Price of progress!

Price or cost of progress is often not anticipated. By progress, I mean progress in material terms. For me, the most striking example which comes to my mind is the installation of a lift in our block in Pune. When it was not there, we all climbed up or down while coming in or going out. It was a bit inconvenient for the residents but had it's own plus point;we occasionally met our neighbours even without visiting them. Though very briefly, we paused to say 'how are you doing?'  and exchanged bits of conversation. Some of us even extended invitations like 'do drop in for a cup of tea or a drink'. New friendships appeared to be just a couple of steps away. With the advent of a lift, the staircase looks so deserted! The promising friendships have taken a few steps backwards it seems!

We live here in US with our children in a fairly upscale neighbourhood. Nice houses, well maintained gardens and every house boasting of 2 to 3 cars parked in front. But very few people seen out chatting on the roads except when they whizz past in their cars. Everyone is very, very busy. And rightly so if they have to sustain their lifestyle. So what is my problem?

My problem is that I am a part of that big global population who are above the age of 65 years. Economists' leading article says that it is close to 10% of world's population. It predicts that it will rise to 13% in the coming 25 years. This phenomenon is the direct result of our material progress where due to improved medical science and better living and working conditions, people are living much longer than before.

Another fall out of this situation is that a good percentage of those 65 plus population are skilled people who are still a part of the workforce. That affects the lives of younger people, skilled or not, who may not find employment when they need it most. It is a vicious process which can not be reversed. It is a complicated situation indeed.

But the most critical and damaging effect of this progress on the lives of people is that they are losing touch with the human aspect. You may meet each other at the week end parties. But you do not really meet! There is no meeting of minds and thoughts. There is no time for it. More often, people 'meet' on the Facebook and on the internet chats where we know that they are likely to fall off with each other. I read it somewhere that Facebook is one of the major reasons of divorces among married people.

The only advantage if it can be so described, is that you may get bashed up on the FB, but not physically as sometimes happened to some people in the pre FB era. Rejoice! For my part, I do become nostalgic of my good old young days when a new bicycle bought for me by my parents was the ultimate prize, albeit material!