Umwelt as per wiki means the environment or surroundings to
which a particular organism is adapted to or which affect its behavior. In
simple words it comprises of everything which makes up the “model” of the world
suitable for an organism to live. As I started thinking about this word nothing
other than “facebook” came to my mind. Facebook is umwelt to
all possible human beings from a toddler to a retired old man. A toddler
creating a profile is slightly tough as he can punch only the air with his
fists and not the keys of the laptop. Parents of today are more than happy to
create an umwelt for their kiddos who just started breathing the not so fresh
air of the earth and are rocking the world in their cradle.
They for sure don’t have to rock the world with their facebook
profile or a page. It’s funny when a busy dad working in a software company
creates a profile for his month old son and sends requests to everyone
snatching the baby’s freedom and privacy of creating his own profile when he
grows up! The same parents after 10 years will for sure complain about their
son and his fellow friends as they will be spending unusually long time in
front of the computer. Dad will buy an iPad or a Samsung galaxy tab for a 15
year old and repent later as he gets transfixed by the tab and spends hours
holding it ignoring people around him. The sleek and beautiful umwelt was provided to his dear son by
himself and hence there’s no scope to actually restrict and complain much.
I remember a time when umwelt to me meant our 4 room quarter
with a beautiful garden well maintained by mom. I used to help her in
gardening. When power used to go off without any prior notice during those hot
sweltering summer nights we all used to gather outside our home under the
natural AC of a Neem tree along with neighbors whom we all knew by names and
played antyakshari. We used to have a candle light dinner and enjoy to the fullest
even in the midst of mosquito bites. Now all a kid wants to do is stay in his
own private umwelt and play temple run or angry birds in an air conditioned
room. It’s surprising to me when I see an eight year old absorbed in apple
products playing all the games to hearts content. The boy is cut off from
social life at an early age. By the time he grows he might suffer from social
phobia. Social phobia or social anxiety is a condition which is predominant
these days. The way a 9 year or 10 year old kids make facebook their C/O address
disheartens me. I had a latest experience in a wedding where a 14 year
old girl was totally immersed in her smart phone and the facebook app. I was
trying to talk to her but she was lost somewhere. I also have a smart phone but
what is the point of going out in a gathering when all you want to do is check
your updates and live in your cozy dim corner even there?
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| Image source : here |
A mother to a Son: “Why are
you always sitting in front of your laptop? It is not good for your eyes. Go
out in the garden area and play.”
The son takes his laptop to
garden area and starts playing there. You all would have come across this joke
on internet in the recent past which holds true for many kids.
“Mom. Do you know that the
fucker who is involved in match fixing earned some 50 lakhs!” says 11 year old
Aakash to his mom much to her bewilderment.
“Aakaaaaaash. Where did you
learn these words?” stormed Aakash’s mom.
“Oops. Sorry mom. The
other day I saw a comment on some photo on a website where many different words
were used for that match fixer. Honestly it just came in the flow mom. I am
really sorry.” Replied Aakash.
At some point of time both
mom and son stop bothering about the cuss words in the movies, TV or internet
as they are abundantly available anywhere. Kids follow the footsteps of
parents. If parents are happy in their virtual umwelt then kids have no other
choice than getting adapted to the same umwelt. It’s not uncommon to see a
father and daughter staying in touch only via facebook comments or pings. Friends
can be partners in Farmville or criminal case but very few people take time to
meet in real and have a cup of coffee and a happy face to face
conversation. It is high time for everyone to start thinking about their
cozy umwelts where they are in touch with whole world but they are absolutely
oblivious when it comes to knowing a neighbor. It’s a task which they feel is
tougher than adding a friend on facebook. They are ready to add the neighbor or
a person sitting in the next cubicle in office if he/she sends a friend
request!
“You feel like having greenery in the blue ground
You don’t want to hide
behind a wall, you want to be found
If you are unheard you make
a lot of sound
You shout in rage and cry
as if you got a wound
Slowly thy fans and the folks
arrive one after the other in a round
These figures are better
than your savings. You can smile and turn around!”
The above poem is dedicated to facebook users who enjoy the facebook veggie delight every
day. The veggie delight here means the people who are as good as vegetables on
face book. This poem is also for those who think facebook can heal and seal all
their wounds. All offence meant to them!
So, what is your
umwelt? Do you want to change it?My favorite Tea time posts from yesterday :)
Dee takes me to flashback with Throwback- Back in my day
RajRupa's lively Train Travel experiences
Suzy Que's Temple
Richa's Time for Change
This is my 21st post for A to Z challenge 2014
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Thanks for dropping by at my blog earlier Afshan. I do agree that most of us are responsible in the way our kids are turning out...with regards to their smartphone and social media habits.The antakshari in the garden when there was no power at home resonated with me...I remember doing something on those lines in my childhood too...those were the days of human contact and not just virtual contact!
ReplyDelete:) ya those days are totallly GONE with whooosh sound :)
Deletenow a days it is tough to restrict kids
This is the reality..good one !
