Stop Google Maps and Ask for Direction
Asking for direction!? Sounds like stone age? I know. But, I 'asked' for direction today!
It so happened that I had to reach a friend's house. Initially, I thought of the conventional-ask him to send the location and use that to reach the location. But, instead, I asked him the place, elaborate address and searched for it.
"Dude, you will be lost," warned my friend.
I wondered how far and to what extent I will get lost. But, I tried.
I called the conventional tri-wheel autorickshaw. "SGP colony chalna hei," I told him.
"Saab, GPS laga lijiye", said the driver. "Chalo yaar aap!" I exhorted.
We had to consult six people on the way- a fellow auto driver, a paan shop vendor, a cycle repair guy, traffic police, another autowalla, and finally the security guard manning my friend's colony. After every interaction, I thanked them all with a smile : ) Each of them returned my smile with theirs'.
Throughout the sojourn, probably I added a little to climate change. A few meters trod off the path onto the wrong ways. But, I got to know parts of the city I would never have visited again my life. I met people I will probably never meet again. There was a brief meeting of two worlds. And each of the visits reinforced a part of me that makes me who I am- the humanity.
Machines don't need interaction. They are mechanical. Humans are definitely NOT MECHANICAL. What makes us humans are those interactions with people- friends, and strangers: en route and off route.
More importantly, once we get habituated to the precise locations and routes of Google maps, we tend to think our life to be that way-precise, exact and optimal. We expect our parents, siblings, better halves, children, and even delivery boys to be precise. However, life doesn't happen with our precision. Nor does the life of other people. It is okay to sometimes tread the wrong path, miss the time, or fail. As an individual, I have to give my best without fail. But as a son, friend, brother or mentor, I can be a little more generous with my parents, friends, brother, or students.
Asking for directions taught me the importance of asking people for help. Most of the time, people are forthcoming. Whether seeking directions to a location or directions in life, there are always people who will help us, provided we seek help. Coming out of Google maps teaches us the importance of asking for guidance.
The mobile world has disabled us of the feelings and emotions filled in the real world. I used to live in a semi-posh township in the city. The owners of apartments treated the security guards no more than the human equivalents of CCTV cameras. Many of them didn't bother to even smile or say thank you to those guards.
One fine day, I casually asked one of the security guards whether he wasn't feeling cold standing out at night. This innocuous comment led to an hour of discussion with the guards, with almost ten guards joining me. They told me where they came from, where their children are, and the problems they faced. I could sense that these people wanted somebody to talk to and share their emotions. Alas, most of us are glued to YouTube dramas and Instagram panoramas.
Many of today's social problems can be traced to the advent of the mobile world. People have become cold, polarised and vulnerable. As an engineer, I definitely would love the proliferation of technology. But, such a thing at the expense of who we are is not worth it. What makes us humans are the stories we share with each other; the smiles and laughs we share; the giggles and tears we share; the truth and lies we share, with each other- person to person. Use the technology you want, but please spare a moment to go back to who we are- humans.
Next time you see a stranger, smile! 😉
It so happened that I had to reach a friend's house. Initially, I thought of the conventional-ask him to send the location and use that to reach the location. But, instead, I asked him the place, elaborate address and searched for it.
"Dude, you will be lost," warned my friend.
I wondered how far and to what extent I will get lost. But, I tried.
I called the conventional tri-wheel autorickshaw. "SGP colony chalna hei," I told him.
"Saab, GPS laga lijiye", said the driver. "Chalo yaar aap!" I exhorted.
We had to consult six people on the way- a fellow auto driver, a paan shop vendor, a cycle repair guy, traffic police, another autowalla, and finally the security guard manning my friend's colony. After every interaction, I thanked them all with a smile : ) Each of them returned my smile with theirs'.
Throughout the sojourn, probably I added a little to climate change. A few meters trod off the path onto the wrong ways. But, I got to know parts of the city I would never have visited again my life. I met people I will probably never meet again. There was a brief meeting of two worlds. And each of the visits reinforced a part of me that makes me who I am- the humanity.
Machines don't need interaction. They are mechanical. Humans are definitely NOT MECHANICAL. What makes us humans are those interactions with people- friends, and strangers: en route and off route.
More importantly, once we get habituated to the precise locations and routes of Google maps, we tend to think our life to be that way-precise, exact and optimal. We expect our parents, siblings, better halves, children, and even delivery boys to be precise. However, life doesn't happen with our precision. Nor does the life of other people. It is okay to sometimes tread the wrong path, miss the time, or fail. As an individual, I have to give my best without fail. But as a son, friend, brother or mentor, I can be a little more generous with my parents, friends, brother, or students.
Asking for directions taught me the importance of asking people for help. Most of the time, people are forthcoming. Whether seeking directions to a location or directions in life, there are always people who will help us, provided we seek help. Coming out of Google maps teaches us the importance of asking for guidance.
The mobile world has disabled us of the feelings and emotions filled in the real world. I used to live in a semi-posh township in the city. The owners of apartments treated the security guards no more than the human equivalents of CCTV cameras. Many of them didn't bother to even smile or say thank you to those guards.
One fine day, I casually asked one of the security guards whether he wasn't feeling cold standing out at night. This innocuous comment led to an hour of discussion with the guards, with almost ten guards joining me. They told me where they came from, where their children are, and the problems they faced. I could sense that these people wanted somebody to talk to and share their emotions. Alas, most of us are glued to YouTube dramas and Instagram panoramas.
Many of today's social problems can be traced to the advent of the mobile world. People have become cold, polarised and vulnerable. As an engineer, I definitely would love the proliferation of technology. But, such a thing at the expense of who we are is not worth it. What makes us humans are the stories we share with each other; the smiles and laughs we share; the giggles and tears we share; the truth and lies we share, with each other- person to person. Use the technology you want, but please spare a moment to go back to who we are- humans.
Next time you see a stranger, smile! 😉
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