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Talk to yourself

The animation and gaming industry has shown resilience in the face of the current economic downturn, growing by over 20% during 2008. According to a forecast by Gartner, mobile games are the fastest-growing segment in the global markets, with revenue set to nearly double between 2013 and 2015 from US$13.2 bn to US$ 22 bn. In India too, a few months back, the research company KPMG-FICCI has also predicted that from the current Rs 560 crore, the mobile gaming segment size will become more than triple to Rs. 1,800 crore by 2017.

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Ishleen Kaur
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suneel agarwal

No other sector has experienced the same explosive growth as the computer and video game industry.

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The animation and gaming industry has shown resilience in the face of the current economic downturn, growing by over 20% during 2008. According to a forecast by Gartner, mobile games are the fastest-growing segment in the global markets, with revenue set to nearly double between 2013 and 2015 from US$13.2 bn to US$ 22 bn. In India too, a few months back, the research company KPMG-FICCI has also predicted that from the current Rs 560 crore, the mobile gaming segment size will become more than triple to Rs. 1,800 crore by 2017.

But, what begs attention is the reason for the growth. Has gaming caught the fancy of people or have they albeit late discovered a latent talent which is now finding a way out to express itself.

I feel it is more to do with boredom. Boredom from the events, the surroundings, the people, and above all, themselves.

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Before the advent of devices that allow you to fiddle with them instead of twiddling your thumbs, people faced similar situations of finding themselves all by themselves. Some grudgingly, some silently, and some enthusiastically found ways of ‘passing time’ in such situations when you have to be by your lonely self.

This tolerance has gradually seen a downward spiral and has reached a point of desperation. Today a moment to yourself seems like a severe punishment of solitary confinement rather than a golden opportunity of spending time with yourself.

A familiar sight is people calling colleagues and friends on reaching the destination ahead of others. ‘Where are you? How long will you take? But I am on course. But don’t you realize I have reached before you and I am all alone. What do I do?

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In situations like waiting at a doctor’s clinic or to emplane at the airport, it is interesting to see the emotions of people. Some are edgy, to a point of visible discomfort, waiting impatiently to be released from this discomfort jail, some are reconciled to the situation, trying to find ways to pass their jail time. And there are others who relish the opportunity to spend time with themselves.

My father used to tell me, that a person who is bored in his own company cannot be an interesting companion. Talking to the creative, the successful and the intellectual, I have found they find their best ideas while talking. Talking to no one, but themselves. They cherish these opportunities as they have a reservoir of thoughts, ideas, and work-in-progress concepts that need these times to take them forward.

Technological advancements notwithstanding, there will always be situations when you will have to wait, bide your time, or pause between activities. And these situations can be whiled away or put to good use. But the use is not what is the concern, it is the lack of the bundle inside which encourages you to open, unravel and explore.

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There will never be a time when one will not be left alone. There will be times you will be alone even in the company of people. There will be times when you will feel the stark loneliness of life, which reminds you that eventually, you are all by yourself, and fight your own battle.

Rather than complain, brood, or while away, talk to a companion who has your interest at the bottom of the heart. And will never desert you.

Talk to yourself.

The author is Suneel Agarwal, Founder and Chief Energizing Officer of Parichay Brand Consultants

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