Old Fashioned ?

Cell phone companies probably have a different profit booking code for festivals and new year what with the mass smsing that happens. And on those days sms inboxes are full to the brim with the warm wishes of many well wishers

But somehow I have found this mass forwarding to be extremely impersonal and insincere. Festivals and the like were meant to meet up with friends and relatives and wish each other. The wishing is only an excuse for catching up and chatting up. And when meetings in person were not possible - the phone stood in to facilitate the 'catching-up'

The phone with the advent of mobile phone has been replaced by the sms. And the art of mass forwarding.

The whole process - the whole premise - was based on personal touch. And technology has probably thrown us away from that into a space that is largely impersonal.

I hate receiving messages on festivals which are mass-forwards and typically I do not reply to them. I reply only to messages which are clearly meant only for me and are not part of a blind forward all. And while even I have been lost to speaking to people on festivals - I do follow a strict policy while smsing greetings to people. I detest simply forwarding mass smses and hence if i do sms - i only allow it if each message has been personalised with the recepient's name. Long process but frankly worth the satisfaction.

Similarly on birthdays - I refrain from wishing people on FB. If a friend is/was close enough at some point of time - FB just doesnt cut it. There has to be a phone call. If there isn't - you aren't close enough. And ofcourse I dont put up Birthday reminders on Facebook. Friends are supposed to remember.

Yeah - i guess I am old fashioned. Whats your story?