The Witty Stride

– Satyakam Ray

Technology has made the gap between extended family members a little bit narrow by introducing us to WhatsApp. This short article is all about the social coherence of the extended family WhatsApp group.

The growing desire for family intimacy was strong. The urge to connect socially led to the creation of a large, extended family WhatsApp group. An uncle or an aunt often volunteers to lead the way in this great reunion of souls. They take on the admin role. The rest of the members consider it a moral duty to join the group. They must join regardless of the consequences. Otherwise, they will face the ridicule and dismay of the elders for eternity.

How does the group function?

The modus operandi of the esteemed group begins with the gathering of all essential and key members. This includes parents from each family and their immediate offspring. Senior citizens, such as grandparents, are also gathered. The previously unknown cousins meet in the group. They are much like long-forgotten friends who had separated at the fair. This is a typical scenario in Bollywood movies. The love blossoms, and the usual social anxiety issue arises. The conversation typically employs formal, semi-formal, informal, or colloquial language depending on the relationship. For example, if cousins interact, they use everyday language among themselves. However, in a group chat, one must behave; otherwise, one risks facing the wrath of morally superior elders.

How will the drinking of kadha ensure a corona-free, happy-happy vibe? How will some dress ward off the evil ogling peasants? The group’s senior citizens share this type of video. Admin members or up to 3 active group members typically share content. They share links to videos, audio, and PDFs. This is done to inform others about global developments. The middle-aged group gets busy with political discussion, expected Modi-Nehru stuff, and subsequent blame games. The younger ones ponder their presence in the group. They are given ample time to rethink why they joined in the first place. 

A birthday celebration is a crucial aspect of any family WhatsApp group. Suppose a person is celebrating their centenary, or a young person is being introduced to voting at the adult age. In that scenario, it’s mandatory to send a happy birthday message to that person in the group. It doesn’t matter if you despise them. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t on speaking terms with them. Because if you don’t convey the obligatory immense love, you will be perceived as having an attitude.

That person’s picture is instantly added to the group icon to show others how to live! Other mortals are left to ruin in their self-misery of not achieving anything worthwhile! The same tactics are employed during the anniversary celebration. Anyone who purchases a flat or a car is rewarded. Promotions and top exam scores also earn rewards.

Many unverified forwarded messages circulate in the family group chats. Elders also believe in this nonsense and instantly form their opinions. It’s the responsibility of the younger population to counter fake posts by fact-checking and sharing the truth with others. But many don’t do the honor and go along with ignorance. 

Some pointers for a well-behaved social interaction in the group-

• Don’t share any fake forwarded messages. Do the fact-check before posting anything.
• If anyone shares pictures from a social event, consider limiting the number of photos to reduce disruption for others.
• Stop sending ‘good morning’ or ‘good night’ messages! (Aren’t they irritating?)
• If other members are not contributing to the group video chat session, video calling should be reconsidered. It should also be reconsidered if they are not actively participating.
• Avoid using the group chat to showcase your wealth, education, or intelligence. 
• Avoid spreading rumors about anyone in the group, and avoid heated discussions about it.
• Avoid sharing any sensitive photos, videos, or audio.
• Avoid sharing personal information in a group chat session.
• If group members miscommunicate in a post or chat, it’s better to discuss the topic one-on-one over the phone. Don’t waste others’ time with accusations and counteraccusations in the group chat.
• If someone in the group is bored and wants to leave, it’s best to inform the admin first. Otherwise, you can mute the conversation, check the messages once a week, and move on.