{ Prof. S.S. Dogra }
A Magic Lamp in Every Hand
Today, every person holds “Aladdin’s Lamp” in their hand — the mobile phone!
Whatever we want, whenever we want — just press a button, and it appears.
Technology has made the impossible possible.
In the last 25 years, this mobile revolution has completely transformed our lifestyle, thinking, and behavior.
Whether it’s a village or a city, the old or the young — everyone is now entangled in this digital web.
The WhatsApp University and Lost Sensitivity
This generation lives in an era of information explosion.
“WhatsApp University” has turned everyone into a so-called PhD holder —
without real education, without depth.
Everyone has an opinion on everything, gives judgments, and believes they are right.
But amidst this noise of knowledge, the tenderness of emotions and the warmth of relationships are gradually fading away.
Technology has given us convenience but has taken away our humanity.
Now, returning a missed call, replying to a message, or asking about someone’s well-being is considered a “waste of time.”
We are more connected than ever — yet lonelier than before.
Affection in Front, Neglect Behind
Often, we meet people who greet us warmly,
touch our feet, express affection, and touch our hearts for a moment.
But as soon as the meeting ends, the same person ignores our message or doesn’t answer our call.
This hypocrisy has become a new social norm.
Our words are sweet, but our hearts lack truth.
Faces smile, but emotions have frozen.
Relationships Matter More Than Technology
We must remember — mobile phones, the internet, and social media are only tools, not relationships.
Trust, affection, and empathy are not “apps” that can be downloaded.
They are born from the heart
and can only be preserved by those who still listen to their inner voice amidst the noise of machines.
Today, everyone has an online presence,
but human presence is rapidly disappearing.
We are so engrossed in screens that we’ve forgotten to look into each other’s eyes.
Relationships Can’t Survive on ‘Read Seen’
It’s time to ask ourselves —
Has technology really taken us forward, or has it pushed us backward emotionally?
Because relationships that depend on read seen, last seen, and online status —
how long can they truly last?
Sometimes, the heart quietly asks —
Why meet such people
whose smiles are fake and hearts empty?
Whose words are sweet, but actions contradict them?
Where love is in words, but pretense in feelings?
The Truth of an Old Hindi Song
And then, an old Hindi film song echoes with timeless truth —
“Kya miliye aise logon se jinki fitrat chhupi rahe,
Nakli chehra saamne aaye, asli soorat chhupi rahe…”
(“Why meet such people whose true nature stays hidden,
whose fake faces are shown, while their real selves stay concealed…”)
Technology can connect us —
but only humans have the power to connect hearts.
The mobile phone gives us convenience, speed, and knowledge —
but that genuine human touch, which reaches the soul,
is slowly disappearing.
Now is the time —
to lift our eyes from screens and look into each other’s eyes,
to feel before sending a message,
and above all — to see a human being as human once again.
(Writer: Prof. S.S. Dogra — Senior journalist and media educator, actively writing for over three decades on literature, sports, society and human sensitivity.)
