Shah Fahad
DURING the lockdown, many people got the opportunity to work from home, which changed the normal routine and gave ample free time. People were ambivalent about the change in the routine. In our usual busy day schedule, it was difficult to take time out for ourselves. One of the benefits of the lockdown is that it created an opportunity for many people to reflect, re-access their life choices and probably make life-changing decisions. While some people took benefit from this unique opportunity, a majority of us wasted time watching TV-series, playing video games and mocking politicians on social media.
As the famous saying goes, “mind is a terrible thing to waste”. Unfortunately, many people choose to spend their time in leisure activities instead of opting for something constructive. We all know how quickly the Turkish TV-series Ertuðrul gained fame and became the favourite pastime for many. My point is not to criticize the series but the way it was perceived here. Online streaming platforms have gained much fame over the years and are available to anyone who has a stable internet connection. Another useless but hot debate is on the ban of a game PUBG. The game was banned by the PTA after different complaints were lodged against it. The ban triggered a heated debate that was joined by some YouTubers arguing that the PTA has no authority to police the free time and that the ban is based on complaints rather than any genuine probe into the matter. They assert research and gaming has many advantages. The issue is not video games or TV-series but the amount of time spent on these activities. Although PTA has no authority on how one should be spending the free time, that does not change the fact that these activities come at a cost. Many video games portray women as sexual objects. First-person shooting games do improve cognitive functions but also develop aggressive behaviour. Modern-day games are open-world games, which give the gamer a choice to use creative tools for killing the enemy in the game. When these violent games become an obsession for people than to protect the physical and mental health of people the ban is justified.
Most people argue that gaming helps them overcome their depression. This is not true; gaming just temporarily suppresses the feelings and distracts the mind but creates even more anxiety about the next online gaming session. Apart from the mental and physical impact of gaming, the gamer often becomes introverts, lack social skills, avoid face-to-face conversations, and develop huge communication gaps with his family.
I understand that there are not many activities available for people to relax or rejoice, especially during the lockdown. That is one reason why people turn towards TV-series and games but lack of discipline seems to be the biggest issue. Waking up early in the morning is the hardest task for many people, reaching late for events, casual lying, etc. These are some social norms that we have accepted but they are damaging our society in ways we cannot imagine. People cannot deny that they do spend time scrolling on social media and games during office hours. All of these things have been hampering our productivity collectively. Another favourite pastime of people is to troll celebrities and politicians on social media platforms. Interestingly, both celebrities and politicians give the least attention to those online trolling but people cannot refrain from such activities. This trolling falls under cyber-bullying and it is a punishable offense, passing derogatory comments and hurling abuses or insults are part of this.
This social structure has been damaged and it seems to be beyond any repair. The society has drifted away from book reading; they are oblivious of Ibn-e-Insha, Ashfaq Ahmed, Wasif Ali Wasif, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Physical books are overtaken by audio-books and family gatherings are replaced by occasional video calling. While our society is attracted to the not very healthy side of technology, there are some very positive and helpful options available. Almost all the world’s most renowned universities offer online courses on various platforms that cover a wide range of topics.
They provide a perfect opportunity to update your skills. There is a whole new world of information and knowledge on just a few clicks away yet the focus of our debate is banning video games. There is an astronomical amount of Urdu literature on various topics yet our favourite pastime is online trolling. These are our wrong choices and we are responsible for those, not PTA, not politicians.
—The writer is freelance columnist.