In our quest for technological perfection, we are losing the human element...(an antagonistic approach)

After the sepoy mutiny in 1857, the railway and the telegraph system, was brought to India by the British, for their own communicational expediency. Although inadvertently, but still, the British, had enthused nationalism in India by making it extremely effortless for the Indians, grouped under various kingdoms, to communicate with each other, so that they could think, and fight, as a single nation, against the colonial British rule.

 The quest for technological perfection cannot be held responsible for the desiccation of human sentiments. Superficial information about technology and its repercussions might polarise opinions in complete favour of the statement quoted above, but I have a fresh and antagonistic approach towards this statement.

Over the years, technology has advanced rapidly, and today, an assortment of social networking sites, and cell phones, are connecting hearts athwart the globe.

The fundamental necessitate for technological perfection is to revitalise the human element. Voting polls, and campaigns on the internet, today, voice the opinion of individuals all over the world. Such mass movements threaten the influential, oppressing unjust decisions on the underprivileged.

Today, the media plays an imperative and responsible role in fighting against prejudice. The new bollywood movie, “No One Killed Jessica” showed how a single reporter in a news channel could get the son of an influential political figure behind the bars, for allegedly murdering an innocent girl, with the help of technology alone. SMS polls and the television enabled her to stimulate the human element in Indians, who stood up and fought against the tyranny of the so called ‘powerful’ people.

Speaking of the news channels, I would like to bring up the issue of the devastating earthquake in Japan. News channels like the NDTV India, asked its viewers to extend their alms and support to the victims, and the response was more than OVERWHELMING. The viewers, not only contributed their money, but also did each and every feasible thing they could, to assist the sufferers in their own, small way.

Lately, I saw an airtel commercial, where a soldier, used video-calling provision in his cell phone to have a virtual meeting with his wife, back at home, just before going to the battleground. It was an exceptionally poignant commercial, which gives us more reason to strongly believe that technology progresses just to revitalise the human element.

Today, technology in the medicinal arena is saving millions of lives, across the globe. Now, even fatal ailments like cancer are being cured with a flamboyant ease, at practical expenditures. Free of cost treatments are no longer a rarity; most countries, today have charity hospitals and dispensaries that aid the underprivileged.

For technological excellence in the field of music, ‘the sky is the limit’. Technology in music, today, has enabled us to fuse the western and the eastern worlds together, in ideal harmony. The recent number, ‘heartbeat’ sung by Enrique and Sunidhi is a perfect model of a musical collaboration, materialised by technology alone.

It all lies in the attitude, and the manner in which technology is handled. Misuse of technology can certainly lead to mass destruction, but to ‘heal the world’ we have to strive towards human as well as technological perfection. As Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam says, “It all lies in the vision”.

With this, I sign off.