Why staying away from technology is bliss

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Picture for illustrative purpose only

Cellphones have become our lifeline. Our mornings begin with a glimpse of our inbox, our Facebook page and we tweet as many times as we blink in a day. But some people manage just fine without being dependent on technology.

They have stayed off and love staying off the digital world. Japan-based travel writer Pico Iyer is one. He still has an AOL account and no cellphone or Skype. There are others who are not technophobes but like the idea of being away from technology.
Born in the techno era and as an artist, technology helps Nitin Bal Chauhan to express his creativity. But the idea of being available and in the know 24X7 annoys him. He has not carried a cellphone in the last three years. He has not had a TV at home for the last decade. “A constant ringing phone disrupts my thought process. Many a times I am developing a certain thought and suddenly a phone call would end it abruptly. I prefer to sit in a crowded cafe and work at times because though there are noises, they are not directly interfering with your space. I meet my close friends every week and as a result we all know what is happening in each other’s life. Gmail and Facebook are enough to keep in touch with the rest of the world,” he says.
Similarly designer Wendell Rodricks doesn’t Skype and can well do without a cellphone. He doesn’t do gadgets. Although he is available on mail he loves the two “delicious buttons” — delete and spam.
“One cannot see the person and sometimes it is too clinical. I have got to the point that I cherish a handwritten letter. It is a slim file. I write letters on special occasions like when someone has lost a loved one. I wrote Shobhaa De a letter when she lost her dad. And I was delighted when she wrote back. Maybe that file will be worth something in 20 years,” informs Wendell.
Wendell adds that his surroundings are his garden, studio and fashion week twice a year. “I don’t need newspapers, fashion magazines or TV to stay connected to the outside world. When I do a collection, I go online and ensure that coincidentally I have not created something that another designer has done a season before.”
Twenty five-year-old chemical engineer Aditi Sinha never had a Facebook or Twitter account because she never felt like being socially connected. She never wanted people to know what’s happening in her life. “I carry a cellphone because it has become a necessity for me. But I have lost my peace. Even while at home, I keep getting calls related to work. I am not a social person and it irritates me,” says Aditi, whose phone is always on silent mode and but she does return selective calls.