Are we trapped?

Just thinking loudly here... so readers beware :P

Comparing Indian and western households, I believe that the notion that we still live according to how our ancestors lived looks hollow. We pride ourselves that we are really still living as a family, we care for fellow humans (which is something incredible!) and that in general, we have a culture that is so far above the rest of the world.

Granted that the culture which we have inherited is indeed more pious, far more credible a force in itself and also, appreciably more humane than any other in the world. It genuinely has the strength of keeping an entire populace honest in general and true to the spirit of humanity.

But, I cannot help but think that today's trappings of entertainers and sensationalisers (read saas bahu sagas and aaj tak and its ilk) have incapacitated us. We spend most part of the day at work, office, schools and colleges. If you play a sport (which is a rarity in our times and alarmingly, that is an increasing trend) then you might give an hour to it. Most food today is microwaveable. And hence, as an effect, an average Indian spends at a minimum 3 hours a day in front of the idiot box - in complete grasp of the modern day David Copperfiled. And this modern David Copperfield has as its allies, the terrorists, the politicians and the paid protestors - all pretty efficient and professional at their duties to entertain and maintaining the daily fix that the remote controlling consumer of this daily saga needs...

We are in front of the TV so much time that we dine in front of it, hence mostly we don't appreciate what we are eating. We also do not appreciate who we are eating with. We have no time to take a stroll after dinner. We also do not care about some simple hobbies like gardening or socialising with friends just because we need our daily dose of entertainment. Its like a drug - a nasha! Everyone just needs their daily fix ... One cannot imagine what will happen God forbid if this is not dished out on a day or if there is no electricity or worse still the cable television goes off air... I also heard that the last time this happened, the issue was discussed in the Parliament .. no joke ..

Since we need this, we have no time to think out of box or in it. We don't have time to appreciate the degradation of society and mother nature around us. We see the Aarey Milk colony's greenery on TV and its serials, and feel like wow, my Mumbai is soo green.. We don't think that India - our country - needs a better government or better roads or better public transportation or even safety. We are living so opulent lives because the serials and its characters are grand, grander, grandest!!! We may have suffered terrorist attacks, and may have lit candles. It was just our chance of taking part as active entertainers for a change. Thats it. We forgot and went back to the TV sets to appreciate our very own act ...

Even if someone wants to do something, as Rocket Singh will say there are no people to do business or something hatke with, as most are in front of their TV sets. And any activity needs people and not numbers...

Compare this to the western world (I mean Europe where there is a 'culture' not the extreme west whose culture cannot be compared to either Europe or the subcontinent) and I find people still have time to appreicate the gardens and its fountains. They still take time out to go for a walk, jog or theater. They discuss paintings and actively indulge in art activities. They may know what goes on in a TV but not so many discuss it in offices, schools and colleges! There is no public outrage if a character dies or worse still if an actor leaves a serial ... that is NOT national news!! They still maintain personal small gardens and spend weekend evenings also at a coffee shop actively talking with their friends and partners... They know their surroundings.

I am not sure if a newly settled man say in Navi Mumbai will know who lives two floors above or below him or which building for that matter is right next to his... We might not know that there is a big garden nearby or that since not so many visit it, it's being used as a concrete dump by local builder mafia. We have no time to care for it! Who cares if that builder is disturbing the area near my building!? I am fine till he is not dumping it in my living room. Rest may go to hell!!!

Just this question then remains about our existence ... Are we trapped?