The case of absentee technology

Published in Sci-Tech World

A few days ago, I was trying to watch three soaps on three different channels simultaneously. Their names were completely different, characters were somewhat different, but the plots were exactly the same. However, one common characteristic was that the lavish houses they were showing did not feature even a single computer.

It is quite surprising that of the numerous television channels only a few deal with issues in computers and the internet. As has been discussed ad nauseam, most of the local soaps and drama serials work on one theme only — love triangles and all issues related to it.

The irony of it all is that when we watch these soaps and drama serials, the general impression we get is that computers have yet to “infiltrate” even the elite Pakistani families — something that is contrary to what’s taking place of the ground.

In reality, most upper class families not only possess desktop computers but wireless computer devices too. Even in an average middle class family, there is at least one PC, owing to the fact that computer prices have gone down considerably in recent years.

But apparently, playwrights either have no idea of what is going on or they do have some clues but choose to ignore what’s transpiring. The strange part is that even if, by chance, a computer or a laptop does exist,it sits idle most of the time.

There are no fights over who gets to access the internet first, no yelling matches as one sibling wants to use the phone and the other wants to connect to the internet via dialup, and certainly no parental decrees on how and when computers are to be used.

Another dimension to this ‘technological absenteeism’ in soaps is the ‘losing contact’ phenomenon that happens all too often. Two or more people meet and then, if they are separated for some reason, they ‘lose contact’.

You may well ask here: how can you possibly lose contact with someone unless you deliberately want to, given the widespread use of email, the ubiquitous social networking websites and the instant messaging software. It is just not possible.

There is also a lack of magazine shows and programmes which focus exclusively on issues related to technology. Granted that there have been a few talk shows, which discussed the problems of pornography and cyber cafes and other related issues. Other than that, there seems to be a strange silence over technological issues even in talk and reality shows.

However, there are some notable exceptions. A recently concluded soap on one of the leading private channels featured the story of a young girl who used to chat consistently.

As the plot progressed, she divulged a lot of information about herself unconsciously to a stranger, and was only saved from a potential disaster by her brother, who discovered in time what she was up to and brought her back to her senses. Then there was a television show which was aired weekly on another private channel.

It featured not just website reviews but also an insight into the latest news from the IT industry, the different gadgets and gizmos, and a whole wealth of similar information. This show unfortunately has been closed down and a replacement is yet to be seen.

However, the aforementioned examples are simply a drop in the ocean. Also, even though some playwrights have begun taking technology into consideration, we still have a long way to go before we may claim that our media are interested in technology.

The solution to this problem may not be an easy one. To highlight various issues, playwrights need to be well-versed in different technologies and the role these have come to play in the everyday lives of people. Young writers who have first-hand knowledge in this regard can play a paramount role.

But then, production houses will need to give these young people a chance to explore the different dimensions of technologies in soaps and drama serials.

Playwrights can begin by writing about issues that have affected our people positively as well as negatively through the use of computers and the internet. The effects of internet addiction and frauds related to online dating are some of the issues that can be dealt with in detail. Playwrights should not only highlight the issues but also show how people in these circumstances actually cope with the situation.

Magazine shows can further complement such drama serials. They can show some real life cases of people who were affected, either positively or negatively, by technology. Experts can then be called to discuss the cases.

Similarly, shows can also discuss the how-to of the internet — how can a parent ensure a safe internet experience for the child is one topic that direly needs to be explored.

Role of the mass media in disseminating technological know-how cannot be denied. There are parents who have no clue what their children are doing on the internet. There are teachers who cannot tell an original piece of assignment from one that has been copied and pasted from websites. There are young people who still do not know what they should and should not divulge when chatting randomly.

This is where drama serials, soaps and magazine shows can come in. Soaps and drama serials are extremely popular and by actually portraying real-life situations, they can very effectively put a series of important messages out.

It is sad to note that our mass media have not taken the initiative yet, but considering the number of talented young people entering this industry now, the day is not far off when due attention will be paid to this issue.