COST OF MODERNIZATION

 We are very much familiar with this term, and we believe also that we are modernized upto a certain level. Many of our traditional lifestyle has been erased and is replaced by the methods of modernization; in other words, our lives have been more comfortable than ever before. It's great to see that we still don't leave our traditions on some occasions; for example, we sit on the floor and eat our meals which is a ' traditional way of doing although the food was not cooked by charcoal or firewood but we used a gas stove using ready-made ingredients bought from the grocery store down the street.

Modernization has made huge impacts on our lives and most of them has been to our benefit. Me, sitting in India can sell products in Pakistan or I can attend my classes happening in Singapore sitting in my room 3000 kilometres away. But at what cost are we having a comfortable life from the favor of modernization?

Before that let me tell some facts:

1. Between 2019 and 2020, 43% of the consumers shopped their clothes online.
2. Ecommerce will make up 22% of global retail sales by 2023. To give context to this growth, 14.1% of global retail sales were ecommerce purchases in 2019.
3. The Global Wellness market is expected to grow by 5% to 10% with the current estimate more than $1.5 Trillion. 
4. According to a study conducted by Attentiv, 87% of employees not physically present for a meeting report feeling better engaged with colleagues through video. 

And the list goes on...

One point we gotta understand is that modernization is not restricted to just technology or lifestyle. It expands to any corner; the news we see/read, politics, health/medical, economy, environment etc. For any gain, we have to sacrifice something. Now on that context let us see what all have we sacrificed and we are still sacrificing.

1. Today we have poor nutrition due to the deteriorating quality and quantity of land.
2. Health consequences of increased high density living in cities. 
3. Health consequences due to less body activity. (everything is now at our fingertips)
4. Social isolation. Easy to speak face-to-face with someone from the next continent but hard to speak to someone from the next door.
5. Erosion of cultural values and practices that were instrumental in providing stability to the society.

And like said before, the list is more. I wouldn't advice anyone to be anti-modernization but to be mindful about our resources and how we use them.

Now have smartphones where people say it makes us less smart. Although the statement is true, using it the right way matters; just like you use a knife to cut the vegetables instead of stabbing someone. Smart devices do increase your creativity in it's own style. 

It all comes down to our mindset on how we react to modernization. Now we are at a time where we need the help of gymnasium to stay fit, a ventilator to breath oxygen, a dialysis to clean our blood from toxins getting into. If time machine existed, I’m sure when someone from 100 years back travels to today’s time, he would be shocked and perplexed to see how we humans appear, what we eat, what we do, what all a supermarket has in stock. Thus modernization is great but be mindful about it’s weight!