Showing posts with label society. Show all posts
Showing posts with label society. Show all posts

Thursday 17 April 2014

People and us - Live and Let Live

*Frustration - No offenses intended*

A special thanks to all those who kept inspiring me to write such post.



They are more worried of our lives then we and our parents are! So nice of them.. Ain't they?....

It all started when we were born.

When we were toddlers, they used to ask our parents- "Which school are you getting your child admitted to?" Suggestions and concerns varying from private to public school, Hindi to English medium, co-ed or non co-ed, far or near, high budget to low budget etc.

We got into a good English medium, co-ed, CBSE school. It all went smooth until we turned 10.

Now these worrisome people now say- "co-education! are you sure you want your kids to stay in there? You know what these girls and boys studying together means? Your child would slip out of your hand? Don't delay, change the school....." Later, someone with a softer heart comes to your rescue and you are fortunate enough to stay in the same school.

Class 10th, they again enter our lives saying- "Which subject are you opting for? Make sure you opt for xyz subject. Don't choose the harder stream. After all, we are born to enjoy our lives, not to dive into books and have spectacles for the rest of our lives! Make sure to do what everyone else does, and not dare to walk the road not taken"

Anyway, we chose what we found right, and moved ahead.

They are restless and enter again in an year or two saying - "Which college..? Same city....? That college isn't good and blah blah."

We somehow succeed in shutting their mouths with cello tapes for some while and get into a suitable college.

But I tell you, they are too anxious, indeed. They dived again and said - "Didn't you get placement as yet? Poor you, your college may not be able to get you a reputed job. Do this XYZ course and you shall be selected... blah blah.... " A hell lot of advice for free.

Eventually, we bagged decent placements. Now they have a bunch of more advice about whether we should stay in our home town or go out for job.

In the meantime, they worry about how we commute, do we come home late or early, hanging out with friends of opposite gender, have an affair with that close friend, expert in household chores or not, salary package, next appraisal date, promotion! These so-called concerns would chase us till the end of the planet.

Somehow, we were spared alive out of all this and learning to breathe air of freedom. Alas! It was our misconception. Now they were worried of us getting married ASAP, along with bombardment of suggestions about the kind of spouse, city, family, love/arranged marriage, working after marriage, examples of cousins and friends of our age who are married by now. In all, they say its time to settle now and quit chasing your dreams.

To our astonishment, they would never stop peeping into our lives even now. An year after marriage, they would keep asking about the so-called "khush-khabri" (good news), followed by the scope of another "khush-khabri" later.

And the vicious cycle begins from the top again.

I wonder, they should take rest at some point of time, and let us take a sigh of relief too.

Sunday 27 October 2013

Fair is Lovely, Thin is Beautiful

Planning to buy the latest beauty cream...? Or may be, having a sip of green tea after a tiresome gym routine!

Which complexion do you own - Fair, medium fair / wheatish, dusky, dark?


They say, "Beauty lies not in eyes of beholder". If so, is it the societal pressure to be fair?

In a country where majority of people are dark skin, there is this preconceived notion that has been conditioned in the society to look fair and slim. In the current pretext, this is not only applicable for women but for men too. When it comes to songs, they sing-"Gori Gori", the pretty girl.

Why is it that it that whitening products in India have a 2000 crore industry? to add more, men are now joining women in the fairness bandwagon for the pro-fairness obsession that has now existed for decades.



Is the fairness industry itself fair or ugly?

Why is it that it that fair and lovely is the largest selling product in India than any other country and its sale is growing manifold every year? The TV ads selling fairness products link success and confidence to being fair. Forget about working hard, it's all about skin color.

While some Americans have made bitterly racist remarks about Miss America Nina Davuluri based on the color of her skin, it seems that people in India have problems with her dark skin as well.
When it comes to being thin, I seldom stick my eyeballs to posts over the internet and newspapers to find ways to loose weight.

We may ask ourselves a question - Why Do You Want To Be Slim?

Is it because you think you should? Because others have been pressuring you to? Because your doctor said so? Because you are getting married? Because you have a holiday? Because you think it will make you happy? Because you saw a holiday photo and was horrified? Because you want to wear clothes of your choice?Do you feel inferior or lose confidence in front of your slim friends? etc etc

With people starving for days and facing hectic exercise routines, things have clearly gone frighteningly awry. Locked in a battle with their own bodies, and trying to mould themselves into a shape they were never meant to be, many women lose touch with themselves, and what is truly right for them.


So the real question shouldn't be, 'can you be fat and happy?' but 'are you?'

We are quite simply not all meant to be the same, and it's time to celebrate and embrace diversity.