x
LOGIN / SIGNUP
Don't have an account? Just enter your email id or mobile no and create your account in two easy steps!
LOGIN
You already have an account.
Please enter your password to continue.
Forgot Password?
SIGNUP
FORGOT PASSWORD
RESET PASSWORD
Your password has been changed successfully.
Contact Us
Picture this: A 20s something young person growing up in a privileged home with maids to take care of the household chores realises one fine day that they cannot, in fact, do something as basic as cook their own food, wash their own clothes and tend to litter everywhere in hopes of someone else picking it because, clearly, it isn't their job, right? <\/p>
Sounds familiar? That isn't surprising, it is the story of every privileged 20s something in India, freshly having graduated college and learning - for the first time and away from home - that they do not, in fact, know how to live. I, too, was part of this esteemed group young people when I moved to Delhi for the first time, needless to say, reality came crashing down on me faster than I could say 'How Do I Cook Food?'<\/p>
I had, for instance, just discovered that clothes do not actually wash on its own, but that you needed to wash them to be able to wear them again and not have people give you murderous glances when you wore the same unwashed clothes over and over again, and this was New Delhi - if someone gives you a murderous look, they usually mean it. <\/p>
An important point to remember here is my peers and people in the same social class and status would either move to the US for their Masters or stay here in India, in the same place they grew up in, continuing to be dependant on blue-collar workers and still using labour as an insult. The concept of taking responsibility for one's own actions is often not - and in some cases, never - introduced to these folks, folks like me. <\/p>
And thus rises a generation of man-children, that aren't taught to be responsible and learn how to live, traits usually associated with teenage, until the point of no return where they either adapt or perish. In the Game of Adulting, you either learn or you stay a raging, emotionally stunted man-child who still thinks the world revolves around them. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509817831983","data":"59fe1f5e07a08"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509820859835","data":"
An Entire Generation of Man-Children:<\/b> <\/p>
It is quite easy to spot a Delhi guy with a chip on his shoulder and a rich dad: look at their general direction long enough and you're bound to hear the ever infamous 'Tu jaanta hai mera baap kaun hai?' <\/p>
As you can see, I don't have a high opinion of New Delhi, partly because of the people there - although I'd freely admit that some of the best people in my life so far are currently living in Delhi - and partly because of my own incompetence. For I too was a man-child. <\/p>
My friends will tell you that I still am. <\/p>
A sizeable portion of 20s something adults from privileged homes today do not know how to cook, we do not know how to wash our own clothes, clean our own homes and even carry our own bags. These tasks are, after all, lesser tasks, given to slaves for hire that some people call blue collar workers. We cannot fathom a reality where you would be required to do these tasks on your own because you are the crown prince\/princess of your home, how could your parents let your hands get sullied by menial tasks such as these! The precious babies must be protected at all costs! <\/p>
This is how a man-child is raised. Someone who is not required to take responsibility for their own actions, with basic skills they need to survive on their own being delegated to a blue collar worker who isn't even treated as a human being, but instead your personal voice-activated mop, washing machine and cook. <\/p>
And that is just the tip of the iceberg. <\/p>
(Not So) Personal Space:<\/b> <\/p>
A person who does not have their own space to be as weird or as experimentative as they can grow up to be a boring individual that thinks Netflix and Chill-ed Beer is a good substitute for a hobby. As a 20s something and being painfully aware that a lot of this write-up serves both as a critique of my peers and more importantly, a self-aware piece that will serve as a point of reference for me whenever I feel angsty again, realising the implications of getting a place of my own did not actually hit me until I had already gotten one. <\/p>
Here was a place that I could be truly myself, away from the prying eyes of my parents and people who knew who I was, especially that one aunty in the neighbourhood who is probably spying on me right now as I write this. Here was a place that I could fill with my own personality and turn it into something that would be reflective of who I am. <\/p>
In the two years I spent in New Delhi, the most decoration I did was a paper printout of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's poster stuck on the wall. That's it. <\/p>
