When Martin
Cooper developed and introduced mobile phones in 1973, little did he realise
that he was creating a revolution (especially in India) which had young, old,
poor, rich participate excitedly. In India mobile phones found the daylight in
1995. I have observed and noticed the way mobiles phones are used and abused.
The other day I was travelling from Jayanagar to my residence in Bannerghata.
What I noticed was there were more than 75% of people on the road who were on a
mobile phone. Funny expressions, anger, silent listener, a person looked like a
maniac when he was gesturing his hands, which were flying all over on the busy
road. The mobile contraption has literally found cosy corners in a human being.
It hangs on the neck, suspended like a chain, it is tucked between the ears and
a helmet. I even noticed a pillion holding a phone to the ears of the rider!
One of the most amusing things I saw was the mobile stuck on a contraption
attached to a vehicle, two-wheeler or a car and people looking at it rather
than focussing on the road. I guess some people use the GPS where Ms Alexa or
Mary or whoever provides you with directions.
I think
that the mobile has adopted people rather than the other way around. People are
talking as if there is no tomorrow. The mobile has become a fixture or rather
another body part.
The initial
use of a mobile phone was to make or receive a call or message. Today it plays
a vital part in one’s life, alarm, storage, checking mails, listening to music,
podcasts, watching films to name a few.
It has made a human being a multitasker who can do so many things at one
time and has information at their fingertips.
Pedestrians
crossing a road trust their phones and are glued to it rather than looking at
traffic lights which is supposed to guide you when you travel. As an
influential object a mobile phone has become a big influencer in the daily life
of a person.
Documentation
and sharing information which is of little interest to some people has taken a
toll. A simple good morning (not knowing if it is really a good morning for
others) by sending messages, floral designs had become a daily chore for some
people. I have seen a by-line in many people’s phone where it says No good
morning” messages, but people ignore it.
Taking
photographs has become a second nature for some. I have seen people in a
pensive mood but the moment a camera is switched on they have a big smile and
then go back to the grim face when the camera is switched off. Even some
children have learnt to adapt to a camera, despite them not ready for a “photo
shoot”. The mobile camera catches your candid expression
when it opens suddenly. Sometimes one feels that the lens is dirty but we do
not realise it will capture or depict only what is sees!
Terminologies
have been redefined by a mobile phone. After meetings are concluded when people
say let’s “take it offline” it really
means lets continue the conversation on WhatsApp?
Simple
conversations between family members’ freezes when someone suddenly is watching
a video or a message that has just been flagged on a mobile. In fact dinner
tables represent charging stations when silence is broken by alerts from the
mobile.
The mobile
phones also act as codes for example, “I reached means” one missed call, “come outside” two missed calls and “why are you not picking up my calls?” ten
missed calls.
Many people have used the mobile phone as a
survival tool. No more can people remember telephone numbers, but can avoid
calls from people by seeing their name/photo.
