A Technophile’s Brush With Digital Detox

It was sad. Some even used the word ‘tragic’. As if tragedy could befall the effervescent Mrs Somaya. Just a month ago, she was seen feeding squirrels and enjoying a ‘much-needed gooey brownie topped with rainbow sprinkles’ at Hyde Park, husband posing by the Santander bicycles. Her Snapchat story said it all. And then it happened.

Mrs Somaya suddenly morphed into a naturalist, a tech-abhorrer. ‘Organic’ became her new favourite word and ‘unplug’ her mantra. All her parties had to be mobile-free. Everyone must enjoy the moment; as if such a thing were even possible in this day and age. She picked hotel suites devoid of television sets in a bid to bring conversation back to the bedroom. Poor Mr Somaya.

One always feels pity for the other half when a spouse insists they indulge in such eccentricity together. Soon, her Fitbit lay abandoned alongside her iPad, Kindle and power bank. She took off to a spa in the hills for a self-imposed digital detox, with Mr Somaya in tow.

All was well for the first two days. She went about the activities with a child-like enthusiasm. Waking up with the sun was indeed refreshing. Rambles in the hills were a delight. They even spotted the karvi, a flower that blooms once every eight years. Swim sessions were held in the delightful infinity pool while concoctions of vegetable juices magically appeared. They would meditate together while the guru hummed a holy tune. Then, little signs of discomfort began to crop up. She began to miss her TV — the new season of Narcos was out on Netflix. The walks seemed meaningless without her Fitbit. What was the point of strolling aimlessly? And if one was to stand and stare, one might as well get a good shot of the karvi. Its purple and green would look lovely as a desktop wallpaper. At least after a filter or two was slapped on. She missed her GoPro terribly — so many wide angles, so much opportunity. Besides, she needed the pleasant ping of phone alerts, their positive reinforcement in her palm.

She sighed.

Information overload? Never. Technology is a basic need, like fire, like the wheel. And devices are infinitely more important than those inventions. As for Mrs Somaya, you’ll have to wait for #ThrowbackThursday to learn more about her travails.