I had no idea what else to do. I didn't even realise that the overwhelming sensation I was feeling was not because I had moved away from home, but because for the very first time I had a place of my own, a place that I could call my home without having my parents there. <\/p>
And so, instead of adapting to it, I gave up and ran from the feeling of being overwhelmed in the only way I knew I could: playing Video Games and watching TV shows and Netflix all day every day. I was presented with an option to learn how to fix my problems, and instead, I chose to crawl back into the ever familiar cocoon of my comfort zone. <\/p>
This isn't a unique problem, way too many 20s something young folk like yours truly are wasting away in similar ways, and while those who move out of the city they grew up in to work somewhere else are perpetually on the verge of taking the plunge, voluntarily or involuntarily, into learning how to live, the truly unfortunate are those who never have the opportunity to learn these skills because they stayed in comfort zones their parents have created. <\/p>
Indeed, a person who has never lived outside in a place of their own does not know what it is like to take care of one's own self. Those who have never moved out of their homes have never had the chance to be their freakiest, at their weirdest, at their most experimental, simply because they've never had a private space of their own. This further contributes to the stunted emotional growth of the youth today, extending the period of angst that should have ended when they were 18-20 years old. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509820858064","data":"59fe1f8e661f7"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509817834073","data":"
What Dignity of Labour?:<\/b> <\/p>
When a person does not realise the value of the work they consider to be menial, it creates people that cannot empathise with those who do these tasks for a living. The concept of the dignity of labour, then, is alien to the privileged who have had everything handed to them from the moment they were born. <\/p>
It was downright naive of me to expect kindness, solidarity and compassion towards the working class in a society that is so closely tied with - and depends on - the blue collar worker. The close proximity, a younger and naive me reasoned, would cause the blue collar workers and their paymasters to understand each other better. After all, this is what we were taught, wasn't it? Our schools never spoke about how social status is an indicator of how one is treated, instead, we were told that all Indians were born as equals and that they were our brothers and sisters, a pledge we would earnestly take every morning at the school assembly before promptly chaining ourselves to a society that has never imbibed the meaning of it in the first place. We were told we were created equal, but we were also told not to question elders, enforced by thugs in the guise of teachers. The children that we were saw the very same elders treat their fellow man with utter contempt because of their apparent lack of privilege and never bothered to question why.<\/p>
So when these children grow up, they grow up in a society where it is normal to treat the working class with the same contempt you've seen the elders you were told not to question display. The pledge of allegiance to the Republic of India is quickly forgotten when you leave school, but the memory of contempt remains. It becomes a part of our identity. It becomes so ingrained in our identities, in fact, that those who realise the unfairness of it all still struggle to rid themselves of these chains. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509823903264","data":"59fe1fa90c51c"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509823906368","data":"
Light At The End Of The Tunnel:<\/b> <\/p>
The acknowledgement of privilege is an important step in recognising the advantages that the privileged have received the years simply due to the circumstances of their birth or the number of zeros in the family bank account. The recognition of privilege also leads the privileged to understand that their position in society allows them a wider reach and further acceptance than those who aren't so privileged. This is, after all, still a society that thinks labour is an insult. <\/p>
The youth, however, cannot stand up against the wrongs of the society when our youth are confused about who we are, about our own identities. The lack of ever having emotionally grown from a teenager into an adult creates teenagers that are in their 20s and are still contemptuous of the so-called 'low-class' people around us, engaging in vanity projects and refusing to empathise, simply because they do not know how to. How can anyone with an emotional range smaller than a pinhead empathise with the blue collar worker who is just trying to put food on the table, often at great risk to their own lives? <\/p>
There is light at the end of this tunnel, however, people like me stay angsty teenagers well into their 20s, but we do realise what's going wrong when we hit the inevitable upward climb of survival on the mountain called life. The question, then, is what we've learned, and where can we go from here. <\/p>
