I was reading 'Siddhartha' by Hermann Hesse in the train, on my way to Nagpur. I was very excited to start the book. Buddha has always charmed me. And this excitement and charm made me finish the book in 18 hrs. flat!!
So here I was, reading this book about Siddhartha, who gave up all of his possessions in search of the ultimate. And there was so much of irony around me! I was surrounded by people who didn't take a minute to to take out their worldly possessions! As soon as the train started, everybody was busy with their laptops, music players, etc. We do carry our world together, don't we! No wonder people don't come across that feeling of 'missing' something or someone! For all you know, unlike Siddhartha, we might google for 'the ultimate'!
For me personally, it feels great to access the net after a whole of two weeks! I didn't miss it, but I like coming back to it. Why is it that we want to carry our worlds with us, is something I wonder so many times... Chuck the technology advancing etc. part. I don't care! What happened to spending time in the train by reading magazines, books, talking to fellow passengers? Yeah, we fear that the person next to us might be dangerous. All these old charms are dying. And I feel sad to witness this, but still hope that they will be alive.
In fact, when you're travelling with your friends and relatives, why do you need your laptop anyways? Oh yes, to keep your naughty child busy by making him addicted to such things. Instead of teaching him manners, you keep him busy with the laptop and let him irritate the other passengers, after he's done with playing on the laptop. You also like to watch that movie for the nth time with your friends, instead of catching up or having fun in the journey.
Whatever happened to looking forward to train journeys with your friends and family, planning what you will do during the journey.... It wasn't like people never travelled alone when we didn't have laptops or such things. I agree on the fact that we have more ways to pass time alone nowadays, but it makes me sad to see people carrying their worlds with them. It's actually a form of addiction.
2 comments:
:D hmm.. well i agree and i dont agree!
Whenever i travel with my family or friends, i dont even need to carry an ipod or even a book! There is so much to catch up that even the journey time is less!
Whenever i travel by bus, even then at max that i carry apart from the book is an ipod; just in casr if the fellow passenger is not friendly!
But this time for the first time ever i am going to travel by train and its a 20hrs journey.. there are many movies that i wish to c, so i plan to carry my laptop and utilize the time...
But that doesnt mean i will not talk to my fellow passengers or that i carry my world always around with me :P
It depends on the situation, isnt it? ;)
That's true Vandu :) It was just a thought on how we've got addcited/attached to things, material things. So I had to expoilt the thought! :)
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