With great advancement in technology, connectivity in all forms has increased by leaps and bounds. Connectivity through transport, media  and  social media have improved making life easier for people across the world. Smartphones have emerged as the biggest contributor in connecting people across the world. Twitter, facebook and whatsapp are a rage in the present age. Everyone you meet is engrossed in connecting with the world through social media day in and day out.

Whatever is happening in life and around, must be posted on the net. Right from cooking, travel, to losses and gains in life, every bit of the information must be declared to the world. They must be liked, shared and commented upon be as many people in the list as possible. Such things were unthinkable in the past. People were free to meet whosoever they wanted and whenever they wanted to. Population was less and people were glad to have visitors, as it was enjoyable to entertain guests. But even in these intrusions into privacy, private matters remained strictly private. It was considered improper to tell others what one did and what one ate, or how well off one was or wasn’t. There are people who are less fortunate than others and it is improper to make people feel distressed over the lack of fortune in one’s life.

The selfie age has emerged as an age of selfish thoughtless people. People who are too self-engrossed to think over anything other than their own petty issues.  Selfie addiction has seen addicts take innumerable selfies in a day and posting them for comments and likes by people who are as self engrossed as themselves  and  do not care a bit about others but their own looks and lives. The selfie addiction has seen cases of hallucination, in which people find themselves looking at their  smartphones every now and then, imagining message tones even when there are none. 

Addiction to smartphones is such that the present generation is unable to focus in their work with full potential. Several fatal accidents have occurred due to recklessness during taking selfies. Half of the valuable time and energy is spent in useless scrolling through social media peeping into the lives of others; only to develop a complex about their own lives by comparing the lack of innumerable things which others possess, but they don’t. Surprisingly, the comparison stops at good things. Nobody is interested in the sufferings, pains and problems that others have to endure. 

It is difficult to face the reality, look into one’s eyes and find a solution to the numerous problems that crop up in day to day life. It is easy to escape from reality and spend time engrossed in the virtual world which is now taking the place of reality. People, especially the young generation prefers to connect with their friends through the social media even when they are within their affinity. Scenes of friends and family sitting together and surfing through social media or the net has become a common sight. There is no confrontation, no responsibility, and no labour to bog one down and make life difficult. There is also an adequate release of Dopamine to make one feel good.

The end result of lack of responsible behaviour will however be reflected in the next generation, who are being brought up in a misbalanced manner of overindulgence and neglect. They are pampered with unnecessary elements on one hand; while on the other they are deprived of the essential care and nurture, which will help them to become a balanced person to live a happy life.

The kite teaches us to fly high, while staying connected to the ground. Otherwise we are lost.

Therefore the need of the hour is to connect with real people over games and conversations which will make people stay grounded and face the difficulties of life with élan and ease.  It is also necessary to connect with nature, because the farther we move from nature the greater our problems will be.  So, one must stay connected in the real sense. Talk and spend real time with family and friends to improve the quality of life, and really be there for people who mean the world.