Sripriya Satish
This profound quote by the great Greek philosopher Heraclitus has much to convey and deeply resonates with Generation X. Change is inevitable, and those born in the 70s and 80s have experienced two contrasting worlds—one rooted in simplicity and another shaped by digital advancements.
I can still remember vividly the day my father bought a black and white television set. I was about five then. Though tuning the set for a clear picture was a challenge, the excitement of seeing something on the screen was unmatched. Back then, there was only one channel available—Doordarshan— and that too, the programs were aired for only a fixed time during the evenings. The iconic startup music of Doordarshan is still etched in my memory.
In my teenage years, weekends were special. My brother and I would visit the corner shop that rented video cassettes, eagerly checking for the latest releases. Inviting friends and neighbors to watch movies together in our living room created strong bonds, and we all looked forward to those shared experiences.
Letter writing was another cherished activity. Composing long letters to friends and relatives, then eagerly awaiting their replies, was an irreplaceable joy. My grandfather and I often took leisurely walks to the postbox to send our letters, and we would wait with anticipation for the postman’s visit, who always delivered with a warm smile.
I remember when our day used to start with the great Carnatic singer M S Subbalakshmi’s divine voice on the radio. The radio was an important means of entertainment back then. Tuning it for various stations to listen to several regional songs was indeed enjoyable. We used to love listening to the Binaca Geetmala, which was a weekly countdown of the then-popular Hindi film songs. The host of the show, Ameen Sayani’s majestic yet soothing voice, still lingers in my ears.
I remember we used to dedicate a huge shelf to just audio cassettes of various music genres. My mother loved collecting several Carnatic music cassettes by various music legends. We also used to have innumerable Hindi and Tamil film song cassettes, which we would play in our cassette player according to our mood. This was an enjoyable ritual.
With the advent of internet technology, cyber cafes sprouted in several corners of the city. I still remember the thrill of creating my very first email account with friends. Browsing in the internet parlor with dial-up modems was indeed a lot of fun, even with frequent disconnections and slow speed.
Today’s world has seen the biggest transformation in all that I have listed, in terms of miniaturization, portability, and interconnectivity, making today’s gadgets more efficient and user-friendly. They have become indispensable in every way. The world has become smaller, yet the charm of our simpler past remains irreplaceable.
Generation X has indeed been fortunate to witness two contrasting worlds—one of patience, anticipation, and community bonding, and another of speed, convenience, and digital connectivity. All said and done, as we move further into an era of rapid technological progress, one thing remains certain—change will continue to shape our lives, just as it has for Generation X.