Social networking and its ... well, go figure !

A friend recently changed his status to ‘Single’ on FB (facebook). Comments started pouring in. His diplomatic response was – “the status field was blank and hence had to be filled”. Another friend changed his status to “in a relationship”. When asked he told there was immense pressure from his girl friend to clarify his stance (read status on FB :). These are just few examples on how inseparable the online social networking has become in our lives now. Let me clear that by no mean I am here to criticise FB or any social network as more or less I am equally active social animal :); It’s just that sometime it’s impossible to not notice few funny and silly things. This post is an attempt to see few those in a lighter view.

Social networks, let’s just take FB, were earlier used to connect with friends you usually can’t otherwise and have lost touch with. But people living in same city converse through FB. It has become an addiction. Here is one example – a friend post his updates, mostly daily happenings, at time funny, 4-5 times daily and keeps refreshing to see who all friends commented. Once I commented on a friend’s status and saw him liking it within seconds. I watched his wall for next few seconds and observed this for every comment. This was really hilarious. But trust me we all will be in similar situation sometime soon. What is funnier that after seeing this trend in social behaviour, the slow pickers (let’s call them indifferent ones) have also started picking-up. These indifferent ones feel that they might get left behind outdated, uninformed and out-casted and hence join this hoard to be in contact with active online friends.

To me writing/blogging has always been a more meaningful way to express my feelings and thoughts. But with the advent of FB and twitter more and more of feelings and emotions are posted as status- expressed in few words. Sometime he updates are faster than bullets :). One lost his wallet and instead of blocking the card and filing a report, posts it on FB first. A friend had break-up and you will get to know about it on same day. Talking of status, I am still confused about what’s the different between two similar statuses namely – ‘in a relationship’ and ‘committed’? I think both are same, but never mind. Will ask FB addicts this later :).

I hear my friend stating their addiction to FB. Some even post it boldly. And while the addicted ones post their status furiously, others taking a dig at him gets equally engrossed unknowingly. I find it fare to connect through FB but promoting it should never mean that the personal touch gets lost. At this point I will leave you to think whether its effect or side-effects of social networking? But my take is – “Let's connect first, socialize later” :)

PS: post is not meant to hurt anyone's sentiments, I am equally active on FB. Its just a sarcastic stance on the obsession with FB, and no person in particular. 

Liberal smiles and We the People

Few days back, I went out for dinner on a Sunday evening along with my roomy and a lady friend. We didn’t had reservation at the restaurant at it was finalized at the last moment. Quite predictable it was, we had to wait outside just like so many other folks (guys n gals) waiting for a table. While a surrounding with girls always prompt my lady friend to ask me to pick one, I wasn’t in mood to be teased easily. I gave a cursory glance around and expressed my disapproval, not because I didn’t like any, but simply because I didn’t wanted to be an easy target for the next 15 minutes.“How about guys? They look cool”, my friend said. Now this was not expected. Both my roomy and I was amazed at her wittiness. Managing the sudden awkwardness thrown at us, we looked at guys, turned towards her and said “On an unbiased opinion, YES! They are far better than the girls they are standing with.” On this all of us laughed out loud. The next few minutes our smiles were revolving around scenes from movie Dostana and life after 377. There was a moment towards the end of that long gossip when I blinked and realized our generation is really getting liberal.

Now this conclusion was not drawn until my next few observations.
Take the first one – my office cab. I share a valuable 2 hours daily in cab with my colleagues, of which a few are also usual acquaintance on tea breaks. Now, one of the guys in cab is always late and makes us wait atleast 5-10 minutes. Because of the good rapport our cab mates share we never told him anything rude or harsh but always used to tell him to be punctual from next time. Recently, a cab mate got irritated from him and asked if he is doing some extra work at home. The response he gave was that he sleeps late and gets so tired that can’t wake early. On this question the chorus blame was on his character and an accusation of being gay. However, the sudden twist in the tale didn’t deter this guy’s to be less witty and he was equally sportive in entertaining the accusation.

2^nd one: Two junior male colleagues who often found roaming together in shopping malls, starring at hot chicks are latest victim of 377. In their circle, female friends feed their hunger for laughter by mentioning about these inseparable entities.

Just years back, talking about homosexuality in public was an offense. Now it’s one of the topics to pull legs in friend circle just like crushes and affairs. We are confident about our identity and don’t bother to be pointed as a gay or lesbians in sarcastic gossips among friends. Not to mention, article 377 has suddenly made it more open a topic of discussion among every class of society. Be it social talk shows, print media, colleagues in cubicles or cab and friend circles. Gossiping about homosexuality is the latest addition in humour genre.

At times amid all the chaos in my cab I think: This is true liberalization of thoughts, where a serious topic like this gives a reason to people to smile. No one takes offense in getting pulled into any accusation whatsoever. We cut jokes, we pull legs, and we laugh madly. We the people, have really come off age.