Let's talk. Shall we?

Statistically speaking, Facebook users spend an average of 20 minutes per day on it. The count is even higher on Instagram and Snapchat. Why I pulled out these statistics is because I want to talk about something that's creating a lot of buzz in the Indian households (not for good reasons). Mobiles. More so, a need to stay connected with people all the time. Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp and now Telegram. These are the most used apps on an average teen's phone. Now don't get me wrong, I'm in no way against these apps and their usage. In fact, apps make our lives so much easier. One click and food's on its way, one click and the cab's on its way. This is like those fabled times I used to read about as a child. One snap and poof! Everything's in our hands.

The downside of this is a lot of things. I like to make lists. So here goes another one.

THE NEGATIVES:

1. Less time with loved ones face to face and more time with people on the other side of another phone. Now, if I'm sitting with my girlfriend in a cafe, she'll be more interested in a picture perfect Insta story than actually spending more time with me face to face. Just an example, we do have good times. (My mom's gonna give me a look after reading this.)

2. Living a fake life online and a less fruitful & meaningful life. Now I'm saying this as a big hypocrite because I haven't felt like I'm living a very meaningful life myself. There can be a lot of reasons for this but I did a little experiment. I uninstalled Facebook and Instagram for a while and did a little digital detox. It was liberating! I didn't look at what others were doing, I simply had this nagging feeling of what others had to say about that last story I posted. And that's what killed me. I had become a puppet of a system that I never wanted to be a part of.

3. We're being torn further apart at the pretext of coming closer. I'll prove what I'm saying. We recentlt celebrated Diwali. How many of us were busy sending out forwarded photos and messages that someone else had written? How many of us actually called someone up and wished them exclusively? That's what I am trying to prove, exclusivity is lost.

4. Stalking is at an all time high and it is NOT okay! I need not elaborate on this.

THE POSITIVES:

1. You can keep a memoir of your life at one place. When I was 10, I used to have one day fixed for sorting out the latest photos we'd have clicked on the last vacation and arrange them in those thick albums according to my memory of when it had occurred. I now have Instagram or Facebook to share it with the my friends and family as and when I want. (I know, Google photos exist too and it's more exclusive).

2. Collaborations, digital advertisements and promotions. Digital marketing is the new way of promoting business and creating a grander digital presence. Local and new businesses have the chance at being recognised in this new atmosphere digital platforms have created.

There are a lot more that I'm not adding to the list. Would like to hear it from you guys too. Keep adding to the list. Hit me up in the comments.