Ankur Warikoo

I have always seen technology as an enabler, something that can have a positive influence on our lives. This perception about technology was shaped when I went to America in 2002 to study astronomy. The Internet was just starting up; there wasn’t even Gmail then, only Hotmail. It was here that I got exposed to technology and its limitless access. I was sitting in my room in freezing Michigan and remote controlling a telescope in Chile. I was watching the stars without leaving my bed. It was here that I realised what technology has to offer.

As we head into 2022, after a few years of intense discussion on how social media affects us negatively, I think it’s very important to change that narrative. The key lies in this very famous and powerful quote: “We are the average of the first five people we spend time with”. This goes to say, choose your friends wisely, and spend time with the right colleagues. But the social media boom of the last few years has meant that we have all been spending time with people we don’t know. I’d say, be mindful of the ideas you follow, and hence, the people you follow on social media. If you follow a gorgeous fashion influencer, but can’t look like him or her, you may end up feeling terrible about yourself. But if you follow a person who’s inspiring, that will make a difference. This person may not give you solutions, but may offer you hope. This is the conscious decision everyone has to take. What SM platforms have done is democraticise the world, and opened it up. So, choose wisely.