This is a new term, a new concept devised and coined in 2006. Actually this Ringxiety is a mixture of two simple words i.e., ring plus anxiety. This word came into existence after mobile phone was invented and so became a part of our lifestyle. Actually Ringxiety is a sort of feeling or sensation that you often feel and hear mistakenly that your mobile phone is ringing or vibrating. This sort of feeling is felt when the level of addiction to such gadgets goes so high and reaches a level where one gets detached from somatic settings that surrounds him and seems to be living in a world lacking factual reality.
Discoveries and inventions made ever so often have easefully made our lives worth living and delightful on one hand and on the other hand sometime they have proved devastative if not used in a judicious and desirable manner. Same is the case with this miraculous invention. I mean this mobile phone. Its invention is really fantastic and incredible one. With the arrival and onset of this mobile phone- the lifestyle of humans have undergone a dramatic change. When I say change, it can be positive and it can be negative as well. Same is the case with this miraculous and marvelous invention. It has left the humans in a fix, in a dilemma or more appropriately in a state of catch-22 situation.
We find ourselves unable to decide as to how to use this mobile phone judiciously, when to use it, how much to use it and more appropriately without knowing much about its do’s and don’ts. As a result of which this marvelous invention is proving to be a double edged sword. Even educates and so called learned ones have become so addicted to its use that they find themselves in an embarrassing situation as to what could be its sensible use and not to speak of laymen. So far as I have seen and observed I strongly feel that its application and usage has proved to be more or less mischievous and detrimental then its fruits. Apart from its usual ill effects like poor vision, lack of focus, anxiety, isolation, sleep loss and many many other aspects, it has now assumed a terrible shape by adding and multiplying to the magnitude of cybercrimes and thereby posing a new version of challenges to the younger generations and generations to follow.
I think the need of the hour is to think, see and understand as to how its harmful and devastating effects can be minimized and done away in general and in particular how this younger generation can be saved from this catastrophic type of situation. Actually we can’t reject its use outrightly. It is a big big blessing in itself also. As pointed out earlier, it is one of the miraculous inventions-the humans have ever made. There is no denying the fact about it. But so long as it is used judiciously, within certain limits and parameters-it will act like a faithful servant. But the same thing when used improperly and inappropriately, it becomes a bad master and a curse.
If we want to be at par with others, we will have to move accordingly taking all positive and negative consequences into consideration. Parents and teachers have a big role to play in this regard. They will have to share and shoulder the main responsibility and make their children understand about the side effects of excessive mobile phone usage. As also mentioned earlier, mobile phone is a miraculous invention and it can definitely prove to be a good associate, a good workmate and a skillful master provided it is used judiciously and intelligently.
(Author is a Teacher at Govt Higher Secondary School Sazan, Doda)
