“I want to be free from all the invisible bondages of life. I want to be free from the social dilemma”
“Party Time! This is one of the best days of my life. Vacations plus the enjoyment of family food is the best combo ever.”, I updated my status with what may seem like a dull emotion. “Hey Taniya, looking beautiful dear.”, “Yeah, those were memorable days. I still feel the warmth and happiness from our school days.” As the school group started off a conversation on Facebook, I joined in deliberately. I wanted to be a part of something worthy; to be free, from all the invisible bondages of life.
The conversation went for about an hour or so, before we finally came to life in this reality and set out to work on our individual lives. It was then, at that very moment when I suddenly realized – I was alone. I felt the depth of loneliness slowly catching up to me. In this world where people seem to laugh at one moment and suddenly lose their charm the other moment, I was a special kind of person. I knew no more if I was happy at all. There was no sensation of sadness either. I was trapped in a dilemma, the Social Dilemma.
“I am connected, but I never reach others.”
If Internet were a human being, he would know me better than many who claim to understand me. For only he would have witnessed the true nature of my dilemma. He would have known that I laugh on Facebook and I party on Instagram. He would know that I am professional on twitter and pranky on WhatsApp. I am connected, but I never reach others.
“It comes softly, affects our lives and vanishes in the shadows.”
My emotions bounce back and hit me hard. At the moments when I am celebrating my happiness on Facebook with fifty friends of mine, I am actually sitting alone in one corner of my house hoping for my best friend to call me. When I am enjoying the party on Instagram, when I am clicking selfies and making the time count, I am actually hoping if people would finally accept me as a friend and that they will not ignore me yet again. While spending my passionate time on twitter, sharing my work and keeping my followers informed, I am actually hoping for the people to engage in my activities and help me grow my network.
When I am chatting with over a hundred friends on WhatsApp, laughing and smiling and teasing others, I am actually worried if the layer of internet and the effect of mere words would be enough to let the other person know how much I care!? During my happy moments, I am worried more than when I am not. My life is more divided among the many social networks rather than the many people I meet. This is the dilemma which traps all but makes no noise. It comes softly, affects our lives and vanishes in the shadows.