This book leaves a smiling face

Manpriya Singh

So what is your opinion of Facebook or its recent clones, cousins? A scrapbook for college kids? Platform for silly banter? Or have the opinions been invaded by sheer excitement of handing over your privacy. Well, if Facebook needed image consultants, these ‘grandparents’ could really give a lesson or two. The generation that might not be X or Y, but is definitely with it!

Online worth
Pushpesh Pant, 70, food critic, blogger
On Facebook, Twitter: Since four to five years

Gen-next, here he comes: When someone at 70 has a blog, Twitter account with more than 12K followers and Facebook account with more than 400 friends, has high speed internet in the basement, international roaming connection, MAC book air, apart from half-a-dozen of other gadgets, it’s time to feel insecure; rather threatened. “I just completed with two free courses online.”

Good and the bad: In between I had become inactive on FB because it had almost been reduced to a scrapbook or was used for advertising. But now, I like to connect with people who share similar interests in food, politics and culture.

Just beat it: Well, my grand-daughter is on Facebook and we connect like there is no age barrier at all.

Message to his generation: Technology is all a mental block. If I can do it, believe me, so can you.

Quotable quotes:

* I can safely say I can’t live without connectivity.
* At the end of the day, we are social animals. And if technology allows us to connect across continents. Why not?

Net gain
Balvinder, 69, professional artist, art-writer
On Facebook: Since more than 4 years

From floppies to pen drives: “I started with computers way back in 90s. Those were the days of floppies. In fact, I had the first-ever show of computer drawings at the PU museum then. I do online shopping, banking, much more on the net and spend quite a few hours on my laptop every day.”

The good thing is: I highly recommend social networking to people of my generation. It is a great way of staying connected.”

Social angle
Mahesh Bhasin, 80, retired businessman
On Facebook: Since 2011

Why did I join? Facebook wasn’t an option, a thought, until a friend puts forward the suggestion. “It was after the death of my wife that my friend told me join this social networking site,” shares the retired businessman from Baddi. “In fact, my writing started because of Facebook.”

Grandpa online: “I have my grandchildren in my list. In fact, sometimes you come to know more about them through Facebook than in person,” he laughs.

Words of wisdom: No matter what the generation, there are some things that never change. For instance, the difference between acquaintance and friends. Hear it for yourself. “Well, I’ll have to check it out as to how many people I have in my list. You see, you can’t be talking to everyone in your list. Friends are always very few!” Copy that!

Extended family
Suraj Parkash Sharma, 76, retired government official
On Facebook: Joined two to three years ago

Updated thought: “When children are all using it, then why shouldn’t you? Moreover, it is technology and we must all be up to date. With each passing day, it is becoming easier — from computers to laptops to notebooks.”

Technology@seniors: Especially at our age, it is great way to connect with long lost class-fellows, friends, colleagues. You get to learn about their complete history, life et al. My friends list: I have friends, children; their friends! Everybody just joins in and comes together. At our age, family itself becomes so large.

Arjan Singh, 68, businessman and former faculty, Panjab University
On Facebook: Since three to four years
First take: “I joined because we had to create a page for the alumni association for Department of English.”

Never mind the nonsense, focus on the positive: “There definitely is a lot of nonsense that goes on, but technology and social networking sites have a lot of positives, especially for our generation. It is a great way to connect and at our age, it means never having to feel lonely or left out.” Point to be noted!

[email protected]