even for periods as
short as one hour a day, over long periods of time, may cause trauma,
numbness, headaches and numerous other problems. This could go on until most
of our younger population starts getting such symptoms and is affected by
many of these problems. Another alternative could be that the parents and
children co-operate with each other and start using these devices in a
responsible manner. No one can be forced to do what he does not want to do:
the choice is up to every individual. What would you prefer: listening in a
controlled fashion to your iPod and a lifetime free of problems from your
gadgets, or listening to it for a little longer every day and suffer a pain
in your fingertips whenever you use it for too long? The choice is yours to
make.
Brainteasers
Sourced by Arjun Singh Sethi
Answers (left to right, top to bottom): you’re under arrest; blood is thicker than water; high above the clouds; take U out 2 lunch; Seasons Greetings; cross country; love at first sight; raised eyebrows; history repeats itself; making both ends meet; almost forgotten; vitamin A deficiency; just between you and me; black and white T.V.; the plot thickens; sitting on top of the world.
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