So go ahead, explore yourself, love someone with all your heart, have your heart broken and realise that the pain of missing them is what love truly is - a testament to the fact that yes, you have loved someone, often more than you've loved yourself -, make friends, read books, do something you've never done before, burn food, eat it and pretend it's tasty, realise that inner wear needs more care to wash than your T-shirt and Jeans, meet people, explore the local music scene, make mistakes, learn, cry your eyes out, sleep late and wake up early and rush to work, promise to never sleep late again the very next night. <\/p>
Live your life to the fullest possible extent so you can learn from it and realise that somewhere along the way, you have finally grown up. <\/p>
And I mean that in the nicest possible way. <\/p>"}]
Life is how you make it. I believe it's your creation. <\/p>
If you get \u20b986400 everyday, what will you do of that money? Think!! <\/p>
Similarly, life, according to me, is the credit of \u20b986400 per day given by the Almighty to every human. How you utilise and invest it, decides your long-term return. <\/p>
Make use of every second and live your life to the fullest. Everyday, think about something new. Think about the things you desire. Live every moment. Unleash your hidden potential. Do what you want to do. Live your life king size. We are blessed souls who got a privilege to think wisely and act. Let's make use of it and fulfill our dreams . THINK BIG AND GROW RICH. <\/p>"}]
\"Death with dignity is better than life with humiliation\" - a quote that most of us are familiar with. But how many of us do understand the actual meaning of the quote? And how many of us do understand why people want to die before \"their time comes\"? \nIn 2006, a family member of mine had a small arthritic problem, for which she was prescribed medicines- medicines that proved to be fatal for her. She had a severe allergic reaction and it affected her to the point that she lost her peace of mind and mental stability. There were no medicines or treatment available to help her. All she wanted were release and relief. She just wanted to die. She did not get her wish as euthanasia was still illegal in India. She fought long and hard. She only got that release after months of fighting a losing battle. \nIn 2011, the Supreme Court of India legalized passive euthanasia. This was only for people who were in a permanent vegetative state. Had this decision been taken before 2006,it would have not have helped my relative. She would have still not been able to choose to die. Actively and legally. \nPeople must have the right to die at their chosen time. With dignity. Active Euthanasia must be legalized in India. Of course, not everyone should be allowed to undergo that. An application must be thoroughly checked and verified before getting approval. But this way, people who are suffering and have no hope of survival, will have the opportunity to end their life at a time of their choice. Wouldn't that be a much better world? Where people would have a choice? <\/p>\n"}]
Ask a senior about how they ran around trying to get their final project finished in time before graduation and you are sure to hear a tale or two that involves a couple of car chases, intense waiting periods outside book binders, trips to government offices if the person is a topper and wanted to get their project approved from the best places. We asked our team if they wished they had an easier method of going about their projects when they were in college and were met with a resounding yes, highlighting the fact that there was a vacuum in the market where a player that would manage to bridge the gap between students and projects to save what precious little time students already get. <\/p>
\nIn other words, if you've ever wished there was an easier way to get started on your engineering project and have detailed videos that help you understand and finish your project at the earliest, your search is now over, for EdgeFX Kits & Solutions is in town!<\/p>
\n<\/p>
<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509687065369","data":"59fc0119d04dd"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509687077786","data":"
This is a major pet peeve for me (geddit, pet peeve. I really need to stop making puns) but buying pets just puts me off. The mad rush for pedigree dogs and breeds that were never even supposed to survive in Indian climate makes no sense to me when we have perfectly fine Indian breeds running around everywhere, being abandoned by cruel people when they grow out of their puppy phase and thus lose the cuteness. Please do not do this, you animals! Pets, and more specifically, dogs take weeks and sometimes months to rebuild trust after being abandoned like that and it doesn't even have a mouth to protest. <\/p>
