The Maddening Crowd

Hanuman ji forwarded Shri Ram’s message to Ravan. Infuriated, Ravan set Hanuman’s tail on fire and Hanuman ji set whole of Lanka on fire in reply. Subsequently, this proved to be the t(r)ailblazer for the modern-day social media exchanges. 

Going ahead, God's messages to people were forwarded by the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus Christ. However, any negative response or questioning to those messages is construed as blasphemy and the responders are silenced promptly by use of violence. 

The postal service started in 18th century. Who would know the value of those yellow postcards and green envelops more than a sailor of early 80s? Thousands of miles away from home in the middle of lifeless seas, those letters acted as lifeline and connected us with our loved ones ashore. The feeling has been aptly described in Pankaj Udhas’s number, ‘Chitthi aai hai, aai hai, chitthi aai hai.’  Listen to the song after few pegs of whiskey for the best effects.

Moving forward, in the first electronic message from Baltimore to Washington, D.C., in the 19th century, Samuel Morse clearly understood the historic ramifications of the technology when he dit-dahed, “What hath God wrought?”. He warned the humanity and blamed God for the ill consequences of his invention. The technology gave wings to human basic instinct to communicate. In a short time, social media evolved from direct electronic information exchange, to virtual real-time gathering place, to retail platform, to vital 21st-century business and marketing tool. 

The instant success of social media can be attributed to real time thumbs-up responses injecting a dose of dopamine into user’s nervous system. Believe me or not, it’s better than Nescafe or cocaine when it comes to instant kick. On a more serious note, it has reconnected old friends, helped people find lost loved ones, and given people a platform to market themselves and their products. The life is unthinkable without being a cog in this giant wheel of social media.

But it’s not without the downside of it like any other technology. In a virtual world one is vulnerable to frauds and deceit. There’s a false sense of intimacy and connection. Besides, these gigantic platforms are owned by big tech companies and the big brothers are watching your every move you make and recording every pic you take or every word you say. A 1983 number, ‘Every Breath You Take’ by the band ‘The Police’ is ringing in my ears as I am writing this.

We have no curtains in this colossal toilet without privacy, just the strings. And how could one be free while one is tethered to mobile data? Naked and chained in a public place, that’s how it is to be out there.

The human brain which was once a fertile ground for thoughts and creativity has now reduced to an impulsive panel sending out impulses of fear, hatred, prejudices, and misinformation. 

Thought over-load!! Short Circuit!!!

Provoked by the foregoing thoughts a 1984 song by Queen, ‘I want to break free’,  is blaring in my ears now.  But it has been quite a while since this piece of shit I am writing has kept me away from my beloved mobile and my dopamine level has really gone low, and no longer can I control the craving to get back to the ignoble strife of the maddening crowd.