A change ?

My troops were ready for battle. I was too. Scouting for a village with abundant amount of resources to attack. It took me merely seconds to scout for one. A village with a huge amount of gold. The next thing I know, my archers were firing arrows towards the poor defense of the village. Giants that were hired were pounding against the weak walls, penetrating their defense. In just 2 minutes, the village was gone and the gold worth 100,000 was mine. I won. Smiling, feeling a little proud. Thinking of a strategy and plotting my next move. At the same time, still deciding whether to further improve my cannon or my archer tower.

Just then, I heard a distant cry. I was certain it was a cry of a baby. I looked around and I wasn't wrong. A 3 year old baby boy was whining. His parents were having a mini tug of war with him, snatching away a piece of slim and elegant looking metal. I realized, I was in a restaurant still waiting for our food to arrive. Still observing the family fighting for the iPad. It looked like the baby boy wanted to have his food and also have fun of that device of his as well. Dad was busy reading his National Geographic magazine. Mum was looking around. My younger brother was engrossed in his game. And this is me, feeling a little disgusted and disappointed.

Hitting the standby button on my phone. I started observing tables around me. Communication was replaced with electronic devices. Children busy swiping the screens and hitting buttons with such determination. Thinking back, I was like them too. Busy plotting my next move, neglecting my surroundings, and the people around me.

The feeling was worse than making silly mistakes in exams. Where's communication? Where's the laughter within families? Where's fun ?

'Smartphones were engineered to bring those far away much closer, while at the same time it also makes those near us more distant', according to Shane Hipps. In engineering, we were taught that sustainable development is an important key to a well balanced future. No one would have predicted smartphones would have such impact on the society.

After that incident, I've been trying to stop bringing my phone when I'm out for dinner. I wouldn't want to neglect what's around me anymore.

That's what inspired me to pursue my dreams in engineering. If a small device like this can change the world, no doubt there will be others that can change it as well. Machines were meant to reduce human effort, not causing humans to lose its ability to communicate.

Perhaps another change is needed. For the society and the environment.