Whatsapp-ening!!! The "Super Affordable" Phenomenon!!

You realize the success or rather the “power” of whatsapp when your parents do not realize you being late for dinner because they are immersed in their cell phone screens… whatsapp-ing!!

You realize it more when- on your contact list- amidst the profile pics of your friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and the people you don’t remember; stare out the- aviator wearing pic of your dhobi, jewelry-decked pic of your maid and the otherwise meek bar waiter posing next to a sports bike!!

And you are further stunned when your technologically challenged Grand Dad who has never held a cell phone in his life… asks you to ‘whatsapp’ a picture, quickly!!

Why has this app taken over our lives like this and cut across all class, age and behavioral strata’s?

It is not ‘simply’ because “whatsapp” gives an impression of being “free”! But more importantly because- the “free” part makes us ‘take to’ a form of communication we are most comfortable with and have inherently preferred for generations- Writing!

Before we adapted ourselves to talking to people in their absence- via the telephone; the written word had always been our preferred form to communicate.

Earlier there were the leaves, tree barks and animal skins we wrote on; later the letters and greeting cards came in; then the email, the sms and BBM took over and now, we have the whatsapp!!

Now, while each of the above modes of communication had a ‘price’ on it, which not everyone could afford; ‘whatsapp’, today is not only affordable but also accessible. Hence, no surprise that it has been latched onto by all!

So what is it about the ‘written form of communication’ that makes us all take to it so naturally??!! I am no psychologist or historian but as a ‘layman’, this is what it must be…

“The written word gives a sense of security and comfort, which we as humans perpetually strive for.

As we write back and forth; we can do so without being as ‘exposed’ as we could be in a verbal or face-to-face conversation. Again, while a face-to-face conversation still gives you more tools to express, a verbal conversation thrives completely on your words and tone!

Below i have stated some pointers as to how we love writing and since whatsapp gives us the guiltless pleasure of affordability, we pleasurably surrender to it.

It Saves Energy-

There is no better relief than convincingly communicating your reactions via a “Yippeee!”, “Supeeerrrrr!!! Or “Oh my God! That is terrible!” via a text than actually having to physically do it and risk being questioned your authenticity because your tone didn’t quiet match up what you felt!!

You can lie-

“I am in a meeting will you ping you once free”.

I don’t need to list here the number of other things you could be doing while this lie goes out!! And what more… it’s FREE…or so it seems!!

That ‘priceless’ moment-

How often have instinctive reactions landed you in a mess of apologies and clarifications??!!

While writing back you get that priceless moment to think, reflect and compose your reaction far better than otherwise is possible- in person or over a call.

The safety of not being given away by your expression or hesitancy in voice is priceless.

Omnipresent-

Not answering a call send out negative vibes. There is something depressing about missed calls. But then… with ‘whatsapp’, you can be suffering a boring meeting and yet react to your close friend, you can be sitting with your parents and planning next nights party… especially since they too would be busy forwarding jokes!

So yeah… There it is. Awesome, ain’t it?

 

Now, if only…

There could be some ‘discreet filter’ to it;

If only people could cultivate some etiquettes of using it. Short forms like- “Sup”- should be banned on ‘whatsapp’. It may mean- “What’s up?” As in “What is happening?” but it is very annoying!!;

If only people would not chat with multiple people at the same time. Finish one conversation and move to the next! Etiquette?;

If only, people would not add you to random groups;

If only there was a polite way of exiting these group without anyone finding out! And lastly,

If only all phones could disable the “Last seen at” option… Life would be bliss!!

But then… who said life is supposed to be bliss? It is supposed to be comfortable and that- “Whatsapp” is!… and it is FREEEEEE!… almost!