The Gen-Z Enigma

 

Year 2020-2021.

A year when people found out the damage a microscopic virus can cause. A pandemic, which wasn’t remotely mentioned in our science books. A pandemic, no one was prepared for, on the face of this planet.

 

Why am I saying this?

It’s time we planned for the upcoming contingencies. The virus was still an unexpected tool that could give the entire world a blinding concussion. Luckily, the calamity I foresee, can be statistically and scientifically seen.

 

Year 2050

There’s no virus as medical advancements have ensured the increased lifespan of the humans. There’s peace enough to keep the nukes at bay. The biggest problem the world is facing is a simple term that was ignored or managed at micro level called ‘depression’. Something which does not have a vaccine. Something that cannot be cured in a day or just a few months.

 (Sounds like a bold statement with no logical base whatsoever. Right? But hold on. Read further and you shall know.)

 

Year 1990

So people are socializing big time. We have guests at our place almost every single day. My mother’s side of the family live in an old type of a residential structure called as a ‘Waada’. A lot of wooden pillars with intricate designs which had deep meaning to every single design engraved on it. The rooms are rather very small considering the size of the family. The family size usually exceeds a headcount of 7. Joint families aren’t a rare sight. The radio is the most entertaining device which many can afford.

 Now that the family is living in such a limited space, there aren’t much options for the family members to isolate themselves and let their ego calm down after a small argument with some family member. The best option is to vent out and drain the emotional load by talking to someone in the family and solving it. ( And Boy Oh Boy it feels great after just venting out every emotion!). So basically in every joint family, you are not just the child of your parents. Nor are you the only child for them. Everyone gets to pamper and scold you at times. There’s always a buzz in the house. No melancholic silence to put you in the over thinking zone. Newly married couples in the house wait for the entire day for that moment when they can go down for a stroll post dinner and just talk in private
for a few minutes. That is the happiest part of the day for them.

 The telephone exists (Landline). You also have a directory of people living in your area so you can just dial up anyone you need. But, the charges are just economic enough to not go on for hours talking over the phone. People often call their friends just to decide the time and place for catching up. Well as of for us kids, we’re not allowed to call our friends for stupid reasons. If we want to call each other downstairs to play, we have the liberty to scream the names of our friends from the bottom of heart (and that too in a particular way). No one really gets mad if we shout or play. There aren’t many cars parked downstairs so no complaints for damaging them.

Year 1950

The cities aren’t buzzed at all. Most of our grandparents reside in rural parts of the country. My great grandfather has a big solid black horse on which he rides to different places. NO POLLUTION. He often falls asleep on his way back at night while riding and yet the horse brings him back to our house safely (Please note that GPS and autopilot haven’t been invented yet). People aren’t remotely rich. It’s all about survival. There’s a lot of physical struggle in the farm. We have a couple of cows, a dog, a horse, couple of sheep and a few hens for the eggs and not for the meat. Also, we treat them as family even thought we aren’t animal rights activists. People are the only source of entertainment for people. If you’re an introvert, well you can sit by the river and watch birds and the sunset.

 The men gather in the temples at morning before leaving for their farm-work to have a little chitchat. Later in the evening, they often catch up in a place often known as ‘Chavdi’ which is like a socializing spot (And they don’t charge you for sitting there too!!). Women grind their grains together while
singing the folk songs. There’s more of a barter trade of veggies than buying them from the market. The wealth of the person is not decided by the bank balance but by the number of grain sacks they have in their homes.

 

 

“Come to the point Anurag”

 Little things which give us immense happiness have started fading into the dark. Our homes are getting bigger and our families smaller. We are struggling to find happiness. All the businesses in the world are simply creating an environment where we, the people, are psychologically tricked into ‘just keep buying. You’ll feel good’ zone. Friendship is all about texting regularly with your friends and showing off how amazing your life is when you’re feeling all lonely and alone in reality.

 The entire concept of love has been turned into more like a contractual deal. The way the new generation is getting used to watching intimate stuff in their day to day life, the gravity of the intimacy is dropping down. Young couples are struggling to find their so called spark. And it is going to be a consistent problem in future as everything that needs to be said will be said over text (Which does not convey any sort of emotions despite using a thousand emojis). The awkward silence after two people meet will continue to exist in the long run although it is only meant to exist in the first meet.

 Teenagers are better off isolated in their rooms with their phones than socializing with people or as a matter of fact even their parents. Devices, cars, businesses are all getting smarter while we lose our natural capabilities. Parents these days are often so deeply engrossed in their careers that they have no time to even cuddle with their kids or spend time with them. The value system of the present generation needs to take a look down the lane of the past. If family, health and happiness are not the outcomes of anything we do, it really isn’t worth. (Easy said than done I Know. But not impossible).

"So basically the 'nothing can replace water despite technology' theory?" 

There’s a reason why the lion is called the king of the jungle. The family of Lion is called a ‘Pride’ as nothing else matters more to them than that. Technology can be used for good. Production of scale is a good thing to a certain limit. If it is done for the sake of sole profitability, it is a misuse of the technology. Certain things do not need an alternative. We humans have made carbonated drinks which are sweeter than water. But on a summer afternoon we only crave for water. Similarly, Motorbikes can only be an alternative for cycles and not an upgraded version of them. The utility of the thing should not be decided without SWOT analysis. People now have remotes to switch on the lights, fans. If we do not wish to get up, switch on the button and sit back down, we do not have the right to complain if we become obese.

  Driving a car to get to the office and back home, just to save time so that you can spend it in the gym riding a stationary bicycle doesn’t make sense! The entire world is running behind convenience, effortless life and MONEY. It’s all good until we realize that we’ve come to a dead end only to find ourselves depressed. Remember in early 2000s, the mobile phone was a great luxury. 20 years later, every single kid from the rural areas too has a cell phone. Health, a sharp brain, happiness and a close big family shall only be the true riches of life in future.

  Don’t forget to jump off this chaotic train of instant gratification and shallow happiness.