Petunia was a city where screens were people’s best friends. There were no real human-to-human relations left anymore. There was no real laughter or happiness on the faces of people. If there was something, it was the machines working side by side with people. Everyone was engrossed in their lives with devices and robots.

One day, the city experienced something unusual. Everything was going fine, all of a sudden, the screens turned black. All the internet connections suddenly went down, and the electricity was also gone. A city that thrived on AI and electric power was suddenly powerless. Cars driven by robots halted in the middle of the roads. The sudden breakdown of the internet and power caused collisions at almost all intersections. Many people were injured, and emergency services couldn’t manage to reach them because of the lack of signals.

A haphazard situation in the city began to unfold. Mobile phones stopped working, and people everywhere seemed lost. Those who navigated with the help of internet devices didn’t know where to go. Robots shut down everywhere.

As the day went on, the lack of distractions brought a strange stillness to offices that usually echoed with keyboard clicking and the pings of emails. Now, they echoed with an uncomfortable quietness. Awkwardness lingered in the air as people struggled to communicate with real people and find topics to talk about.

The breakdown went on for a few days. People felt helpless without the robots doing household chore. Reluctantly, they began cooking for themselves. As their homes grew dirtier with each passing day, they also started cleaning up.

In schools, colleges and universities, students fidgeted in their seats, unable to check their phones under their desks. Teachers, who used to battle with smartphones for their students’ attention, now faced classrooms full of attention but with tired and restless students at their desks. Moreover, students who relied heavily on the internet to complete their school assignments now had to open the dusty books in the old library that had been locked for many years because no one went there.

More people started using bicycles and sometimes preferred walking while still helplessly staring at the lifeless screens of their mobile phones. The absence of the constant digital buzz of messages and emails made the city feel deserted and quiet.

This bleak time turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Within a couple of days, the absence of electronic devices encouraged people to talk and converse with one another. Soon, conversations flowed, laughter echoed and stories and memories were shared. It was a rediscovery of the joy of human interaction that had been overshadowed by constant digital buzz. People felt relaxed and happy, more people started meeting at the parks and also walked together.

A few days passed, and on one day, suddenly, the internet and power came back. Screens flickered and the hum of connectivity and the digital buzz came back. As if hypnotized, people turned on their phones and other devices, their eyes glued to the now lit up screens. Robots woke up and started their daily tasks.

A quote appeared on the biggest electronic billboard on the main street: “While technology can be beneficial, excessive reliance on it can disconnect us from our surroundings. Rediscovering the true value of human interaction in moments of silence is crucial. Beware, for the digital realm can pose dangers when overused!”

However, the digital life of the citizens of Petunia resumed once again, and they completely forgot the lessons learnt during their brief respite from the screens.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 29th, 2024