India, Jan. 3 -- With every passing year, greetings have become increasingly impersonal. What was once an act of intention has now turned into a reflex, executed with the tap of a thumb. We are no longer greeted.we are broadcast to.

The evolution has been swift and revealing. It began with SMS, when messages were short, awkwardly phrased and sent to a limited circle, largely because each one cost money. There was restraint and therefore, some thought.

Today, we have graduated to free WhatsApp greetings and with zero cost comes zero hesitation.

The result is an avalanche of goodwill, generously distributed but barely felt. The scale of this ritual is astonishing.

On Dec. 31 alone, Indians sent over 2,000 crore greetings! No wonder this...