Thepfulhoukho Kuotsu
Research student, JNU, New Delhi
We live in an age of extremes. In the classic novel, “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens’s opening lines vividly captures such prevailing extremities in the human society. We are in a situation where everything is in superlative. For instance, the rich are getting richer, while the poor poorer everyday. The dilemma is how to bridge the gap in such a situation. Well, I think, the case study of the wonder “Apple” can be an interesting entry point.
To clear any further doubt, one may very well pose a valuable question: what is so special or amazing about the six-letters word A-P-P-L-E? For an ordinary person, an apple is just a fruit which is as juicy and delicious as an orange. For a doctor, it is an essential food item which is rich in nutrients that keeps the body healthy and fit. For a fruit seller, apple can guarantee maximum profit in the market. However, does the above descriptions of apple make apple any more special than just being a fruit? Certainly, it is not. It seems that there is a missing link. Let us, therefore, try to identify this link. The word “Apple” is repeatedly associated with multiple events and episodes in human history. There are at least three such path-breaking episodes. Each of the episodes remains an important reference point. Firstly, the apple fruit seems to be the turning point in the love affair between the legendary couple. Secondly, an apple happened to hit someone’s head really hard. Thirdly, and perhaps under the technological revolution, an apple is reborn, let’s say, the return of the “prodigal apple.” All of them are equally worth analysing. Somehow, there is a common thread running across the entire episodes.
The first episode is widely discussed in the Judeo-Christian worldview. The story or the myth of the apple finds its relevance in the figurative “Eden Garden.” This episode is an eye opening moment for the couple, Adam and Eve. Unfortunately, the apple is trademarked for the wrong reason. It exposes the fallen nature and the nakedness of humankind. However, as in Ecclesiastes, it is only a matter of time. The same history is re-written under the new covenant. If asked about the title of such a text, I would put it this way – “From Eden to Gethsemane Garden.”
The second episode is a rather funny incident. On a hot sunny day, a lazy young man was sitting under an apple tree. His name is Isaac Newton. Oh, what a drama! An apple fell down, hit him on the head, and suddenly he had turned into a genius. What a fortunate person! Thanks to that apple, he was ultimately credited with the “Universal Law of Gravitation” - a ground breaking scientific discovery which remains so significant in the history of modern science.
The third episode is quite trendy. There is a radical shift. Not surprisingly, as we know, this apple is no more a fruit but a gadget. It is now available everywhere, both in online and inside the company’s showroom. In fact, apple gadgets such as laptop, iphone and ipad are uniquely featured. They function within a highly operating system. Let’s pause for a while and pose another question. Isn’t Steve Jobs, a college dropout himself, also the founder and CEO of Apple Inc? Well, he must have been struck by the same apple. Amazing indeed! It has impacted thousands of lives around the globe. Will there be more eureka moments in our times?
Now I must say that there is possibly a forthcoming episode, i.e., the fourth episode. Believe it or not, if such episode will ever occur again, it must be an apocalyptic one. Why? Let alone the apple fruit in the garden, it is even more unlikely to feature in the company’s showrooms as a portable gadget. On the contrary, I suppose it would emanate from within oneself. It would then serve as an intangible asset in the social realms which will ultimately connect people, not virtually, but face to face in everyday life. The challenging question arises – have we ever been struck by an apple? The above question takes me back to the memory lane. Like most of today’s new born babies, I must have been born modern too, at least in one sense. How? The day I stepped into the school, I was taught this – “A for Apple.” Imagine, who would think that this phrase “A for Apple” would carry a person so far in life? Surely, there is an open secret about this apple. It has penetrated into both the urban and rural masses, including the poorest of the poor. No wonder, societies have undergone transformation. Now, the realisation is – if such apple is grown years back in our society, isn’t it high time that the same apple falls and strikes us hard?
Consider our present context. On the one end of the spectrum, we are virtually connected with unlimited 24/7 Wi-Fi/ internet facilities. The magical touch screen is at our disposal. On the other end of the spectrum, we seem to have lost track of the people whose lives are to be prioritized. The gap between the two spectrums is alarmingly wide. Few burning questions are inevitable here. What would our festivals mean when the hungry are dying? What would development mean when the margins are displaced? What would extravaganza mean when the state is running into huge deficit? What would employment mean without dignity of work? What would unity mean if differences are not adequately addressed? In the wake of such paradoxes, the goldmine field of humanity is at stake.
In a time such as this, who will stand in the gap of our people? Perhaps, the rare wonder apple in you and me must fall and strike us sooner or later. It must wake us up from our complacency and slumber. It must prompt us to move beyond our normality. Who knows, it could be the last apple worth falling ever.
