Question

Write a Counter view for the topic: 

‘The Cellphone has given us social networking- not society’. You may consider the following points for the View section of the topic and then write the Counter view. The cellphone has given us social networking 

– not society View: 

– cellphone did not bring in any social change, except instant communication 

– instead of being a means of social bonding (e.g. the railways or the loudspeaker earlier), the cellphones make the people live in their own individual islands

– cellphones have just succeeded in making too many people talk for too long a time on matters too silly.

Answer 1

Cellphones did usher in a new society (Counter view)

Bringing instant communication to the poor itself is a social revolution. The poor was earlier deprived of both – speedy transport and quick communication. Speedy communication saves time, and time is money for the poor as it is to the rich. More so for the poor who sell their labour by hours and days. In addition, the availability of affordable handsets brought in a sort of socialism. Now even the unlettered can talk directly to his near and dear ones he needn’t pester a ‘babu’ to get his letters written.

When it comes to social bonding, the cellphones have played a major role of late in organizing protest rallies and morchas. It has become so much easier to connect people using cellphones. And about talking too long on things too silly – this is not a new phenomenon. Such people were there in the past, and will be there till the end of the world.

For them, if not the cellphone, a pair of apparently listening ears will do. They will chat and chat. We cannot blame it on the cellphones.