I came across a Facebook post of a guy selling Tibetan dogs in Hyderabad, in Hyderabad of all places! I'm not even sure if the poor pups will survive the winters here, let alone the summers when temperatures shoot up to 40 degrees and higher! Keeping a dog inside with the AC turned on all day and night is extremely counter productive to owning a dog in the first place, dogs are supposed to be outdoorsy creatures that need space to fully developed. By confining them in a closed space, you're only stunting their growth. Have we learned nothing from Game of Thrones? Did you forget that the Dragons were reduced to sizes smaller than a house cat because the Targayreans kept them confined and in chains? <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509618080064","data":"59faf4759eb6a"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509618082323","data":"
Speaking of chains and cats, a cat is a perfect alternative for aspiring pet owners who cannot spend enough time to care for a dog. Dogs, despite their loveliness and friendliness, are needy creatures that need a lot of attention as opposed to cats that can often take care of themselves for the most part, of course you'll have to deal with a few scratches here and there, but gaining a cat's trust is a winning achievement where as a dog will likely trust a human being much more easily. <\/p>
But I digress, the point I want to highlight is that if you cannot afford to raise a pet, do not get one and especially do not purchase them like they're some sort of slaves you buy from a market. Your pets are your eternal babies, you'll care for them like no one else and that bond is special. Do not disrespect the bond and just pay money for it.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509618363315","data":"59faf560a0979"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509618365284","data":"
There's plenty of Indian breeds that you can adopt, in fact, Indian breeds are the better option as pets in the country, they are extremely sturdy, resistant to most diseases that plague pedigree dogs, extremely intelligent due to years of the doggie parents surviving the Indian climate, street smart and just as adorable. If you have the opportunity to adopt an Indian dog, just go for it, don't think about it twice. It'll love you just as a pedigree dog would and continue to do so longer than a pedigree dog's lifespan. The only thing it won't do is stroke your ego in pictures you post on social media to show off and say 'look I have a pedigree dog.'<\/p>
I realise not all pet owners are like this, but please, consider adoption. Thank you. <\/p>"}]
It's Friday, which means if you're a normal person that works a normal job that doesn't expect you to slave away for 60 hours a week (that's 6 full days), Friday evening is the time you go out to party and let your hair down, catch your favourite movie and even go on that trip you've been planning for so long. All of which will feature in this listicle. With November just starting and the end of the year fast approaching, a lot of entertainment properties are released around this time with the logic that people will buy it come Christmas, which is a good time for all businesses regardless, the world over. <\/p>
Which means some of the best releases of the year are currently being released as we speak for us early adopters to grab as soon as possible (this logic does not extend to movies, watch movies at the earliest, they're leaving the theatres at a ridiculously fast pace as it is).<\/p>
This also means, of course, that you have a ton to do over the weekend. <\/p>
1. Sleep<\/b><\/p>
This will never not be my number 1 priority when the weekends rolls by. A weekend spent without sleeping at least 20 hours is a wasted weekend, period. Catch up on all the sleep you happily missed over the week trying to run after deadlines over the two days you get! <\/p>
Make sure you get adequate sleep regardless, or you can end up looking like me at work, like the person below. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509606953825","data":"59facff8aa488"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509606960020","data":"
2. Watch Stranger Things if you haven't already:<\/b> <\/p>
Considering how much the series is being advertised in India and how even Swiggy has ended up using Eleven for their discount promotion, you should definitely watch this 80s nostalgia filled horror series of a couple of seasons filled with fantastic moments, some really great acting - actually, everyone is excellent in this series, it just what makes it special - and a world which will drag you in with it, all the way to the upside down. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509609274653","data":"59facfcde0b3a"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509607821620","data":"
3. Visit Nagarjun Sagar Dam for no good reason: <\/b><\/p>
Just hop on your bike and get another friend to bring their own, or to ride pillow with you as you hit the road and keep driving until you reach Nagarjun Sagar dam. Check out the impressive engineering marvel from up close, there is something quiet surreal about dams like that. It can be quite the humbling experience. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509607962807","data":"59facf9e1adfa"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509607964831","data":"
