Generation Y.....The Androids

Betamax Video Casette for SONY C7 Video Player

For those of you who are in their early 40s like me, can remember 80s and 90s. Imagine a world where terms like, internet, cellular phones, texting, or sending an e-mail were obscure and unknown to most. We watched fewer TV channels, landline phones were kings, cars were just turning from bulkier to more compact forms, walkman was the king, casettes came in 45 - 60  or 90minutes types, video players started with Betamax system and white socks ruled.

I guess it was easier to fool your parents to have a sleepover in your friend's house and get wasted on Vodka, than getting lost with today's means of tracking devices like a cellular phone which doesn't allow you to disappear for one single second even if you wanted to. 

Then the Internet came along with computers taking the whole ball game into a different level. People could communicate in light speed, and at cheaper cost. Connecting people (Nokia's Slogan) were never made easier and more effective. We never anticipated a dramatic change in lives when a young nerd from Harvard called Mark Zuckerberg introduced Facebook in 2004 in USA where you simply added a circle of friends and shared thoughts, locations, images and ideas freely. Shortly after, a tiny blue bird called Twitter enabled our boxed in lives to reveal to the world. You could even share a photo of yourself while taking a sh*t with the rest of world. This was the beginning of new era for all the world and has created the famous "Generation Y".

 

All of a sudden, we started to share images, blogs, news (regardless officially confirmed or not), articles, and more which created a huge paradox in people's minds what to believe in. Although it is not the core of this article, but I think I will write on that one in the future as well. Today, we are living in an ocean of information, but God knows how much of it can be still reliable. As Andy Warhol said in 1968 "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes", I am now saying that today everyone has already became world famous with one tweet or by one image on facebook. In matters of seconds, millions of people can see you or your phrase in this virtual world and that can be scary. Look at the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Brazil and Turkey lately. Most of the visual or written media is wither bought by the governments to share what really happens in the country, or their bosses are too chicken to broadcast the truth. So most the movement has communicated through social media, especially Twitter. 

However, is it safe to trust the information which was posted by a teenager? What if he or she tweeted an information which is not confirmed. Who to believe or not to believe? This is the political dilemma which threatens all nations right now and will continue to do so. Although websites gaining a lot power, I think when it comes to sharing member information with governments they did and will always bow to the power of state and share it. Fear of losing money will always be heavier than the urge to be a hero. Sad but true...

My criticism is to the people who share their utmost intimacy or privacy of their lives in social media. I mean, who the heck cares about where you were, or with whom you are with, and what you did. I totally think that it is mostly the cause of lonely or loveless childhood. Come off it, I know people who had virtually fallen in love with....holy cow ! How can you love someone virtually? Where did the passion go? Joy of touching a human tan? Ecstasy of tasting lips? 

I am sad for "Generation Y" types....I really am....they see life from a 14 inch screen, and live it on the face of a keyboard. So far away from feelings of actual human soul and heart. Time to take one step towards them to get a better understanding. Who they are or what they really want.

Before they end up becoming "Androids"...teach them arts, cooking, sewing, tooling, fixing a bulb, an international flag, to think of needy ones, not to be greedy, share life, share food, share love but furthermore teach them how to be flesh and bone.

Have a great weekend to you all....

First breath...

Knock...knock !!!

None of us remember that first breath we took at our birth, and again none of us think how important that first breath was. It all starts with it, and continues until its last one with billions of them in between. It feels like there are so many things to write, but again, not knowing where to start with is disturbing. I caught myself thinking about this very first breath, during my daugther's birth, while I was trying to calm my wife in the operating room, and eversince it has a special place in my mind.

Through this little space, we will be hopefully sharing and exchanging ideas, experiences, fun, sorow, expertise, and images. No lies, no bullsh*t but truth. Well, at least I am hoping that we can. 

Since I started off with "first breath" stuff, lets talk about late fatherhood...Do we have the patience, experience, finances or even the courage? Honestly speaking, all of them are irrelevant, because when you first see your newborn in that cold operation room held by the doctor, you will be drowning in the "pool of, joy, anxiety, panic, and what if's". Obviously you will be happy to become a father, but then the question of "will I be a good father?" followed by "what if I can't be?" ... Just ignore them and try enjoying the first seconds of your new core family gathering...with that first breath you anawarely had taken as well.

It was fourteen months ago when my daughter was born and made me the happiest guy on the face of this planet. Never had this experience during my first marriage which lasted eight years, and there is no single day passes by which I regret the feeling that we never wanted a baby. However, I also consider myself lucky to not have it back then, otherwise the divorce phase could be painful for the kid. Anyway, better late then never....or is it?

Definitely yes, because during all this time, night cryings, gas, smell of poo, changing diapers had paid off the other day, when my daughter first called me baaa-ba :) (Daddy). That was when it struck me; this is it ! Now I understand why people lived for their children (at least in my current geographical location) for their entire lives. Trying to provide their bests for their kids, in exchange of just a word, smile or even for a happy look in their eyes.

These are the moments, I think to myself that it is good to become a late father. If we think that we -men- are never growing children (at least this is what my wife thinks of me), by the older we get, there is more chance of playing with our baby daughters or sons as our peer groups. 

So, as many other things in life, enjoy and love your kids and every second spent with them.