In a world filled with material innovations, there can often be a continuous wish and want to keep staying up to the mark in terms of latest products and innovations to stay relevant with the evolving nature of material products and technology.
It is also a way by which market tends to make the customer feel that if they are in line with the advancements then they are staying relevant, and if not then they are behind the pace of how things are developing.
While there are many new and latest things that can improve and enhance the utility of our lives, it also becomes equally important if we are able to also use these latest products to not only stay relevant, but also to do larger good. If the products that we have can be thought of in a way that how we can extract the use of these to do larger good, then we can be truly taking out the value for the money we are putting in.
Big companies often price these latest products at high cost and earn their good share of profits. We as consumers to feel good, and stay relevant, save up, even if we have financial constraints, to acquire and try these. The utility and relevance that we feel through these products are time bound, until a new product with more advance improvements come out. Hence, this becomes a never-ending cycle to keep staying relevant, and that is how the marketing strategies of big players also creep into psyche of the consumers.
In India, there are 95%+ people who because of their living conditions and circumstances do not understand this staying relevant and up to the market speed psyche. Their immediate points to tackle in life include, basic and good education for their children, strengthening their livelihoods, and just being able to survive and lead a sustainable life.
When we acquire these latest expensive products – one thought process in order to extract the maximum out of it can be to see what all social problems can also be tackled through the advanced tech that we have in hand, in addition to tacking the existing responsibilities that we might be having in our lives. This can also motivate us to think out of the box and increase on the utility of these products. We can than think a bit beyond staying relevant and up to the market evolution mindset.
Things that we have had in our lives – education, job, going to places etc. these are dreams for masses living in far off remote India. While we may think that we have struggles, we often complain, oftentimes also remain dissatisfied with what we have – there are many for whom these would be things way beyond their reach. The category of challenges altogether becomes different. One having challenges around basic survival, and one having challenges coming out of the complex nature of lives that have come into being in the cities.
With tech improving day by day, we can also make it as part of our our moral responsibility to open up the tunnel vision beyond our immediate ones, and also think how through tech which can connects and integrate all – we can also uplift those who are truly in need and located in far off places with the time we might be having (everyone can create some time for this, and we know it!)
Through responsible use of tech, we can be in a position to make the community members who are at far off locations come closer and become align to the pace of development. Maybe then some day they can also experience more things that are out there.
Inclusive and thoughtful development and contribution would also make us feel more content that we are able to also contribute to uplift those around us in some way as best as we can, while we continue to also continue to stay relevant with the pace of development, and also experience the feel good that comes with it.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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