Here is a real life story that a friend narrated to me on a shocking, ignored but a true element depicting the Virtual Vs REAL world….. A friend came home after spending 5 nights 4 days on a trek with a group of unknown people organized by a travel company… as a customary tradition everyone became friends, exchanged numbers and my friend had 5 more people added to my phone directory and most importantly to “Social Media”. After my friend returned from the trip, he posted 50+ pictures and the entire album was liked by several friends / followers on “Social Media”. My friend was happy on his popularity and the paparazzi that he had been getting on “Social Media”. A few of his very close friends did not react to his “Social Media” posts and he got angry. He decided not to talk to them temporarily but with passage of time it is becoming a permanent no talking zone.

He believed He is an Instagramer – ‘000’s of followers…… He is a person always on Facebook and generally get ‘000’s of Likes on every post…. He is a Whatsapp addict and He is online 24/7/365 and his friends keep messaging him …. He feels like a celebrity surrounded by so many people all the time. Life is fun, cool and worth celebrating without a pause.

A few months later he was in need of a friend who could help him with a medical emergency. None of his so called “Social Media – Like” friends came forward. The only people who came to help were his “Face to Face” friends whom he had decided not to talk earlier. This was an eye opener for him.

Majority of the people today are referred to as the “POST”, “LIKE”, “SHARE” and “FORWARD” brigade. After all they know “Someone”, “Somewhere”, “Sometime”, “Somehow” will act. The job of the tech savvy, smart phone generation is to burn internet data MB.

Have you lost touch with friends as they are VIRTUAL(LY) present and not REAL(LY)? Do you have several followers but no one to fall back on when you are down and under? When was the last you thought of calling a friend rather than sending him a message on “WhatsApp”? Have you yet realised that while you get angry when friends don’t call you to wish, but you yourself feel that you are a good friend when you wish everyone based on a Facebook reminder? Have you been a victim of Anxiety when your friends forget to like your posts (especially your Pictures?) REALITY CHECK PEOPLE!!!!

Surprisingly “Siri” is a friend of many and “Alexa” is now a new companion. Owning them is a matter of “BEING COOL”. I CAN ONLY EMPATHIZE WITH A LOT OF YOU”. These AI based companions can only follow instructions and ease limited aspects of life. WE Individuals and OUR Lives are more than this…. It is about smiles that we derive by meeting people…. It is about Love and Care that we get from our loved ones… it is about the critics around us who give us the passion to succeed despite all odds…. Where has all this gone?

Despite the billions of human beings on earth…. People are feeling lonely, people are getting restless, people are getting into depression and people are getting emotionally weaker. Psychologists are thriving and they don’t tell you anything that YOU yourself don’t know.

Let us all accept “THE HARSHEST REALITY”….. Humans are becoming Virtual and Robots are becoming a reality. We are changing….. Emotions are becoming EMOJI’s…… Laughter is becoming a grin…. Conversations are becoming extinct…. Outdoor games and fun times with friends have been replaced by PUB G….. Movie, popcorn, gossip are being replaced by Netflix and others… “Believe you me or not…. “NOTHING CAN REPLACE EXPERIENCE”

Am I becoming VIRTUAL (LY) REAL….. Am I VIRTUAL (LY) REAL with people….. Do I have VIRTUAL (LY) REAL people around me….. Do I realise that I need to spend time with friends and family not as VIRTUAL (LY) REAL….

YES it is true…. We are all around each other, with each other but we still feel REAL (LY) lonely and VIRTUAL (LY) within a crowd of people.

LET US CONSERVE REAL AS REAL (before it becomes extinct) AND NOT AS VIRTUALLY REAL.