4. Play the new Assassin's Creed game!<\/b><\/p>
Assassin's Creed Origins released last Friday and is said to be one of the best games in the series to have released so far. I can personally confirm that the game is very beautiful and would highly recommend playing it, but if you're on PC, hold out for a bit because currently the DRM is causing a lot of issues. I'd suggest PC gamers go with Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, another excellent game. <\/p>
<\/p>
(and yes, the screenshot bellow is from Assassin's Creed Origins, not a painting or a real picture. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509608563364","data":"59face9739854"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509608565447","data":"
5. Watch Thor: Ragnarok<\/b><\/p>
Directed by a native from New Zealand, a man named Taika Waititi, a name you will soon remember for how ridiculous Ragnarok is said to turn out to be, this is the third Thor standalone movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and also the 17th in the MCU. If reports are to be believed, this will leave you in splits and won't stop till you stop breathing with laughter. Sounds like a movie I want to watch! <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509608811892","data":"59face5ab25d0"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509608813925","data":"
Do share any additional weekend plans that we can follow as well, down in the comments! <\/p>"}]
For as long as I can remember, I've always been somewhat of a messy person. I'm a messy eater, I often leave my room in a mess, or as I like to call it, 'organised chaos' because I have an easier time finding things in the mess than finding things in a neatly stacked pile. I've never actively taken care of myself, body and mind both. In fact, if it wasn't for me dealing with depression over the last few years, I would have probably ignored it and continue being the lazy slob that I am. <\/p>
Not that I've stopped being a lazy slob - who am I kidding, I still am - but it is more of a work in progress now. Once you realise that only you can fix yourself, it is kind of hard to go back to the same lifestyle that makes you miserable and not hate yourself again, despite its relative comfort. What happens then is that every day you try to fix yourself is a learning experience that you can take away from. <\/p>
Now, it's been a while since I did a listicle, and I can't help but feel that the quality of my writing is dipping way below what I wanted it to be, for some reason. So I'm taking it slow, and of course, every writer has their lists, this one is mine, and it is quite personal. <\/p>
1. It is notoriously hard:<\/b><\/p>
People who are into the lifestyle make it look incredibly easy but staying fit and being well-groomed is a notoriously difficult thing to do for people like me, mostly because we fail to see the logic behind it and also because we've gone our entire lives trying to avoid it as much as we can. I honestly stare daggers at the folks who keep telling me 'it's so easy'. These folks, years ahead in building muscle and staying fit, tell me that taking care of oneself is ridiculously easy. <\/p>
Being notoriously hard, however, is not exactly a bad thing. Acknowledging this fact, however, still doesn't stop me from pulling this face every time someone says 'it's so easy.' <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509594501436","data":"59faa0fd4dcbd"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509594503790","data":"
2. The Sweat Of One's Brow: <\/b><\/p>
While I was unsure of using a title that can only be described as Ayn Rand's wildest dream, the difficulty of taking care of yourself is precisely what makes the journey worth it. The harder it is to achieve, the sweeter the victory dance when you do hit your goals. Taking care of yourself is perhaps the best example of an individual reaping the benefits their own hard work, all the hard work they do in staying fit and grooming themselves returns in forms of muscle gains and healthier body, which makes them the direct recipient of the rewards reaped by the sweat of one's brow. So keep making those puddles! <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509594941598","data":"59faa0ada3f0a"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509594943814","data":"
3. Caught Lying To Yourself: <\/b><\/p>
This is perhaps one of the worst things you can do on the journey for self-improvement, but you constantly find yourself lying to, well, yourself. You make these grand plans of going to the gym every single day of your life until you collapsed, but then you wake up in the morning to the sound of the alarm blaring, silence it and then go back to sleep. <\/p>
When you wake up, you tell yourself that you'll make up for it later, but that later never comes. You tell yourself you'll not eat junk again, but you keep eating the junk. All these things, the little things, they add up over time and culminate in a massive spike of demotivating energy where, despite you lying to yourself, you know you aren't being serious about improving yourself. <\/p>
