Novelty-not so new
There was a new restaurant opening at the arts hub next to the acclaimed theatre beside the history museum. They were introducing dining on beds. I saw a crowd outside, flocking to get a view and probably grab a chair (in this case it would be a bed) at the latest ‘new’ theme restaurant.
They often talk about a novelty experience. We allow such an indulgence as a luxury from our otherwise dreary, well defined trajectory of life. It is as though we desire more of the same old existence in spite of knowing that excess indulgence is going to kill the pleasure in it. But we are all repeating our days, doing the same chores, taking the same routes, and walking the same lanes, pondering the same patterns of thinking.
Most if not all of us choose the same life, which includes the well-paid job, the spacious apartment, and the predictable life. If you ask me, are we expected to aspire for the same things, perhaps yes. The detour seems non-existent, just as though it is obvious every lawyer should practice law. Incidentally most achievers have been exceptions to the expected behavior rule. They paved the way for the new age and everyone followed making the road too well trodden to promise any future adventure. The next generation took to renaissance, now to democracy, generations that always cling to ideology until it erodes any need to put thought in action. Well then, I know some of you will tell me that task is for the great man to do; I am ‘only an ordinary human being’. Well, for starters who, when and where was the ‘normal human being’ founded and why do we excuse ourselves from taking individual responsibility.
This is not a debate of the individualism versus the society. Lets not skew the attention away from the individual. Society has always been the premise for ignoring the voice of the individual but we will leave that alone for a bit. For the moment if we forget all the eyes that are watching and all the mouths that are churning judgments (which serve as nothing more than common ground for conversation/gossip), what would we be doing? If we do not know the answer to that, we are probably part of the mob that walks, talks and flows in ceaseless fashion to aid the flow and to serve no other purpose.
There was a new restaurant opening at the arts hub next to the acclaimed theatre beside the history museum. They were introducing dining on beds. I saw a crowd outside, flocking to get a view and probably grab a chair (in this case it would be a bed) at the latest ‘new’ theme restaurant.
They often talk about a novelty experience. We allow such an indulgence as a luxury from our otherwise dreary, well defined trajectory of life. It is as though we desire more of the same old existence in spite of knowing that excess indulgence is going to kill the pleasure in it. But we are all repeating our days, doing the same chores, taking the same routes, and walking the same lanes, pondering the same patterns of thinking.
Most if not all of us choose the same life, which includes the well-paid job, the spacious apartment, and the predictable life. If you ask me, are we expected to aspire for the same things, perhaps yes. The detour seems non-existent, just as though it is obvious every lawyer should practice law. Incidentally most achievers have been exceptions to the expected behavior rule. They paved the way for the new age and everyone followed making the road too well trodden to promise any future adventure. The next generation took to renaissance, now to democracy, generations that always cling to ideology until it erodes any need to put thought in action. Well then, I know some of you will tell me that task is for the great man to do; I am ‘only an ordinary human being’. Well, for starters who, when and where was the ‘normal human being’ founded and why do we excuse ourselves from taking individual responsibility.
This is not a debate of the individualism versus the society. Lets not skew the attention away from the individual. Society has always been the premise for ignoring the voice of the individual but we will leave that alone for a bit. For the moment if we forget all the eyes that are watching and all the mouths that are churning judgments (which serve as nothing more than common ground for conversation/gossip), what would we be doing? If we do not know the answer to that, we are probably part of the mob that walks, talks and flows in ceaseless fashion to aid the flow and to serve no other purpose.
posted by Usha @ 1:15 AM
2 Comments:
At 5:28 AM,
Krishna Iyengar said…
"Most if not all of us choose the same life, which includes the well-paid job, the spacious apartment, and the predictable life"
Well Usha, In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with having the same goals, doing the same things as a million other people. The desire for a "better" life is a common one and arises out of instinct. The herd mentality that you are talking about arises because following seems to be the easiest thing to do. As long as you "realise" your direction, you should follow that. You need not bother whether a thousand other people are moving on the same way. Revolution is caused because people did what they really wanted to do.
krishna
ps: i also made a blog account. but could not figure out what to write. :D
At 9:43 AM,
Usha said…
Herd mentality is not so much my concern here as is the 'need' to follow routine. Perhaps we take it for granted that patterns are inevitable to a 'stable' living. There is a certain taboo associated with a nomadic life, afterall our civiliation has progressed beyond transient living. I question this notion of progression.
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