Why So Serious?!

After last blog many people asked me why are you writing so serious blogs? I assume that all of them have seen the latest Robert Pattinson’s (the Twilight actor ladies) Batman trailer and was missing THE JOKER and his iconic line “Why So Serious?” Like many others I am still not over the Christopher Nolan trilogy but at the same time it’s Batman! How can you be not excited? And with that excitement I decided to write something that is very close to character Batman i.e. technology! The whole pandemic has made it super essential part of our lives like batman. So to make the pandemic cooler, be a Batman and wear a mask and gloves whenever you are going out (consider it as a mission) and save the world.

In a week I had three distinct experiences with technology and obviously people using that technology. First one is related to my grandmother. Technology and really old people is always a fascinating story. They see the new technology like you watch superhero movie (Batman still on my mind). You have the basic idea about the superhero’s powers, but you are excited to see how it works out in the film. And like all the supporting characters in the movie you are just helping them unwind the suspense of how technology works. And yet the fascination does not end. You can watch a super hero movie ‘n’ number of times and still be amazed. Just like that Grandparents always have that fascination about the technology. But often, they are not very enthusiastic about learning it (or is my grandmother REALLY old?). And that create many humours situations. I am sure you have your own stories.

Here is mine. My sister was unable to come and meet my grandmother due to Covid and she wanted to see her and talk to her. So like normal person I made a Video Call. But that was not normal for my grandmother. About my grandmother, she is partially deaf since the time I can remember. And it’s not like we haven’t tried telling her that you can see and talk to people in real time but somehow she has always managed to consider it as a JUST video and not VIDEO CALL. This time she was able to comprehend it and was completely fascinated. But since she is partially deaf, she just kept asking questions without waiting for my sister to answer. At one point I even heard her say, “is it me in  the corner?  I don’t look that good”. That call ended with few laughs and without she understanding any answers, but looking thoroughly fascinated.

Second one is obviously regarding the online schools. Being Indian, who has more interest in other people’s life, I always end up talking to auto drivers, shop keepers and anyone from whom I am just supposed to purchase something, pay up and leave. But the Indian me have to takes up the job of reporter (because no one is doing that job properly) and ask how the current situation is affecting them. It could be GST, demonetisation, corona or just our Prime Minister Modi, who is always the hot topic. So when I saw the young kid selling vegetable the other day, I asked him “Don’t you have school?” And he gave me the expression I know so well and have even tried to master it but I always fail to. The expression kids now a day give when elders ask them any question, “why do you have so much interest in my life, don’t you have your own life?” I mean, how do you master that? All I can do is answer awkwardly and excuse myself and run for my life. Because I literally have nothing going on, and that’s not an answer I give to elders; that is the answer I give to my friends (understand the seriousness)! Back to topic, even with that expression he answered “Classes are online, only for 2 hrs in the morning, so done with classes. You just upload the homework and then you are done”. I was super jealous and couldn’t ask anything. School only for 2 Hrs (understand the pain). No matter how much nostalgia school can give me and no matter how bad I feel for these kids, that sentence will always hurt me! But it was a relief as well; since these people need to upload the homework and I never did my homework! Glad that unlike American courts, Indian courts never took suo moto actions or I would have been in jail for forever. Those of you, who didn’t get that, just google, “girl jailed for not doing homework.”

Third one is related to having crazy family and being thankful for that. Every year during Ganpati Festival, I have extended family at my place. This year due to pandemic they couldn’t be here. So like any Indian Family we decided to have online pooja so the family can enjoy it. And my mother being my mother asked them to take arti and offer flowers to ganpati online. Yes, the whole thing was very funny, not because she didn’t understand how the video call works but because she exactly knows how it works. Still like any silliness it is now a memory and that too a happy one.

It is always said that, technology either can be used for good things for bad things. But this pandemic showed us technology can be used for literally anything! From video calls & online pooja to online schools and colleges and even possibly exams as well! We officially live online now! All there is left to do is upload ourselves online! Oh wait! Isn’t that is what TRON: LEGACY is all about!? Too much Si-Fi and super hero movie content on my mind! No wonder I cannot study even online.