Google- Guru to God

 

Google- Guru to God

The other day I was listening to my friend giving a talk on how we all are influenced by technology in general and Google in particular. He gave special emphasis on the paradigm shift or revolution Google brought about. To substantiate his views, he spoke about how Google democratised and socialised knowledge and information. In order to authenticate his views he came out with an interesting phrase. He said, today he lives in a world where the old concept of “Mata, Pita, GURU Daivam( God), has changed to Mata, Pita, GOOGLE ,Daivam”. In other words, GURU is replaced by GOOGLE. The innovativeness or cleverness of that phrase impressed me a lot and for a moment I fell for it. Fortunately my cognitive abilities shook me out from that daze.

Later, it triggered a lot of thoughts in me. The fundamental meaning of the word GURU is one who dispels the darkness. Or the one who leads us from ignorance to knowledge; the one who lights several lamps inside us. There was a time when, as we reach a certain age, we were handed over to the Guru, who takes us beneath his wings. Under his tutelage he understands us the best; impart the knowledge we need, equip us with the tools and weapons needed to face the complexities of the world; mould us to be a responsible citizen; guide us to develop both mental and physical strength; and cares us like his own son ( I am using the masculine gender for two reasons; one for convenience and other because that is how the system is, by and large). I can go on and on with the list. But that is not the objective. What matters is, apart from whatever I have mentioned above and whatever I have left out, the GURU also instils a sense of value in his students. He installs a MORAL COMPASS inside the student’s conscience. Students go back to society with this immense wealth. We also have instances where the Guru steps in when he feels that the student is sliding from the path of righteousness and moral responsibility. In short, Guru is not the one who just imparts knowledge. Rather, he has a much bigger role to play. Today, whether a Guru is playing this role is debatable. Nevertheless, this is what we expect from a Guru cannot be disputed.

With this new thought I decided to re-examine the above beautiful phrase used by my friend. Can a certain abstract system, developed and maintained more by machines; which can just share information’s which you are asking for, replace a Guru? How far it can play the role of a guide, mentor, philosopher and if required, an arbiter, which a Guru is? In this sense is Google anyway near a Guru? On deeper thoughts, by replacing Guru with Google are we not making a huge mistake of diluting the role of a Guru? Are we not reducing Guru to one who just shares information?

 Of course Google has its own merits. It definitely has revolutionised a lot of areas in our life and has brought knowledge and information’s to our finger tips. It has influenced the very course of human journey in a big way. They, though subtly, were even able to give an impression that they are the substitute for a Guru. As a rhetoric it sounds good. In a speech it is very attractive and probably, as a phrase it is very impressive. However, we should be clear that Google can never substitute a Guru and, by any chance, if that is happening, we should take necessary steps to prevent it. With the recent revelations about the, unacceptable and unethical, interference of Google into many areas of our life, it becomes all the more important for us to do so. We can use Google as an innovative, effective technological tool. At the same time we should ensure that it will not adorn the respected and venerated place of a Guru.

Another point which we should discuss along with this is the role of Guru in our life. Instead of showing undue urgency in replacing Guru with Google, we should ask ourselves where all those Gurus, whom we held in high esteem, had gone. We need to admit that such gurus are rare to be seen. So our efforts should be to reinvent such Gurus rather than handing over that role to Google. Before diminishing Guru as just storage of information, we need to realise their value and worth and take necessary steps to bring them back to our lives.

It can be mere coincidence that recently I happened to hear another friend of mine talking about some other aspects of Google. He was emphasising on the omnipresence of Google and how it has penetrated deeply into our lives, even without our knowledge. He narrated few instances which were of larger concern for me.

In the first instance, my friend was typing a mail in which he had mentioned, “sending an attachment”, but when he clicked the send button he had forgotten to attach the attachment. Google promptly informed him that he has forgotten his attachment?!! That means Google is reading your mail!!!!In another instance, his friend had searched for a book in Google long back and later forgotten about it. After months, as she was passing by a book store, she got information that the book she was searching for is available in that book store!!! Who else can do this other than the omnipotent God? Then I remembered one incident which happened to me. Couple of years back I was searching for the procedure to renew my driving license in Google. Interestingly, after few days I got a mail with all necessary information’s. After that I got details of agents who can help me out. At that time I was not aware that Google is so ubiquitous and I honestly felt God was helping me out. I was thankful that God heard my silent prayer and took prompt action. After listening to my friends talk I realised the name of that God is GOOGLE!!!

In his speech my friend spoke that Google has started doing things which, till now, we felt only God can do.  You are monitored, scrutinised, and observed every minute of your life. A roving omnipresent eye is watching you always. They can read your thoughts, scan your emotions, and predict your responses. They suddenly appear in front of you like that genie out of the magic lamp. Before you could think of something, it will be offered to you. It will be offered as if it is free, like a gift. But, beware of the trap. Let us remember the now famous quote that,” if you are offered anything free, then you are not the customer but you are the product”.

 From the two speeches from my friends I realised that we are slowly but consciously brainwashed to believe that GOOGLE can replace both GURU AND GOD. This is not an exaggerated statement. There is an increasingly large amount of people who have started believing this. Even i almost fell for this trap. The new generation can easily be pray to such thoughts as they have not experienced the value and significance of real Guru. So it will not be a surprise if these two are traded for Google. If one of my friends believes that Google can substitute Guru then it will not be long before another will believe that it can be an alternative for God.

Before we reach there, let us slow down or step back a little. Let us, while accepting and respecting all advancement of science and technology, recognize Google as a corporate entity with an objective to make profits. When their own activities are under scanner, they can’t install a moral compass inside you. Life needs certain philosophy and moral values. They cannot always remain in a material world. Corporate companies and technology cannot elevate human kind to a higher plane.  Since they cannot take the place of our Mata and Pita, they may, even though they do not claim to do so, continue their efforts to take the other two places. Let us not allow that to happen. Let Google remain as Google. We should not give rise to a situation wherein we have to Google search to find our Guru or a God.