Living Two Lives in Digital India

There have always been two Indias. That we live in a country with two very different sets of people, each with their own priorities, worldviews and aspirations is something that is so well known that it is no longer even a self-respecting cliché.

For some time now, we are seeing a new kind of division. The interesting thing about this divide is that it doesn’t divide people into two groups. These are the two realities that live within each of us. Every individual today lives two lives- the Earth Life- one that is physical and relates to the very real circumstances that surround us. The other is the Sky Life, the one where we live in a virtual world unfettered by old constraints and learning to cope with new anxieties. And it is in the interaction between the two and the resultant totality that emerges that we find a sense of identity.

The opening up of another universe, an entirely new dimension in which we can lead a parallel life creates a sense of freedom and empowerment, particularly for those who lead relatively constrained lives. It opens up the world in a dramatically new way, giving them exposure at par with those who are more privileged. This has led to a significant narrowing in the gap between different parts of the country in terms of attitudes and behaviours, be it about fashion, food, or personal grooming. We see eruptions of niche sub-cultures in unexpected corners of India, as people extract from the Internet whatever it is that catches their fancy. Being exposed to the outside world creates a more level playing field and the rise of influencers on social media means that they have now have people who look and behave like themselves leading them through the thickets of the new.?

Even more significant than the access that has opened up to the world is the ability we have today of presenting ourselves on what is potentially a global platform. The idea that everyone is important enough to have a story worth telling, and that we have the freedom to broadcast to the world whatever we wish to lead to an entirely new experience of the self. We gauge our own actions and thoughts based on how they would look to the outside world. There is a constant apprehension of outwardliness, a sense of being a performer forever on a stage.?

The virtual arena that affords individuals both anonymity, should they choose the option, and distance from their immediate social environment. This enables imaginations of a totally new self, one unhindered by the burdens of reality. Unremarkable, apparently timid housewives in real life turn into blazing icons of beauty on social media, small town tutors invent a new style of coaching that makes them internet superstars and invisible paper-pushers in nondescript office turn into ferocious fire-breathing trolls on Twitter.?

In a certain sense it is possible lead a more enriched life without too much change in one’s material circumstances. Most of what is available on the Internet is free, entertainment options have multiplied exponentially, and one can spend a lifetime shooting selfies and posting them for the edification of others. The infinite scroll is eternal too, and time can get swallowed in a large gulp day after day.?

That’s not the full story. The pressures of having to present oneself to the world mean that one has to be more interesting and look the part of the 70 protagonists that we have all become of our own lives.??We have to lead lives full of excitement and above all, visual splendour. That means greater investment in fashion, beauty, food, travel, health- all of these become sharable arenas of our life. The passive form of a mobile phone goads us into a life of activity which in turn becomes an input for the virtual world.

But leading two lives is not all about good cheer and overblown narcissism. The need to brandish opinions, those that catch fire and go viral means that we need to whip ourselves up into a frenzy of outrage. The need to have a point of view, to become a commentator on all that is note is an onerous responsibility and one that rarely leads to a state of calm meditativeness.?

The other consequence of living in a virtual world is that the difference between what is a symbol and the reality of which it is a symbol of become easy to confuse. Racism gets defined as using a word or idea considered racist. The focus shifts from changing reality to arguing about representations of that reality. Using the correct word is more important than doing the right thing. Online controversies tend to deal with largely symbolic issues- who said what, who wore which colour in what context, who insulted whom and so on.

The interweaving of these two realities will only increase as technology evolves. Wearables will add a digital layer to our bodies. Already our phones tell us tales about our body- how we slept and whether we have walked as much as we should have. We will soon have glasses through we which we will see not only our surroundings but a digital commentary that will help makes sense of what we are seeing. Homes will become more intelligent, and things will start speaking back to us ala Alexa and Siri.

The virtual world changes how we live in the physical one, for it alters our modes of perception and recalibrates our sense of time and space. We are more impatient, addicted to constant motion, and thanks to being trained by touchscreens, demanding that the universe respond immediately to our needs.?

?Being inside the change it is sometimes difficult for us to appreciate how profoundly significant this new arena is and how transformative this new meaning of identity is for a diverse and inherently unequal collective like India. We get to lead two lives for the price of one.?

