Tuesday, mga two weeks ago, nag-charge ako ng pocket wi-fi. All of a sudden, biglang hindi umilaw ang aking device. Switch on, switch off ako ng paulit-ulit. Sa bugnot ko, binunot ko na yung lithium battery sa casing tapos sinalpak ko ulit pero hindi pa rin umilaw.
Hindi ako mapakali sa kakaisip kung nasira ba yung wi-fi device. Inisip ko kung maaayos ba siya? Mapapalitan kaya kung sakaling hindi na maayos? O kaya kung sakaling hindi, bibili ba ulit ako ng bago. Nakakahinayang naman kasi kung bibili ulit, mga almost 2k din kasi ang presyo ng bagong pocket wi-fi. Buti na lang nasa akin pa yung warranty card at resibo ng device.
Hay, ilang oras din akong hindi naka-online. Ilang oras din na walang lead sa mga post sa FB, ilang oras ding walang bagong email sa inbox. Ilang oras din na hindi makapanood ng mga videos sa YouTube.
I brought my wi-fi device, along with its warranty card and proof of purchase, to my network provider. I was asked at first if my wi-fi device was purchased 7 days ago. It’s already 6 months old so it didn’t qualify for a replacement, so it’s either repair or purchase a new one would be my best bet. I was given a number and was placed on queue.
While I was waiting, my attention was caught by the network’s advertorial about their service. It was a short vignette from a consumer and as his testimonial played on the LED screen, I was brought into reflection regarding his statement: “If I’m online, I’m disconnected from my life...”
Napaisip ako sa sound byte na ito. Sa sobrang bilis ng paunlad ng buhay ng tao at sa pagtuklas ng makabagong teknolohiya, masasabi na malayo na nga talaga ang naging agwat ng kahapon at ng ngayon. Yung mga imposible at hindi mo nagagawa dati, pwede mo nang gawin ngayon at hindi ka na pwede pang magsabi ng kung anu-ano pang mga palusot dahil halos lahat naman ng mga bagay ngayon ay magagawaan mo na ng paraan sa tulong ng mga iba’t ibang nagsulputang apps. At sa paglipas ng bawat araw, para bang mararamdaman mo na paliit nang paliit ang mundong iyong ginagalawan.
I asked myself this question:If technology today should improve and make the lives of people better, then why is there a significant number of people that are still apathetic towards each other? Why are there incidents of cyberbullying and why would people go the extra mile to be downright nasty and heartless against each other? Isn’t it that the purpose of technology should be to bring people closer together, build them, and establish human connections in this modern civilization.
A representative called my name. I told her about the issue of my device. After hearing my story, she plugged my device in a power outlet and got the same scenario that I was complaining about. She issued me with a certificate and instructed me to go to their licensed service center to have the device repaired.
Habang papunta ako sa service center, patuloy ko pa ring iniisip yung advertorial.
There were times that I wanted to have an escape from what’s going on around me. These were moments were I would lock myself in my room and plunge into the online world with my tablet or my smartphone or both. The experience was both fascinating and exciting. It kind of gives me a euphoria when I virtually explore and discover what’s beyond every portal of what cyberspace could offer. You smile, you laugh, you cry at times, you learn something new along the way.
Until you just become hooked to being plugged online and have completely forgotten the sense of your personal reality.
Ngayon kasi, makalimutan lang mag post at upload ng mga selfie sa mga social networking sites parang katapusan na ng mundo. Hindi lang makapanood ng YouTube o makapaglaro ng Dota parang ikamamatay na. Hindi ka makausap dahil masyado kang abala sa pagkakalikot ng mga apps na nakadownload sa cellphone, tablet, o di kaya sa laptop mo. Tipong one sided interaction - if you could ever call it that way.
Hindi ka na minsan marunong makipaghuntahan ng maayos sa mga taong nakapaligid sayo. You’re physically there but you’re really not there at all. At dahil sa umiinog na lang ang iyong mundo sa mga bagay na ito, nakalimutan mo na ring maging isang tao at magpakatao.
Minsan kailangan ring mag sign-out at mag-unplug para makapagmasid at makiramdam sa mga nakapaligid sa atin. Oo, magandang isipin yung idea na oras-oras alam mo pero hindi lahat ng alam mo ay makakabuti para sayo at kung hindi mo rin naman ginamit sa tama ang alam mo ay para ano pa ang naging saysay nito sa sarili mo, sa buhay mo.
I miss the days where people from my generation go out their houses and play under the rays of the sun and under the light of the moon. I crave for those times where people would just stop from all the business and would just have quality chats over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I wish for those days where people would get up from where they’re sitting at and explore the world beyond the horizon, having fun, being inspired, and reaching out to their own kind or even to someone outside of the flock. How I long for these moments to have a revival and that these scenes would not just become a thing of the past.
Mabalik tayong muli sa aking pocket wi-fi device. Pagka galing ko ng repair shop ay agad namang sinuri ito ng technician. Sinubukan niya ito gamit ang ibang charger. Fortunately, biglang umilaw at gumana naman nang maayos. Weird. Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyari. Pero anu’t ano pa man ang dahilan ang mahalaga ay naibalik ito sa dati nitong katayuan. Pwede na ulit akong mag-online.
I still find it weird why my key to the online realm has had that sudden mishap. Maybe this is just a nudge from fate reminding me na hindi lang nakabatay o nakadepende ang buhay ko sa Internet...that I just won’t know what I’d be missing from my life if I don't click that offline or sign-out link, I thought.
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