Friendship In The Time Of Smartphones

From the story of the life of a friend, comes a heart warming account of unconventional friendships - a glimmer of hope amidst the increasingly mechanised world we seem to inhabit. Read and smile. 

There’s a lot of talk about how technology is changing the world. Internet and mobile devices connect you to everyone else instantly through SMS, Chat and Email. Gone are the days of old, where conversations needed to be face to face or over a telephone and we all know how hard it can be for most people to voice thoughts, especially the epiphanies at midnight that would be brilliant conversation starters if only there was a way to find someone to tell it to. Or just put it out there into a cloud of thoughts where someone interested can find it. Well, today we can.

The paradigm shift in human relationships thanks to technology is a phenomenon seldom explored. Interesting stories emerge amidst the upsurge of communication transcending nationality, age, gender and social status. 23 year old Rahul Sharma, a techpreneur living currently in Delhi has a fairly eclectic set of friends in the cloud. They hail from all around the world and Rahul has shared many a profound talk with each one of them.

Hannah, 31 is a strong, intelligent woman from Hamburg. She met Rahul online over a conversation about difference in lifestyles in their respective countries, over two years back, in an attempt to distract herself from work. Soon they were discussing religion, language and God. When smartphones came along, conversations shifted from the Facebook chat window to the phone. With greater frequency of communication came frankness. They grew to share the joys and woes of life, all in the space of the letters on the phone keypad.

The sheer brilliance of the arrangement is evident in the simplicity of it. We all need someone to talk to. No strings attached, no worry about where it’s all headed, and above all, a satisfaction in knowing that one little green dot on your screen is the key to lively conversation whenever you feel low or need to kill boredom. For Rahul, an impetuous individual with dreams, Hannah is worlds apart – a mature individual living an adult life with valuable experience that she shares with him.

Rahul recently had a major breakthrough in his entrepreneurial venture which is being incubated at one of the foremost B-Schools of the country. Not so long ago, he was almost resigned to failure, scarred and tired. With a family dead against his decision to quit a prestigious job, Rahul even contemplated a complete reversal of plans. For quite a while, talking to Hannah was the only support system he had. Her constant encouragement for him to do what he wanted to and pursue his dreams even in the face of all opposition kept him going even if the attitude of people around him was all but helpful.

It was around the middle of 2012 when Rahul realized how important Hannah had become to him. Faced with disappointment as he pitched his venture to various parties, he had all but closed shop and was preparing to leave the country for a Masters’ degree abroad. Hannah’s little green dot seemed to know that he was made of sturdier stuff. Instant messaging from a friend in the other hemisphere kept up Rahul’s grit. Reminders to keep focus and carry on in spite of difficulties came through with emotional support that was uncanny in a friendship that had evolved through years of texting. The two never met, never even had a phone conversation.

Rahul is taking a walk with a friend. He comments that Rahul is one of the very few people he knows who would dare to throw caution to the wind and fearlessly chase their dreams. Rahul whips out his smartphone out of sheer habit. Hannah is available on WhatsApp. He buzzes her to thank her for all the support she has given. Another conversation starter? I think so.