(This is a version of an article that has appeared previously in the Times of India)CLIPBOARD_DATA_SPLITTER123,34,101,108,101,109,101,110,116,115,34,58,91,123,34,120,34,58,49,48,52,44,34,121,34,58,49,48,56,44,34,105,100,34,58,34,51,99,99,53,51,54,101,52,45,56,50,54,49,45,52,53,56,54,45,57,100,53,99,45,100,102,101,48,99,54,98,102,50,56,101,49,34,44,34,116,121,112,101,34,58,34,71,82,79,85,80,95,76,65,89,69,82,34,44,34,119,105,100,116,104,34,58,48,44,34,109,101,116,97,34,58,123,34,116,121,112,101,34,58,34,67,82,79,80,95,71,82,79,85,80,34,125,44,34,115,99,97,108,101,88,34,58,48,46,57,52,57,50,49,56,55,53,44,34,115,99,97,108,101,89,34,58,48,46,57,52,57,50,49,56,55,53,44,34,104,101,105,103,104,116,34,58,48,44,34,118,105,115,105,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,114,111,116,97,116,105,111,110,34,58,48,44,34,111,112,97,99,105,116,121,34,58,49,44,34,100,114,97,103,103,97,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,100,114,97,103,66,111,117,110,100,115,34,58,123,34,109,105,110,88,34,58,45,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,44,34,109,105,110,89,34,58,45,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,44,34,109,97,120,88,34,58,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,44,34,109,97,120,89,34,58,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,125,44,34,115,101,108,101,99,116,97,98,108,101,34,58,102,97,108,115,101,44,34,105,110,116,101,114,97,99,116,97,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,100,101,112,101,110,100,101,110,99,105,101,115,34,58,91,123,34,105,100,34,58,34,48,51,54,102,102,98,54,56,45,101,97,97,49,45,52,97,49,98,45,56,48,100,51,45,53,98,99,50,49,50,52,102,48,49,53,97,34,44,34,108,97,121,101,114,73,100,34,58,34,50,55,98,56,50,56,97,98,45,52,97,55,99,45,52,57,54,97,45,98,49,100,98,45,54,48,99,97,55,50,54,98,48,52,101,54,34,44,34,116,121,112,101,34,58,34,83,84,65,84,73,67,34,125,93,44,34,116,114,97,110,115,102,111,114,109,97,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,103,108,111,98,97,108,67,111,109,112,111,115,105,116,101,79,112,101,114,97,116,105,111,110,34,58,34,115,111,117,114,99,101,45,111,118,101,114,34,44,34,99,108,105,112,34,58,123,34,120,34,58,48,44,34,121,34,58,48,44,34,119,105,100,116,104,34,58,49,48,50,52,44,34,104,101,105,103,104,116,34,58,49,48,50,52,125,125,44,123,34,120,34,58,48,44,34,121,34,58,48,44,34,105,100,34,58,34,50,55,98,56,50,56,97,98,45,52,97,55,99,45,52,57,54,97,45,98,49,100,98,45,54,48,99,97,55,50,54,98,48,52,101,54,34,44,34,116,121,112,101,34,58,34,73,77,65,71,69,95,76,65,89,69,82,34,44,34,119,105,100,116,104,34,58,49,48,50,52,44,34,109,101,116,97,34,58,123,34,105,110,80,114,101,118,105,101,119,77,111,100,101,34,58,102,97,108,115,101,44,34,109,105,110,105,97,112,112,73,100,34,58,34,97,57,102,55,101,101,102,56,45,54,102,52,49,45,52,53,49,51,45,97,50,49,55,45,57,48,101,102,100,50,57,49,97,102,102,51,34,44,34,116,121,112,101,34,58,34,80,72,79,84,79,34,44,34,114,101,115,111,117,114,99,101,73,100,34,58,34,34,44,34,105,115,80,114,101,109,105,117,109,34,58,102,97,108,115,101,44,34,115,111,117,114,99,101,34,58,34,109,105,110,105,97,112,112,34,44,34,114,101,115,111,117,114,99,101,34,58,123,125,44,34,97,100,106,117,115,116,71,114,111,117,112,115,34,58,123,34,108,105,103,104,116,34,58,116,114,117,101,125,125,44,34,115,99,97,108,101,88,34,58,49,44,34,115,99,97,108,101,89,34,58,49,44,34,104,101,105,103,104,116,34,58,49,48,50,52,44,34,118,105,115,105,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,114,111,116,97,116,105,111,110,34,58,48,44,34,111,112,97,99,105,116,121,34,58,49,44,34,100,114,97,103,103,97,98,108,101,34,58,102,97,108,115,101,44,34,100,114,97,103,66,111,117,110,100,115,34,58,123,34,109,105,110,88,34,58,45,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,44,34,109,105,110,89,34,58,45,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,44,34,109,97,120,88,34,58,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,44,34,109,97,120,89,34,58,57,48,48,55,49,57,57,50,53,52,55,52,48,57,57,49,125,44,34,115,101,108,101,99,116,97,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,105,110,116,101,114,97,99,116,97,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,100,101,112,101,110,100,101,110,99,105,101,115,34,58,91,93,44,34,116,114,97,110,115,102,111,114,109,97,98,108,101,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,103,108,111,98,97,108,67,111,109,112,111,115,105,116,101,79,112,101,114,97,116,105,111,110,34,58,34,115,111,117,114,99,101,45,111,118,101,114,34,44,34,117,114,108,34,58,34,104,116,116,112,115,58,47,47,99,100,110,50,55,48,46,112,105,99,115,97,114,116,46,99,111,109,47,52,57,55,97,98,97,97,54,45,52,102,48,97,45,52,97,101,98,45,98,49,101,50,45,52,49,101,49,50,55,99,97,55,101,99,56,47,52,49,57,52,57,55,48,52,49,48,49,54,50,48,49,46,106,112,103,34,44,34,97,100,106,117,115,116,34,58,123,34,110,97,109,101,34,58,34,97,100,106,117,115,116,34,44,34,115,101,116,116,105,110,103,115,34,58,91,93,125,44,34,115,104,97,100,111,119,66,108,117,114,34,58,50,48,44,34,115,104,97,100,111,119,67,111,108,111,114,34,58,123,34,114,34,58,48,44,34,103,34,58,48,44,34,98,34,58,48,125,44,34,115,104,97,100,111,119,79,112,97,99,105,116,121,34,58,49,48,48,44,34,115,104,97,100,111,119,79,102,102,115,101,116,88,34,58,50,53,44,34,115,104,97,100,111,119,79,102,102,115,101,116,89,34,58,50,53,44,34,115,104,97,100,111,119,84,114,97,110,115,112,97,114,101,110,116,34,58,116,114,117,101,44,34,112,114,105,111,114,105,116,121,79,110,85,112,100,97,116,101,34,58,34,108,111,119,34,125,93,44,34,105,100,115,34,58,91,34,51,99,99,53,51,54,101,52,45,56,50,54,49,45,52,53,56,54,45,57,100,53,99,45,100,102,101,48,99,54,98,102,50,56,101,49,34,93,125CLIPBOARD_DATA_SPLITTER