ReplyDeleteThanks Ananya
DeleteGlad u liked it
Ha ha...so true! Social media is simply spoiling today's kids, we like it or not.
ReplyDeleteThey know more than we do which stumps me every damn time :)
DeleteThanks for reading my post
Social media used well is transformational, abused (like anything else) is a curse. You've brought out the problems very well.
ReplyDeleteYa it is like both curse and boon to me. Thanks for liking my post
Deletehey babe...did u write on the topic Umwelt for the '1HUNDREDWORKS' contest?..they had this as topic.
ReplyDeleteU would have clearly won :D
Yep I had written and I didn't win. Reposted it here as I never used on my blog :) thanks for liking it !
DeleteThis is a great article, Afshan. Thank you, I enjoyed reading it. The point you've raised about the predominance of social media saddens me too. It's an unreal world!
ReplyDeleteVery well written.Yes,my kid is on her laptop after she is back from school.My screaming makes no sense to her.She is on facebook too.
ReplyDeleteMany kids these days are like her & they find that cool !
Ohh I had never heard of this word...Interesting post this Afshan
ReplyDeleteU for Uncanny-Random Thoughts Naba
This is a new word for me, but your examples make it clear. I agree about the effects of Facebook -- on one hand people are so worried about their privacy and on the other they share way too much on Facebook. I'm rather tired of seeing proud parents displaying their children potty-training. And the cell phone -- it's amazing what a phone can do these days, but there's nothing more pathetic than seeing a couple at a nice restaurant both on their phones rather than talking.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog!
Wendy at Jollett Etc.
Love ur umwelt, Afshan. It's so true how today FB, Whatsapp and Instagram has robbed children of innocence, plucking leaves in garden or playing hide and seek or Kabbadi. A great take and let's hope for better days in this rush to make e-world our world.
ReplyDeleteI learnt a new word today. The way kids are growing up so fast and learning so many things, I wonder how I will take care of my kids when I have one. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteTimes are so different now than when I was growing up. I'm sure each generation feels that way...but this present generation no longer seems to know what going outside and experiencing the real world means. Sad.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this word before!
ReplyDeleteIt is sad indeed that technology is both a blessing and a curse. One of the fun parts about being a kid was being able to play physical outdoor games with neighbours and classmates!
This word is new to me...and I just stumbled on your blog today:( I loved reading this..I loved the poem..amazing!
ReplyDeleteMy lil bro is ten years old... You should see him immersed in his laptop! I shut off my phone for a few hours everyday..my way to just keep a balance and get some peace of mind for a few hours
Tks for an intro to a new word Afshan:) Also your post is something so important in the current scenario...each of us needs to think more and give time to our kids rather than stuff a gadget in their hands to keep them quiet and engage them with something/anything while we want some peace/quiet, coz that one step leads to so much damage as they grow.
ReplyDeleteHmnn...I don't really know what is my current umwelt....
ReplyDeleteYou learn something new everyday...thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat's a new word for me!
ReplyDeleteUmwelt: what an excellent word. I wish I could see as far as the farthest ocean, because the one thing the internet has done for me is expand my horizons in a wondrous way. However, I understand and agree with you that there is an imbalance between what we call IRL ( in real life) and social media.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I will tell you this: As an adult, years ago, I met my best friend by reading a news letter. I then interviewed her for it. The interview was published.
We have never met, but she remains my best friend and if not for computers (although not Facebook) we would never have been able to keep up the conversations we delight in, via email. Phone calls help too, but the computer has made a huge difference for us, It is a good thing in that way, even if it can get out of control ! xox jean
Nice use of umwelt...I sort of dread this word as I had taken part in the 'Umwelt' competition.
ReplyDeleteI learnt a new word today.Thank you! And quite a thoughtful post too, well done! There is a thin line between the right use of technology and the overuse of technology...it is important to remember that.
ReplyDeleteYou're perfectly right that it depends on the parents how they choose to bring up their kids and how much freedom they choose to give their child! It's just that they should be comfortable with their choices later on!!
ReplyDeleteYou have just nailed the current scenario. I seriously dont understand why do parents need to open their child's page and all that..
ReplyDeletereality penned in a nice way :)
ReplyDeletehttp://jrnywithprabhu.blogspot.in/
An aunt of mine opened a FB account for her son as soon as he was born. And then sent friend request to the "uncles and aunties" around. How ridiculous. If grown ups don't adhere to the rules, then what do we expect from kids.
ReplyDeleteCould relate a lot to this post. In summers, during the power cut, all kids used to gather and play stuff like chain cut, colour colour with so much hungama and the elders used to sit and gossip. Talking to people was easier back then. Now one minute of free time and everyone wants to check their mobile phones, I'm shocked. To be so connected too, is dangerous. Some people don't like to sit alone without a mobile. I mean what's so difficult. Be with yourself, how bad can that be!
ReplyDeleteMy kids don't know what it's like to live in a world without social media and smart phones. Because they have instant friends through these, they sometimes think they are "friends" with other kids, when they are actually only acquaintances. It's something I have to watch, to make sure they aren't sharing information with people they don't know.
ReplyDelete