Random Thoughts
Mobile, the Menace
In India, we Indians have a tendency to overdo things; I hope none in the world can beat us in that quality. Be it a gadget, facility, art, cheating, benevolence, marketing or argument.
The most striking and annoying gadget thoroughly misused to the point of creating irritation, horror and annoying is the mobile phone. I doubt even in the well developed nations I happened to visit, their ‘rich’ public do not use the mobiles as the ‘poor’ Indian population (mis)use it.
The first and the foremost annoyance is the telemarketing technique. I don’t know where from this concept generated and assumed this huge uncouth proportion. Starting with ‘Good Morning or Good Evening Sir’ they try to canvass from pin to plane through this. I have been getting not less than 20 to 30 useless messages everyday from mobile operators to miscreants, I hear umpteen beeps every day. My job is to open, sometimes not even open and delete them. The callers are the most dreadful lot. They call you at anytime with least respect about where, how and what state, place or condition you are at. They simply start rattling out some useless talk without the manners to apologize even after cutting them short. But, still we claim India is the culturally superior country in the whole world.
The mobile companies say that they will prevent such messages and callers for a price. I think it is nothing but a hoax. I do not know how that works as I have not tried it. Further, I cannot but blame the mobile operators and their staff who alone can give the numbers to such ‘business motivated people’, undoubtedly for a bribe or a price.
I am not sure how many gullible people have been duped by these callers and messages. I have one bitter experience with a bank credit card through a miscreant who managed to use my card using the foolish facility the bank provides by sending a message from them in case of purchase without proper verification. This has been reported in the newspapers also recently.
Several accidents have taken place because of the nonstop talking or listening to music (!) on the mobile and crossing the railway track or busy roads by public. Many carelessly continue to converse while driving a car and more dangerously two wheeler. Many without public manners talk quite boisterously in public places like roads, airports, shops, trains and hotels much to the chagrin of others.
This attitude is nothing but deplorable and frustrating. All these indicate only one thing. We have the culture and practice of using anything to the worst possible extent and never care about the consequences it brings.
Apart from all these, are we not the best example to the world of how ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’ could be mauled and mutilated with least qualms by overdoing?
10-Aug-2014
More by :
G Swaminathan
Top | Random Thoughts
|
It is true that usage of mobile phones calls for more discipline.
Any new technology is like a double edged sword. Radio, TV and Internet were all hailed and were expected to help spread knowledge, education etc. But they also spread the negatives- TV's turned some people to couch potatoes, internet made easy access to pornography and innovative methods of committing crime.
The choice as always is of each individual.
I for one would say Mobile phones are a boon.
Again, we do have problems in our country. But even the so called most advanced countries like USA is not untouched. They too have high crime rates.
What is important is that we identify the alternatives available and tread a carefully chosen path. Indecision and only self criticism without a action plan gets you nowhere. |
|
