Thumbs Up Is Not Enough: A Humble Request to Friends and Well-Wishers
By Dr. Sunil S Rana
In today’s hyperconnected world, where a WhatsApp forward travels faster than the blink of an eye, I often wonder: Why have people become so insensitive even to their own friends and relatives?
We are quick to forward jokes, memes, and “Good Morning” images, expecting a flood of thumbs up and smiley emojis in return. But alas! When it comes to genuine requests, heartfelt messages, or meaningful content, the same people who flood groups with forwards suddenly turn silent.
The Irony of WhatsApp Appreciation:
Let me take a simple example. I share my blog daily with over 7,800 contacts; connections I have built painstakingly over years of professional and personal interactions. These blogs are not mindless forwards; they are thoughts from the heart, researched reflections, and genuine attempts to make a difference.
Thousands have appreciated my writing. Yet, when it comes to engaging with it; leaving a comment in the space provided so that the world may see and join the conversation; very few oblige. Instead, I get the usual 👍 or 😊 on WhatsApp, which vanish in the endless scroll of chats.
I have repeatedly requested: “If you like what I write, leave a comment under the blog itself. Your words will be read by lakhs of international readers across the globe.” But old habits die hard. My humble requests often fall on deaf ears.
The Pain of Selective Support:
It hurts even more when it comes to initiatives close to my heart. Through my ABC Foundation, I try to serve society in whatever way I can. Many claim to be my friends, well-wishers, even admirers. Yet, when I requested a token contribution; not a fortune, not thousands, just ₹100; many cut corners. Some even felt ashamed to part with that small sum.
A bitter truth echoes in my mind: “Jaan hazir hai, Bhai, magar, yaar paise mat mangna.”
(“My life is at your service, my friend, but don’t you dare ask me for money.”)
What kind of friendship is this? What kind of support?
A Turning Point:
This blog is perhaps my last humble appeal on this matter. I have decided: I will no longer flood your WhatsApp with links to my blogs or requests for my Foundation. If you genuinely value my work, if you believe in what I do, then please support me at your own will.
- If you like my blogs, read them, comment on them, and share them.
- If you believe in the cause of my Foundation, contribute; even if in words of encouragement or the smallest financial support.
But please, stop showing hollow support through empty emojis while reading and buying the works of strangers; Tom, Dick, and Harry- while ignoring someone near to you who has been striving to make a difference.
A Mirror to Society:
This isn’t just about me. This is about the selfish inertia that has gripped millions today. We talk of brotherhood, friendship, community, and support, but when it comes to action, we retreat.
A society that claps for strangers but ignores its own is a society heading toward emotional bankruptcy.
A Humble Request:
My only request: Do not let selfishness blind you to the genuine efforts of people close to you.
A word of encouragement, a small donation, a meaningful comment; it costs nothing compared to the joy, strength, and motivation it gives to the one striving to make a difference.
Support those who are near you, not just those who are famous. Encourage those who are trying, not just those who are already celebrated. And above all, let your friendship and goodwill be felt in action, not in empty gestures.
Because in the end, a thumbs up is not enough.
Comments
Post a Comment