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Emotions Go Digital
In today’s world of advanced psychical analysis, the age old virtues of expressing one’s emotions are constantly rubbed in our faces, backed by the many updated researches and reports that state the alarming rate at which psychoneurosis (mental disorder associated with indirect expression of emotions) is sky rocketing. Free manifestation of emotions, we are told gives way to sound mental health while simultaneously bridging relationships, yet we often come across people complaining of not being loved or cared for by their spouse, parents, children, etc.
Just a couple of decades back, when they still made tolerant and balanced human beings, more-so confined by the not-so advanced technology, proclamation of feelings was at its best.
As a child, I still remember the day my mother received a letter from a long lost friend. How she clung to it and cried. She still holds the now yellowing parchment. Recalling the joy in her eyes, I now realize that they had no ecards or virtual hugs to send, yes, but they had lots of time to take out to write a much awaited letter and lots of thought to put in to create a hand made card.
As close as Lego blocks in a bag, they clung to each other, at times bonding together in a lock, the lock of dearest love, of treasured friendship, the point of contact being so small, they could no longer tell where they began and the other left off.
Even non-verbal expression was enough to say it all. A handshake was firm, a hug without any false pretense. The famous adage “Smile flexes more muscles than a frown” topped their list of 101 ‘Life’s little instructions’.
Come 21st century and the world thinks, breathes, sleeps rocket science. We have a longer, more complex, perhaps even a more documented ‘Points to Ponder’ list but ironically lesser time to actually ponder over it. The new-age technology and the much sought after Internet has inundated our lives with easier, quicker and more effective tools to communicate our feelings.
‘Emotions’, that which was an abstract term for our parents, is now a visual treat for us by the name of ‘Emot-icons’, which (and allow me to define it) are these animated faces/symbols depicting a certain emotion.
There is a smiley face to tell someone you are pleased, a blushing smiley for something embarrassing you said, a winkey to say ‘Just Kidding’. You name it and they have it and best of all they are just a click away!
Even special occasions have been taken care of. There are numerous ecards to choose from, virtual flowers and now even gift certificates to send and all, while you are sitting in that cosy chair of yours, balancing you act between launching that last ball in the Pinball game and choosing the font colour for your friend’s birthday ecard. Ah! So much for being friends.
The other day, while logged on to my Messenger account, I met a friend who’s recently moved abroad. Amidst exchange of greetings and the latest gossips, I was very blatantly sent a fat punch (virtual, of course), which made realization strike.
Hey! For any deprivation of physical outburst of emotions that gets to you, there are always virtual hugs, kisses and now even fiery virtual slaps and blows to make up for it.
What Confucius once said holds so true today, “A picture’s worth a thousand words” somehow seems the modern thought. Along with the World Wide Web, the popularity of cellphones are equally doing the honours of digitalizing our emotions, what with the SMS, picture and voice messages.
Advocates of digital technology might have pulled out papers to write hate mails already but rest assured, to say I am as much into the hi-tech oomph as any other sane (or so they say) person, is to say the least. I certainly acknowledge the benefits of these innovative and highly in-vogue tools to express one’s feelings.
Sure these are easier, faster and more visually effective, though not necessarily economical than the traditional methods; however, it cannot be denied that they are the need of the day.
If I did sound bleak earlier, I assure you that I am not hopeless of the millennium man’s ability to feel and/or express what he feels, my concern is the spark that is missing, that extra touch of speciality that was earlier there, when we worked endlessly on making streamers to put on a present or icing a home made cake to perfection for that special someone.
Some say we’ve got to lose something in return for the fruits of the advanced technology, but let it not be our much revered values or relationships around us that are fast crumbling like stale biscuits.
Hmm scary thought but true. For those who still insist on going totally digital, virtual lorries of luck are on their way (the lorry drivers of course come free). For now, :)
...need I say more? i
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