Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Brunch
Switch Off
Is it time to disconnect from a hyper-connected world?
It was a Whatsapp message from my nephew that first alerted me to the fact that something was up. “Hello, I’m not going to be using a phone any more,” he announced cheerily to all his contacts. “If you’d like to get in touch, I’d be delighted to hear from you on email.” It’s now been a few weeks since that announcement and Arjun maintains that he’s never been more at peace than since he gave up on his phone. There are no incessant calls and messages, both personal and professional, no constant notifications from social media platforms; instead there is blessed quiet in which he can hear himself think.
I would have dismissed this as just my nephew being his usual eccentric self – he did, after all, give up on being a successful lawyer to train in drama therapy – if I hadn’t met many other millennials since then who also seem to be disenchanted by phones and what they are doing to their lives.
One of them confessed that she felt so stressed at the thought of having to take work calls at all hours of the day that just the ring of her phone was enough to trigger an anxiety attack. Another had deleted all social media apps like Twitter and Facebook from his phone, using them only when he accessed his laptop, and felt much more productive as a consequence. And then, there was the one who was so concerned by his ‘screen time’ reports (did he really spend 2.3 hours on Instagram on average every day?) that he had downloaded an app that automatically cut off his Internet usage once he had breached a certain time limit.
I could go on, but you probably get the point. I certainly did, and inspired by these young people, over the last fortnight I have attempted to bring down my ‘screen time’ as well (no, you really don’t want to know how long I spend on Twitter every day) and see if that helps me concentrate better on the book that I am working on at the moment. My way of doing this was to activate ‘Airplane mode’ when I sat down to write, so I had to perforce focus on my writing rather than disappear down the rabbit hole that is the Internet.
I must admit that it wasn’t easy to begin with. With an almost Pavlovian response, my fingers kept reaching out for the Twitter or Instagram icon, as my attention wandered from the computer screen in front of me. But when the feed would not – or more accurately, could not – refresh – I had no option but to turn back to my writing. The first few days were tough as my brain rewired itself to focus on one task rather than flitting from one to another as it had become accustomed to doing. But after a period of time, I actually began to look forward to these islands of time when I could concentrate on one thing to the exclusion of all else. And now, two weeks later, I can’t even begin to sit down to write without first activating ‘Airplane mode’ on my phone.
One happy outcome of this is over the last fortnight, my screen time is down by 47 per cent. And it would be even lower if it wasn’t for the fact that I have downloaded the Kindle app on my phone and do all my late-night reading on it. The time I spend reading news sites is still a bit high, but I justify it to myself by calling it work (which, in a way, it is) rather than
Many millennials seem to be disenchanted by phones and what they are doing to their lives
ON THE pleasure. I dip into Twitter only once or twice a day, and I feel much calmer – and much less outraged! – as a consequence. And I treat Instagram like a late-night treat rather than an hourly indulgence, which makes me appreciate it a lot more.
I am now pushing the envelope a little further by leaving my phone behind when I go on my daily walks. It felt a bit strange at first, not being able to listen to music or an audio book as I ambled through Lodhi Garden. But as I walked on, I began to appreciate the real world around me a lot more when I didn’t have a distracting soundtrack playing in my ear. I drank in the beauty of the flowery verges, the majesty of the monuments that suddenly sprang up on me, and the sweet sound of birdsong as the sun set on another day.
In a way it was a throwback to a gentler time, to my mobile phone-free youth, when I used to leave work in the evening and head straight out for a bracing walk secure in the knowledge that nobody could get hold of me for the next hour or so no matter how hard they tried. This is not a feeling that most young people these days are at all familiar with, given the hyper-connectedness of their lives, when they are never truly off the grid. Work mails keep pouring in at all times, bosses Whatsapp at odd hours and expect an instant comeback, and parents want to know exactly where you are and what you are doing at any given time.
No wonder the poor dears want to turn their phones on silent, or even switch the damn things off. In this day and age, sadly, that’s the only way to get some peace and quiet – and a tiny sliver of time to yourself.
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In 2017, Mercedes-benz India took a gamble when it launched the current E-class. It introduced a stretched version only and not the considerably cheaper standard-length model. Would the customers pay a premium on what was already an expensive luxury sedan just for some extra legroom? The gamble paid off. Customers flocked to the E-class for its exceptional comfort and space, and this luxury sedan quickly became the bestselling car in its class.
Armed with confidence off the E-class’s success, Mercedes is taking the ‘longer is better’ route for its SUVS as well and is bringing a stretched version of the all-new GLE with a wheelbase that’s a whopping 80mm longer than the outgoing car. That translates to more space in the cabin and in particular, legroom.
The extra length is immediately noticeable when you try to ease this 4.9 metre long SUV into a tight parking spot or when you try and negotiate the tight entry and exit ramps in any parking mall. The new GLE is not a car designed for small spaces and it makes no bones about it. However, on the move, the GLE’S bulk quickly disappears and I’m amazed with how responsive and easy this hulking SUV is to drive. The sharp and responsive steering feels like it’s been plucked off one of Mercedes’ smaller, sportier cars whilst the quick-to-react and punchy 2.0 litre turbo-diesel gives this beast a certain agility that belies its weight.
HUGE DIFFERENCES
The diesel GLE (badged 300d) has exceptional refinement and is one of the smoothest diesel SUVS in the market today. The engine is imperceptible for most of the time and it’s only when you push it hard that the distinct diesel drone is evident. Even then it’s like a distant murmer from under the long hood. The new GLE comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission. That’s right, that’s nine gears! The good thing is that all nine gears work in perfect unison and gearshifts are so smooth that they are almost imperceptible.
The drama-free character of the powertrain only serves to the mask the speed the GLE 300d is capable of. Zero-100kph comes up in just eight seconds, which is a good second and a half faster than the outgoing GLE 250d. That’s a huge difference and all its down to the new BS6 2-litre diesel engine, which has some pretty serious tech not just to meet latest emission regulations but to boost power and performance too.
ON THE
For the speeds the GLE 300d is capable of, I expected the ride to be tauter and a bit more settled. And though the big Merc SUV glides over bumpy roads, there’s a fair bit of up and down movement and the odd thump and thwack over sharp edges, which can be disturbing for passengers. These foibles apart, the suspension, which is tuned more for comfort than sportiness, allows the GLE to glide over roads with an imperious air.
BIG LEAP FORWARD
You’ll immediately be struck by the amount of space on offer as you step into the sumptuous cabin and making it look even more airy is the white Artico ‘leather’ trimmings and the massive panoramic sunroof. The dashboard is dominated by two huge digital screens attached end-to-end. One of the talking points of the new GLE is Mercedes’s ‘MBUX’ infotainment system which is fast, responsive and easy to use. The track pad controller is still a bit fiddly to use though and the best way to operate the system is by simply poking the desired icon on the screen.
The GLE 300d also aces it when it comes to seat comfort, especially in the rear where there is just acres of space. I missed a recline function for the rear seat, which you only get in the higher-spec 450 petrol variant. Top variants will also get additional kit-like gesture control, wireless charging and a 360-degree surround camera.
The new GLE is a big leap forward in almost every area. It’s more refined, more responsive and quicker and it’s lighter to drive too. On the inside, space and comfort have gone up by several notches and so will the price. Expect to shell out in the region of ~75 lakh (plus taxes) when the GLE is launched in January 2020. It’s not cheap but like the E-class has shown that the wealthy are happy to pay a few extra lakhs for a few extra square inches of space, making luxury cars the most expensive pieces of real estate.
The engine is imperceptible for most of the time and it’s only when you push it hard that the distinct diesel drone is evident
INSIDE DOPE
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