In the beginning all people lived in two big rooms with a blackboard
each. They lived happily in their own room unaware of the existence of the other room.
They spent all their time talking, laughing and playing with each other. Life was blissful. There were no rituals,
rules and restrictions but one – no one to touch the black board!
One night when in room Alpha all were fast asleep, a girl woke up with a
jolt. She had a scary dream. She could not get sleep again, so she walked
around in the room and stopped by the board. She thought she saw a mild light
inside the board. She got curious and drew a line on the board. Nothing
happened but she liked doing it. She wanted to tell someone about her dream,
she thought,” Since all are asleep why not tell the board”. She
wrote on the board ‘Hi’ and then was taken aback, the board replied ‘Hi!’
The girl got scared and ran back to her mum, tucked herself under the
blanket and went to sleep.
Writing on the board was forbidden, so when elders saw the word written
on the board they got very angry, but at the same time they got curious about
it. Immediately, a council of elders was called and they decided to explore
further in it. With unanimous agreement it was decided that they should respond
to the message.
The ‘Hi’ was responded with ‘Who are you?’ and the conversation began.
Seeing that it was not a threat as always told more people took up writing on the board. They found out there was another room where more people lived and they
started chatting with each other.
Soon, boards in both rooms were always full of people writing on it. They
fought with each other to gain access to the board. Now, they did not talk with
each other but with the board, they laughed at what was written on the board.
Board was always thronged with people writing on it, but it was all public, everyone could see who was typing what and the reply. They had always
shared everything with each other. But, since they had got social with the
people on the other side of board they felt uncomfortable with others seeing
what message they were sending and receiving.
One day a person got blinkers and put it on his part of the board; he
had got his own piece - a personal board. Soon the whole board was divided
in to blinkered parts, with everyone claiming a small piece of it. Yet a
problem remained, to remain social they had to stand near the board. And even
though there were blinkers put on the board, others could still peek in.
Somebody got an idea; he broke his piece of board out and
walked away with it. He had his mobile board in his hand now. He could walk
away from the board on the wall and can still remain social. How others would
not follow him? They also took their pieces out and soon everyone had mobile
board in their hands. They could chat all the time, anywhere; while they
walked, played, ate or even slept.
Their world has changed, now nobody would talk to each other, nobody
would laugh with each other, and nobody would play with each other. They would
do all of that on the board with the people on the other side.
The girl scared of her night experience could never generate the courage
to go close to the board again. She never used the board again. Now with
everyone having their boards, she was left alone. She went to play with her best
friend. She patted him, nudged him and pushed him, he snapped back “Idiot!
Don’t you see, I am being social, don’t disturb me!”
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