Sometimes, when I am thick-skinned enough, for data costs an arm and a leg these days, I pick up my phone and dial my contacts, not all of them but definitely those I have not seen or spoken to in a while.
Many times they are pleasantly surprised, even shocked. They almost all end up telling me I am doing a good job.
Why do I do that? It’s not because I’m lonely, no. I have enough books to last me till my retirement, when I shall go to my hometown Sirigu, where I will find people who still care about others. It is because I don’t want technology to shackle me, away from my friends, family and acquaintances.
Too often we are quick to give excuses such as “I am so busy “, “you know city life” etc. I call that laziness, for friendships are like plants, they need nurturing. We cannot just collect friends, abandon them and then hope to resurrect the relationship when we need them. That’s greed!
Those of you who are old enough will recall we used to write letters or stand in queues with our phone cards, yet we kept in touch. Today we have mobile phones, portable phones, carry-along phones and we are more distant, more estranged. What a paradox!!
Are we a species hell-bent on destroying everything we should cherish? From growing in the loving embrace of whole villages we now imprison ourselves in our mansions with wall so high and with security guards and gadgets for moats, what a shame!
We have invited misery into our homes and we now live with our gadgets, chatting to them and claiming to be fulfilled, what lunacy!
I am told there are electronic dogs to be had and robotic girl friends to be bought, are we serious?
I rest my case.
The Siriguboy
THE RAMBLINGS OF THE FORGOTTEN SEER. 