Confessions of a technophobe

Last Friday (weekend in the UAE) I attempted two impossible things. One was this blog and the second thing was I decided to be active on Facebook.
The first was relatively easy. The template was there and I just uploaded the first post, leaving the details for the next weekend.

As for the fb, the account was opened two years back by my cousin, Archana, an fb fanatic, saying it was fun and simple, and that “even you can handle it.”
But for two years I managed to ignore the friendship requests.
Last weekend, on a sudden burst of enthusiasm I reactivated my account, accepted the requests and sent out some of my own.

Soon fb messages started pouring in on my yahoo inbox—I could read them, sweet and welcoming—but try however I might, wasn’t able to reciprocate. I clicked on the link, on the photos and all the possible places but my messages wouldn’t go. Now I’m waiting for the weekend so I can rope in somebody for a demo. Meanwhile, I’m sending smses like crazy: “sori 4 nt respnding on fb. Will do on wknd.’

Technology really gets my goat. Anyway I feel most of it is superfluous and will rebound on us. Just an example, ten years back we never felt the need to be accessible 24 hours, but now we do, even while driving on the fast lane.

But I fear more for the next gen that they might be badly out of touch with real people and situations. A recent Reuters report vindicates my dread: American college kids get real withdrawal symptoms if they are denied the Net and social media.
Scary thought, isn’t it?