“Don’t forget to like me…” she ended her quick call, filling it with thousand-odd tidbits. It was just a minute’s call and out of the blue, but right on my birthday. Picking her line, I was pretty sure it was just to wish me a good day… sigh! It was a pretty one-sided conversation on how she was finding no time to do the daily chores, forgetting to shop, no time to even pay the utility bills…
But, so what, she was on her way to become an influencer, with the complete, undivided focus to get a following that will change the social set up of the community and the world at large!
“Do you know I have 92.7k followers? All on my own… wait and see, I am really going to make a difference to many out there”. She was sounding very proud and accomplished. I let her go on, seeing no point to remind her of my day, and there, she ended her call saying she forget some other important thingi. That one minute took a few hours for me to digest, though after a week, I am still pondering over the likes and followers obsession.
92.7k followers? Wow, I do agree that is an impressive following for an individual, who is not an artist or a performer, nor even a public figure. But she is socially active and very likeable one at that too. Still 92.7k is a lot of people. A lot. Another 8000 odd and she will have 100k followers. Who would be all that followers? And why would there be so many? Would she even know their names? How would she be in touch with all of them unless she is on her mobile 24 hours? It is impressive indeed. And definitely exhaustive!
No, I am not against any social-media platform; in fact, though not very active, I do have accounts on all platforms; part of many groups and follow and like quite a few. And I am not a prude, but I still prefer the good old get-togethers, personal calls and visits, rather than chasing the likes… and I do wonder where have all the good old catch you later, see you tomorrow, wish you were here, miss you, and good byes go?
After a while, I couldn’t help it, I called her back a bit pedantically reminding her that although it was good of her to call me, she had however forgotten to wish me. I expected a sheepish apology, after all she is a schoolmate; a few years ago she would never have forgotten and was always one of the few who wished me at the stroke of midnight. But this time the response I got was quite amusing – she was telling me that I am mistaken; it’s not my birthday yet. Now, what can I say to that?
After two days she called me back, admonishing me for not putting my birthday on my social media details. And because it is not out there, there was no reminder and she was thus not able to wish me in the last 2-3 years. (“Why are you hiding, you know you don’t have to display your year of birth, only date, you know that right…?”). My fault!
But, she finally wished me, with all the love and affection in her heart, two days late is not going to get me any older or younger than I am already. But she again ended with the note, “don’t forget to follow my page and share it please!”
I did that. Liked her and followed her page.
As one of her dedicated 92.7k followers, I guess I had to do my bit!
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