A while ago I'd written quite a bit on technology and how social networking has its own flipsides. Here those posts are - 'TECHNOLOGY'. Anyway, come to think of it, the flipsides of technology are quite fascinating, as perhaps is technology itself.
Take gtalk taglines. A few months ago, completely aghast at the kind of status messages people put up, I'd posted this. Do take a look. And I realize that the trend continues. Only this time, through Facebook and Twitter and also Gtalk! I wonder why people travel. To see places? Or to tell the world that they're traveling? Looks more like the latter, with people unabashedly putting up where they are. Question 1 - Who really asked XYZ where they went. Question 2 - Did XYZ spend more time analyzing sceneries and backdrops to make a choice over which shot would look best on FB? Or did he/she actually spend time admiring the place? And then again comes the bout of showing off. Back in school, if someone got a new pencil case, they'd find every opportunity to remove a pencil! But that was school. Now, if someone buys a new phone, they find every mode to publicize that! WHY? So you wanted a new phone, you went and bought one. I wanted a new couch cushion and I went and bought one! I am sure no one wanted to read a message like - 'Rust colored silk chequered cushion will adorn my couch starting now'. Oops, did I read a message like that on Facebook sometime???!!??? Maybe I had! So why would I want to know that ABC bought a Blackberry Pearl? or Bold or whatever! Why would I want to know that someone else bought a toothpick! Blatantly in your face. Yes that is what this is.
And now, with the advent of Twitter, tweet-happy people abound by the millions. Take our very own Lalit Modi of IPL notoriety for instance. Mr. Moneybags was in Monaco watching the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, and he tweeted - "Touched by the solidarity on the streets of Monaco. Touched by the solidarity for IPL. One day F1 too will have IPL following". I couldn't stop laughing. Did Mr Modi even know about the existence of the Tifosi? Tifosi translates to scarlet fever in Italian and these are the Italian fans of the Prancing Horse - Ferrari! Did Mr. Modi know about how F1 tickets get sold out in Australia? Did he even realize that Formula 1 that runs across countries for a championship run throughout a year has a following in as many countries as there are races? Which brings the current country tally to 19! Let us not even begin counting the number of F1 fans in India. But then once you have a Blackberry, with access to internet, international roaming charges notwithstanding, and you have a constant thirst for fame, no matter what the route, I guess you can dismiss such statements as being an advanced form of the common foot-in-mouth disease!
So cranky status messages, weird twitter updates - well all hail technology!!
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