Insights: Dependance On Electronic Memory

I lost my telephone recently, stolen by somebody having a bad habit of stealing. It was a very ancient model, dirty looking and with cracks due to falling down many times. Therefore loss of the phone did not matter. But what has really bothered me is the loss of phone numbers stored in the phone. Here I had the numbers of my family members, relatives, friends and colleagues stored on it, which are now lost. Since then every moment, I have been regretting why I did not store the numbers in a diary. Long before, when use of computers and mobile phones was not so popular, people were using files and diaries to keep addresses and phone numbers. One would know by heart all the numbers needed regularly. But now with electronic means to store numbers and all necessary information people are relying more and more on electronic memory. By, “Electronic memory”, I mean all the essential information personal or official which one stores in digital diaries, mobiles and computers. Being stored in such a manner makes it very easy for the user to retrieve any information he needs any time. It is also easier to move about with one item and use it for multiple functions. But I think that it is not good to be dependent on electronic items totally for keeping information. The real practical risk is what I am facing now. In case of loss or damage to the item in any way, all the information is lost. It takes some time to start a computer or mobile phone. But it is so fast to turn the pages of a diary or note book. It can be done anywhere at any time. The risks associated with a diary are less as compared to a phone or computer. A diary cannot be damaged by a,”computer virus”. It would not stop working if the battery went low. Its working would be deranged only if torn or soaked in water. These events can happen only if someone is extremely careless or an enemy somewhere wants to harm him. It used to be said some years before that on an average a man uses only one fourth of the potential of his brain. But now with dependence on electronic items for all information, this may have been reduced to even less than that. It was some intelligent men who worked hard with an aim and this lead to invention of these electronic items. But for majority of the users, the brain or intelligence is not at all exercised while using these items. The situation would become the same as what has come after use of calculators became common place. About 2 or 3 decades ago before calculators were around, even an illiterate vendor on the road was able to do mental calculations and tell you the exact price of an item and give you back exact change. If selling vegetables or fruits, they were able to convert the units also very fast mentally. But majority of people today even the educated ones turn to calculators for simple mathematical calculations. If needed to do manually, a lot of time is taken and results are not always accurate. Therefore it is time to ponder that by being dependant on these things on a daily basis, are we not letting our natural faculties deteriorate. Man is supposed to be the most intelligent creature of the world. The knowledge of science and technology has lead to spectacular inventions. But with all this advancement, it is important to see that the faculty of human intelligence should increase in an average person and not reduce due to lack of use. One can use computers and mobile phones, make the best use of it for all possible functions but it is also important to keep one’s own memory and intelligence intact and sharpen it as much as possible. This will be obtained when one would try to keep the necessary records somewhere and also try to remember if not all, at least the very important parts. E-mail-rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk

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Insights: Dependance On Electronic Memory