Internet

Was internet there from the beginning?

May be. Sanjay could not have given live commentary on what was happening in Kurukhetra battle between Kauravas and Pandavas. It was like having an Internet connection called in those days Divya Dristi. Now we pay to the service providers in money terms then it was paid in total submission to the Lord who could only connect the devotee to the happening arena .

If that be so, surely Facebook's great great grand father was there too. 

I do not however find any evidence of Adam or Eve updated their status any time any where. 

But that is asking too much of our ancestors. 

Let us come to recent times. Even our great leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Tilak, Mukherjee, Namboodaripad, Sarojini, Indira, do not seem to have used Facebook or any of its siblings. Neither political nor religious,  nor social, al nor scientific,  nor literary nor any one worth his/her salt seem to have used this media to reach the vast ocean of populace to convey their message. How come? Were they shy or introvert? 

Assuming Facebook existed and they were as chummy and available as our Modiji. We could  see Gandhi's status updates appear in his loin clothe in colorful prints and designs. He would have not stuck to plain whites only. We could enjoy Nehru's grand postures appear in his jackets and chooridars  sometimesy. Sometimes outside Parliament House , at times boarding or alighting an aircraft. We could see Indira in her colorful sarees shaking hands with American or Russian Presidents or Yasser Arafat. We could have seen most of them taking selfies with the greats of the world with whom they interacted. We could have seen Artists, scientists, writers and many others in different walks of life holding their latest creation and prizes with measured glee on their faces. 

Some one would argue that all such photographs are available as cameras were in use for filming and photographing every important event in history for the last 100 years or so. Before that painters did the honor. It is sad that color photography was invented much later and they had to contend with black and white only. 

But there is a difference. Then there was someone else commissioned to do all status updating. Now it is done by the person himself/ herself. There is no need for any commissioning as you can commission yourself as and when you wish. All you need a laptop or a notebook or a smart phone with Internet connection and of course a huge library of self portraits. Keep on alternating them one after the other till something new happens. Keep on digging into the past glory and refurbish it with latest available tools and update your status on Facebook or Instagram till you yourself are tired of this boring routine. You can now give your travel maps particularly when you are traveling by air. 

Thanks to Internet we are immortal now. We may not be there but our selfies will be. People not in the know of our final journey will keep on posting their birthday and anniversary wishes even after we are gone. Facebook will make sure you do not forget. By the turn of the century there will be many times more Facebook users that humans on earth. All living and kicking.