Back to Basics
by Imran Ibn Abdul Mannan

Preface

It is a heartfelt article about the current scenario in which we all are living. We are living in a myth, as if our comforts and luxuries are here to stay forever. Let’s think again about what if scenarios regarding various machines and technologies we use every day. What if we don’t use them so often?

There is something called positivity and there is another term called ignorance. Let’s not play around with our subconscious by substituting one with another.

Let’s use technologies. And don’t let them use us.

Imran Ibn Abdul Mannan

Assistant Manager – Tax, Amazon
NSE Certified Financial Analyst

Once upon a time, there lived humans with basic needs. They use barter system to survive and trade within and among themselves for their daily needs.

But eventually ‘wants‘ came into picture. They wanted to store their yields. They wanted to move among places faster. They wanted the comfort of summer in winter, and winter coolness in hot summer. And everything that was against the mother nature’s law.

Soon this attitude created sects in the society. There were some who could afford these, and some who could not. And as these comforts and luxuries were seen in-line with one’s success and prosperity, there was a sense of lust as by-product. Lust was so blinding that humans started harming the same nature in which they were being raised.

With more demand of luxuries, came the need of more ‘power’ creation. Burning wood was no more found satisfactory. This was the time Human civilization saw new energy source inventions (or discoveries).
From Coal to Petroleum to Electricity.

But my question is, is it really an advancement to be proud of?

Let’s ask ourselves!

Look at the wastage Coal gave to US in documentary: From the ashes. From toxifying fresh air to river or ground water. People are getting diseases they never heard about in past decades. There is phenomenal increase in respiratory as well as heart related diseases.

Is it just a mere accident? Or it is something our want for luxuries and lavishness has brought it to us and our generation to come? Let’s think again.  

PC: Deadline for the National Geographic news on “From the Ashes”

Soon the humans realized that using coal is not scalable. Then we saw invention of petrochemical energy. All the transport machines were updated with petrochemical engines. We did not think about the pollution aspects of it. And yes, again harmed our nature for the sake of our wants. Coal was still being used in the manufacturing of electricity producing all the toxics for the environment.

Look at the damage Petrochemical wastes have done to our oceans and seas.

PC: Dreamstime pic on petroleum spill substances-sea-sand surface pollution

But again we realized, that is limited reservoir of petrochemical available on earth. So, we again start updating our existing petrochemical machines to electric ones, citing it as eco-friendly. 

Look at the damage Electricity is doing to the eco-system. Either it is sourced from burning coal, or from running the turbines in dams.

PC: International rivers on Impact of dam projects

As it is suggested that electricity and products utilizing it are Eco-friendly, eventually all communication and transportation will be done majorly on electric devices and vehicles. So, the increased demand will result in a similar proportionate utilization or supply requirement.  What if we use electricity to its fullest available potential? Oh yes! We have already invented (I would rather say discovered) another source, called as ‘Nuclear power’.

My fellow humans with brains, I want you to ponder for a second. Was this much of ‘damage’ created so far by artificial energy sources was not enough? Are we ready for the lethal results of mishandling of nuclear wastes? This will definitely not be the best gift we want to give our generations to come.

Think again. Is the devastation we are creating is too far or not real? Whom are we deceiving? There is a famous saying, ‘If it walks like a Duck, sounds like a Duck, looks like a Duck, it’s a damn Duck!’ It’s really alarming that we focus on our needs and not wants or luxuries.

Use the technologies, and don’t let the technology use us. For example, there is no big harm in not accessing internet 24X7. The flip side also holds true, for internet not accessing us 24X7. Think about it. The need of the hour is ‘let’s get back to our basics’.