Have Earphones murdered our social life?

We all have phones and a majority of us also carry this accessory called the earphones along with the phones. 

There was a time when we used to leave home with just a wallet. Now the list of must-haves has grown and the earphones are one of them. 

How did earphones become a habit and a need? How has it’s addition helped or hurt us? Has it made us happier? A lot of questions that need to be answered!

Once upon a time if we stood in a railway station or a place of public transport, what did we see? We saw people standing and appreciating or mocking the surroundings. Some people interacting with others, and more importantly the heads were upright. Those heads weren’t facing any phone displays. The ears were open and alert. They heard the sound of nature. 

A lot of my friends have this habit of always playing music in their phones and their ears are always kept busy listening to music. Many have earphones inserted into their ears even when they sleep at night. It’s good to hear music, no doubt! But don’t those ears deserve some time on their own? Don’t they deserve to hear the nature and the people around them? 

They do! 

Now how is this affecting us? It does have a questionable effect! 

The interactions we make with people is drastically affected. Our skill of interaction deteriorates. We are restricting our world between the two ears. 

To better understand the situation, here is an example.

Imagine you enter a train and see everyone with their earphones on. And assume that your journey is a long one too. Now another situation where you enter the train to find people casually talking with each other and all greeting you with a smile and talking to you. Which situation would you prefer? 

Some people prefer to just mind their own business and stay private. Nothing wrong with that mentality. However, how long can a person afford to be happy in his cocoon? 

Unless we interact how can we understand people and in this way see the broader aspect of life?

Yesterday was my mother’s birthday and when my friends came to know they were all excited and decided to cut a cake and wish her at midnight via video calling. Now I had no money in my pocket at that time unfortunately so I was looking for the nearest ATM. That’s when a friend of mine said,” I have money na, why are you getting so desperate? Stop worrying about the unimportant things in life and concentrate on just living your life.” 

I just can’t explain what I felt at that moment. I wasn’t expecting this from him. Wasn’t he a good friend to me? He certainly was, but I hadn’t given myself the chance to discover my friends. I was totally misjudging my friends, that’s the truth. But why was I doing so? Because I was so busy trying to be happy within myself. Real happiness was knocking at my door but I didn’t open it. 

This incidence taught me that we cannot always be right. We do make judgemental errors and the only way to avoid that is by opening up ourselves to the world. 

So, open up and rediscover you life, a life where you can hear a lot more than what’s playing in your earphones.

Have a blessed day! God bless!