If you're going through that, I understand. I've been through that too, in fact, I still go through it every now and then. The trick is to remember what your goal is and what you're working towards. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509595378849","data":"59faa073a06a0"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509595380631","data":"
4. You Realise Motivation Is Overrated:<\/b> <\/p>
It really is. Motivation might get you to go to the gym in the morning following an emotional break down where you cry into the pillow, screaming silently, but that's all it can do. Motivation can get you to start, but if you want to get any further with the goals you have in mind, you need something that is much harder to develop: Discipline. <\/p>
Motivation is an emotion, after all, it is irrational to expect oneself to be constantly happy or constantly sad (if you're constantly sad, seek professional help immediately) but for some reason, the same logic is not extended to motivation despite it too being an emotion. <\/p>
No, you don't need motivation, you need discipline, and you can develop discipline by hitting the gym every single day, especially on the days you do not feel like going at all. Break through that barrier, and there is nobody that is going to stop you. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509595696614","data":"59faa046d8be6"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509595698811","data":"
5. Change takes time....<\/b><\/p>
...but time is all it takes. <\/p>
One of the most important things you learn on the journey of self-improvement is that change is something that takes time to happen, but it does happen. Changes can be positive and negative, and the true tragedy of life is that making terrible decisions for yourself is the easiest way for change to happen, the bad kind. <\/p>
So, patience. You know what you're working towards, and if you feel like you've hit a wall, feel free to reach out and ask someone who has been through this journey for help. Oh, and that is the most important lesson I've learned over the course of the journey so far, to not rush into things because they will happen if you're consistent and that people can sometimes honestly want to help. <\/p>
Who would have thunk, right?<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509595973495","data":"59faa02886b12"}]
Thakur was nearing his retirement, something he had been looking forward to for a long time now. \u2018Government work is not as it was before,\u2019 he would always say with a dull sigh. He was a mild-mannered man that lived in his old Delhi bungalow beside the famous sweet shop. He had no wife nor children to surround himself with at his old age but this never discouraged him. He lived life according to his terms and managed to all the house-work that needed to be done. <\/p>
Thakur had a secret hobby and that was his eternal search of something called \u2018happiness\u2019. In his twenties, people around him thought him mad and poked fun at his relentless perusal of all the magazines to find happiness. He had looked everywhere for this esoteric happiness. He had asked many intelligent men, many intelligent questions. \u201cWhere can I find happiness?\u201d \u201cWhat does it look like?\u201d \u201cWhat is happiness?\u201d \u201cHow do I know if I\u2019ve found it?\u201d \u201cHave you seen it?\u201d All the answers to these questions were unsatisfactory. One told him that they were selling a surplus of happiness for a very cheap rate in some far off country, whose name Thakur had never heard before. Another told that it was all lies and happiness could only be found on the black market these days. Yet another told him that through all his adventures, he had never found this happiness and that the search for \u2018happiness\u2019 was a fruitless endeavour. None of these intelligent men seemed to deter Thakur and his resilience in any way. <\/p>
As he grew older, people started talking less and less about happiness. They said it was something that existed only in the books of the past and that many men have wasted away their lives in its pursuit. Thakur\u2019s mother forbade him to talk about it anymore and ever since then he never spoke of it to her again but like a naughty little child, he continued to look for it, in the privacy of his own space. At work, he sat with Mishra and Sharma, both of whom had always something interesting to offer on happiness. <\/p>
\u201cDid you know that in some countries it is banned to mention the word happiness?\u201d Mishra said, stuffing his pipe with tobacco. He always said these things but no one ever knew how correct they were and everyone almost always believed him because he carried around him an air of confidence. <\/p>
\u201cYes, yes illegal,\u201d Sharma added, nodding his bald head that was bent over the plate of food he had just ordered from the cafeteria. <\/p>
\u201cNot illegal Sharma, banned.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cAren\u2019t they the same thing?\u201d Sharma asked, slowly raising his head from his plate.<\/p>
