Smart Phones Dumb People is an interesting read written by Parthajeet Sarma. The tagline of this book is Using 21st Century Tools To Address 19th Century Issues which in a way is quite rightly pointed out by the author. Publishers of this book are Good Times Books Private Limited. As per the author the whole world is divided into two clearly differentiable groups – one belonging to the 21st century and the other to the 19th century. The way in which these groups are defined clearly, the members of each group are not clearly distinguishable or demarcated with clear boundary lines. For instance within the same country some part would be living in the 21st century while the others in the 19th century.
On one hand where the dependency of masses is increasing on smart phones and internet, there is another set of masses that still are struggling for electricity and water and are least aware or bothered about high-end technology. The basic question thus arises is if the technology is helping in addressing to those basic needs of the latter masses or it is further widening the gaps? Whether the technology has enough potential and real smartness to address to the risks of a scarcity of water and electricity on one end and a large amount of people crying for it or is it just enslaving another set of people in the name of advancement and modernization as defined above in the masses in the former class.
Smart Phones Dumb People is a good read from Pathajeet Sarma, for all those interested in finding out the real meaning of technology, its usage to address basic and critical social causes, innovation hyped and innovation in reality, entrepreneurship and its real meaning in terms of responsibility towards society, social challenges and technology’s capabilities or incapability to address to those serious challenges; and above all if such is the wide gap between the two groups existing on this earth, how to take steps to fill those gaps.
