We are illiterates. Yes, we the older generation are illiterates in the case of computers. No harm admitting a bit of truth at times. Because lying about oneself more than what he and she is perhaps one of the oldest human traits!

We may be bare graduates, yet we do not hesitate to announce that we are post graduates. At times funny situations develop. While searching for a groom for his daughter an old relative announced that he has found the guy who teaches graduate classes in the Government Inter College.

It is said discretion is better part of valour. Perhaps that is why, despite the habit of boasting ingrained in our genes we dare not talk of our achievements in the matter of computers. Yes, we do try not to sound ignorant in front of a youngster.

Yet we cannot help pondering after hearing a computer terminology about, what it must be!

Sample this: when my son leaves home telling his mom that he is going for a “chat” with his friend and also check mails, I keep guessing, how can one chat sitting in front of the new idiot box! As far as I understand computer is for computing. But now one needs to check mail in his computer!'

We go out to meet a friend in person on the street, gossip at the nearest Pan Shop and come back home. One need not go to a café for that. Yes, we used to go to the University café to meet the real girl friend or at least watch the girls downing mugs of steaming coffee with the atmosphere reverberating with their laughter. Now it seems one goes to a café to meet his virtual girl friend on internet! Sounds crazy, how can someone though real become virtual?

But these days everything is virtual. Real is the cost of living. We learned about our customs and cultures from the real books or real people. These enlightened youngsters of today learn it via the search engines. And to top it all they “learn everything” at an age when they don’t even know how to wipe their noses. Are we heading for a learned virtual society in the future is a question that haunts my mind.