Thus spake ‘Mobile’

 Yeah…yup: sleek, oblong-faced, magic wonder I am mostly in your hands or bulging out of the front/back pocket of your skin-hugging jeans. Some call me ‘mobile’, others ‘cellphone’, ‘smartphone’ or simply ‘phone’. My sizes, colours, shapes and brand names vary in tune with the demands of ever-changing fashion and style. Born a bulky 2 kg on 3 April 1973 in your big, mad, chaotic world, I have had humble beginnings. But now I am a rage and given my range and sweep, I have even muscled out the humble old cousin of mine, the laid-back ‘landline’ phone into oblivion. I am now big business with several MNCs vying to outsmart each other and bring me out in ever new avatars; and therefore I am old the minute I am out of the womb!

 I may be a style statement for the wannabe young but I am an indispensable go-between for meets, conferences, events management, rendezvouses, romances, and what not. Thugs and rogues use me to cheat the gullible; am an instrument for deception, chicanery and even spying (remember the Pegasus?) for the wily politician, and a weapon of power, authority and intimidation for the haughty (‘dog-walking’) bureaucrat; but my heart always beats for the wage-earning labour woman, the domestic help and the rehriwalla who find me such a useful networking aid to earn their daily grub. I blush and smile, and relish the pink on the cheeks, and the throb in their hearts when Romeos and their Juliets finger-tap me to exchange sweet love messages, songs and emojis. I am a mute witness too to the cheeky love tangles/triangles and clandestine affairs. Though I am no prude and stay above human prejudice and his skewed morality, when however things get too murky, I can act a game spoiler and spill the beans: never mind the volley of curse and abuse from the lust-smitten philanderers caught with their pants down! Ha, ha, ha!

And the kids? Hmmm…they just adore me! Entranced by my magic pull, they ignore parental diktats and don’t miss any chance to grab me – beg, borrow or ‘conceal’ – and get busy playing games: to hell with the homework!

Needless to say, my reach is vast and wide encompassing almost all aspects of human life. With my easy-to-use-disposition, now the big unwieldy cameras have also almost become relics seen only in the hands of a handful of professional elites. Now everyone is an ace photographer/videographer in her/his own right taking pictures/selfies/videos with merry abandon. Phoning, banking, transacting money, googling to enjoy music, watching movies, an IPL match or a Netflix thriller– all kinds of entertainment are just a finger-touch/lip-word away for you. Lucky you are– GenNext guys enjoying the marvellous gifts of technology though, sadly, oblivious of the silent cries of earth groaning and writhing under you Sapiens’ vanity and greed.

I was glad at my birth…thought I would do the world some good. But things seem to be going horribly wrong– thanks to my gross misuse.

Friends, your at-your-service servant always, when you use me for spreading peace and love, I rejoice. But something in me dies when you employ me for nefarious activities; to cause hurt and pain; to cheat and defraud; to wage propaganda wars; peddle hatred; play bulldozer politics; fan religious/communal discord: through fake messages/videos. Then I squirm and weep. 

A genie I came into the world, a monster I am becoming and a silent weapon of mass destruction I may end up as. Alas!

Therefore heed when I sing:

                                                 प्यार की राह दिखा दुनिया को

                         रोके जो नफ़रत कि आंधी...

                                                                                *

                                                                       

                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. Dr. G. D. VashistJune 5, 2022 at 3:13 AM

    It is an interesting reading on d evolution of mobile phone, it's uses n abuses.

    ReplyDelete

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