Putting selfies to good use
Hats off to the strenuous efforts of Mr Sunil Jaglan who is helping change mind-sets and popular misconceptions in the hearts of not only the rural population, but also of the whole country (‘I was surprised to see the hospital staff refusing sweets’, Gulf News, July 10). Despite traditional social stigmas regarding the girl child, he used his courage and perseverance to set an example, by thinking and acting differently. Why doesn’t each one of us become a catalyst for change in our societies, be it for any modest cause? Moreover, let the whole world be dedicated to the girl child.
I sincerely hope that this article will inspire and encourage more minds to step up to the fore and battle with the weapons of education, love and kindness. This news also sheds light on putting selfies into good use, by spreading happiness around rather than gratifying oneself.
From Ms Amana Shibu Ahmad
Sharjah
Feeding an addiction
Social media began as a medium to communicate with peers and stay in touch with friends and relatives (‘Facebook debate: Feeding an addiction’, Gulf News, July 12). However, as it began to evolve, so did people’s addiction to social media. It is now a norm on Facebook that people post selfies for every occasion, whether it is a family dinner, an outing with friends, or when driving a car, petting their pets or doing any other work. Selfies have become normal and this is nothing short of an addiction, as researchers have claimed. A social media user’s goal is often to post a picture on Facebook and to gather likes and comments from their Facebook friends — the higher the number, the higher the user’s self-esteem. Social media addiction has now become stronger than smoking cigarettes or consuming carbonated drinks, because users are living in a world where their self-image is of utmost importance. By taking selfies, users are not involved in their real-life activities and are not enjoying the moment, rather they are indulging in taking selfies to post on their Facebook profile, in order to add glamour to their lives.
From Mr M. Omar Iftikhar
Karachi, Pakistan
Selfies: a matter for concern
It is cause for great surprise that people are fascinated by the selfie culture. Actually, selfies produce one of the worst photographs. I have yet to see a good selfie. The craze has worsened, with people’s penchant to post selfies on social media and to subsequently expect likes and comments on the same. This is nothing less than a social disorder that is likely to affect the current and future generations in forming and nurturing personal relationships in society.
As if the selfie menace was not enough, a new craze has already started making waves. This is the improved version of a selfie, and is called ‘velfie’. It is a video clip of oneself, posted on social media. There is a limit for self-gratification. When one crosses it, logic takes a back seat and paranoia sets in. Future generations need to be careful as to how much they allow themselves to give in to such crazy phenomena.
From Mr Suhas Inamdar
UAE
Stop the addiction
Have people ever considered any hobby other than taking selfies of themselves? Through this article, I would like to raise awareness among people who have ruined their lives by falling into the constant loop of selfies. People, irrespective of their age, are addicted to taking selfies. Clicking such pictures is not a crime, but a person must know when to take a selfie and when not to. He/She should not forget ethical values when immersed in the world of selfies. I feel the steps listed in Gulf News’ article to reduce ‘selfie addiction’ are great! People should try to follow these and lead a happy life — offline.
From Ms Sai Madhurya
Dubai
Saluting UAE’s heart of gold
Once, when our car was waiting at a traffic light, I saw a sight that inspired me to be more generous, caring and compassionate. Many volunteers from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) were distributing free packs of food and water to travellers stuck in traffic during iftar time. Being thoughtful of people who may not be able to make it in time to their homes for iftar was indeed very touching. It fills me with a deep sense of pride to know that even though the UAE is a country racing towards modernity, its leaders as well as its people, are still humble and down to Earth. The UAE takes immense pride in social service. No effort is spared when it comes to reaching out to the weakest parts of society. The UAE is also a country that truly believes in equality for all.
There are very few other countries that display such commendable acts of generosity, which are restricted not only to the holy month of Ramadan, but throughout the year. Such acts inspire us to share and care without differentiation. Wouldn’t the world become a better place if it could take the example of the UAE, to share and care and be generous with one and all? Let’s pledge to play our part from today.
From Ms Madiha Ahmad Riaz
UAE
Coming into Eid
I am seeing that people are making many preparations to ensure this year’s Eid Al Fitr is a special one. I can feel a whole lot of excitement in the air. Fasting in the summer must be very tough, but people have taken to it enthusiastically and are looking forward to Eid. I have learnt to be more patient, this Ramadan. I really appreciate and hope that Eid will also be wonderful for all.
From Ms Kanisha Agrawal
Sharjah
Double check
This is an instance of gross negligence by the parents — to leave their son in a car garage (‘Boy, 4, left behind in car in garage dies’, Gulf News, July 11). It is happening at a time when people cannot leave their mobile phones unchecked for minutes. Before stepping away, take a last look at the place you leave and make sure nothing is left behind!
From Mr Girish R. Edathitta
UAE
Website comment
How can this happen?
Every time I read such news reports, I find it extremely hard to believe that parents just forget their children for such long periods of time. Unless she is sleeping, if I don’t hear my daughter’s voice for 30 seconds, all the bells and whistles in my brain go off. How is it possible that neither of these parents even thought of their child for three hours? I can’t imagine what the poor child might have gone through.
From Mr Vijin
UAE
Website comment
Negligence to blame
It is unfortunate that an innocent boy died because his family forgot him in the car and after three hours, realised that the child was missing. Parents love their children with all their heart and cannot bear the disappearance of their beloved child, even for a short period of time. The authorities have ruled out foul play in the incident. However, I feel such negligence is tantamount to a criminal act, due to which, somebody is left badly hurt or dies. It is worth noting that this is not the first incident of its kind, because many children have died in the past, due to the careless attitude and negligence of some parents. Many suffocated due to being trapped in a car for long hours, and were also seen alone in a vehicle, with the engine running, which bears great risk to the life of the child.
Children can suffer a panic attack when they realise that they are alone and cannot open the car door. The situation can quickly become serious, ultimately resulting in suffocation and death. The issue of children being left alone in cars on account of forgetfulness is causing great confusion and should be taken into consideration for future course of action, because such negligence is extremely dangerous and even fatal. All parents are requested to pay adequate attention towards their children.
From Mr Mumtaz Hussain
Dubai
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