The switch box of humans, it appears, has been severely tampered with and as a result no one seems to understand things when put in a simple straight-forward language. Try calling terrorism bad and chances are you might end up being trolled for being an Islamophobe. Comment on why banning Chinese apps is a part of a bigger strategy and you might get trampled under a massive pile of angry emoticons. A rough guess is that the social media has actually massacred the art of logical discussions sans rancor because it is far easier to rush in with loud cries and swing your baton of ill-conceived arguments hurriedly tempered with uncouth words and phrases. In short, we live in an abusive online world today.
This epidemic is so wide-spread and is so evident that I am now sure that if I make a simple statement asking people to follow the ideas of PM Mr Modi and that, each of us in our own way, must save water or read about and appreciate small efforts to conserve water, I just might end up being hauled up for being a bhakt. All because the PM said: ‘We should together resolve the water crisis by saving every drop of water. Let’s start an awareness campaign to save water.’ They wouldn’t even bother to find out that this quote is from the past year.
What then is a better way to convince people that conserving water is the need of the hour? Satire. Well, yes, this is the language that the social-media bitten generation understands well.
One alternative to quoting statistics, research papers, and the way conservation is going on in other countries, is to say things like:
- Why bathe or shower? Just dunk yourself in a heavy dose of a deodorant of your choice and you’re ready to attend office… or even a party in the evening. And the world saves water! The added benefit is not having to buy and store towels anymore.
- Why wash clothes? Just hop from one new set of clothes to another and gift the soiled one to some needy fellow. Don’t forget to click a selfie and share it on Instagram as you give your old clothes away. You’ll shop more and save water! Don’t worry about the added expenses… just add more hours to your work-day.
- Why do the dishes after eating? Use disposable cutlery, plates and whatever else you need. Order food online. You’ll be a water saviour! Don’t worry about the garbage piles of non-biodegradable things… you have your favourite cricketer Gambhir taking care of it.
- Why drink water? Go ahead and guzzle those bottled fizzy ones that tell you: darr ke aage jeet hai! Save water! We know you may need to be hospitalized sooner but then even doctors have to make a living, right?
If these new-age ideas of saving water make you uneasy, pause and start thinking about saving water in earnest. Think about water-saving techniques in the bathroom and kitchen, train your house-help to clean the house with minimum water used, pour water in your glass that you will finish drinking, tell yourself that throwing garbage bags in the river aren’t helping the cause, and think of every other way you can, as an individual, help in saving water.
Stop waiting for the government to do something. Frankly, it is time that each of us got serious about conserving water.
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Arvind Passey
Written on 29 July 2020