\u201cNo. They aren\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cHow so?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. You are not allowed to say it or even think of it.\u201d Mishra was now trying to light the tobacco.<\/p>
\u201cHow do they know if you\u2019ve thought of it?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cThey just do.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cBut if you ask someone not to think of something it is inevitable that they will,\u201d Sharma seemed lost. <\/p>
\u201cYou always say the most nonsensical things, Sharma.\u201d Mishra didn\u2019t like anyone challenging his ideas. <\/p>
\u201cDid you know that Patel says he has always had happiness? Ever since he was born? Apparently, it was his grandmother who gave it to him.\u201d Thakur said, glancing over to where Patel was.<\/p>
\u201cNonsense,\u201d Mishra snapped \u201cThat fellow is a bloody lying rascal. How is it someone has an endless supply of something? Impossible, I say. He\u2019s either been buying it off the black market or he doesn\u2019t have any.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cI remember when that scoundrel at the black market sold it to me for a hundred rupees telling me it would last for at least five years,\u201d Thakur sighed. <\/p>
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Sharma asked, inquisitively. \u201c<\/p>
\"He got bloody scammed is what. Ran out of it within a week.\u201d Mishra said. \u201cAll these are bloody liars, I tell you. You either have it or you don\u2019t and no one is so privileged as to have been born with it. I know for a fact that there is no such thing as happiness and if there ever was, I wouldn\u2019t want even a gram of it.\u201d <\/p>
A couple of months later, Thakur was walking through the weekend market, trying to ration his food since he had retired. He wondered if potatoes were the better choice or carrots. As he sat pondering the difference of taste between a stem and a root vegetable, his eyes caught the most peculiar sight. In the middle of the market-square stood a man, dressed in the most unusual garb, juggling balls. He was surrounded by little children who stared at him in wonder, their big eyes brimming with curiosity yet none of them made a sound. <\/p>
Thakur approached this man and asked him what he was doing. <\/p>
\u201cJuggling balls,\u201d the man replied, making no effort to look at Thakur. <\/p>
\u201cBut why?\u201d Thakur asked. <\/p>
\u201cIt makes me happy,\u201d the man replied, his lips forming into a strange curve that Thakur had never seen before, yet it all seemed so magical. <\/p>
\u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d Thakur scratched his head. \u201cI\u2019ve looked for happiness all my life. Are you saying you have found it?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cFound it?\u201d The man let out a loud sound, almost in a mocking tone. \u201cFriend, I\u2019m always happy.\u201d <\/p>
Before Thakur could reiterate Mishra\u2019s bright words, the man looked him straight in the eye and said \u201cEveryone is happy. It\u2019s only a matter of recognition, is all.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cEveryone is happy?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cYes, everyone. Even you. Why, if you find it hard to recognize it, all you have to do is grow it in your backyard.\u201d The man replied nonchalantly. <\/p>
\u201cIn our backyards?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cYes, in our backyards. Once you remove all the weed and destroy all other plants, the happiness tree will grow. But-\u201c<\/p>
\u201cBut?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cBut no one wants to even destroy the weeds, let alone the other plants.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cI will. I shall. Are you sure? In my backyard?\u201d A newfound sense of energy seemed to be flowing through Thakur. Finally, he was making headway in his search. <\/p>
\u201cYes, yes. In your backyard.\u201d <\/p>
Before leaving Thakur found out the man\u2019s name and address. He didn\u2019t want to be scammed a second time. For six months Thakur had put in a lot of effort in his backyard. He spent day and night, picking out the weeds, destroying all the other plants, most of which were left ignored and were already dead. He watered his backyard every day and sat on the doorstep, watching the soil. Nothing else occupied his thoughts during this time. He sat there, unperturbed, quietly watching the backyard. <\/p>
One day, Thakur noticed a small sapling. A translucent little green stem that was nothing like what he had ever seen before. He nearly jumped and immediately wondered what came over him. He told himself that his tree would grow as tall and large as the man in the market\u2019s - since he had been past his house a few times now- and that Mishra and Sharma could share from his happiness tree. From then on, he carefully tended to this tiny green stem protruding out of his soil. His back gave him issues and his old age prevented him from staying up too long but nevertheless, he pursued on.<\/p>
For another six months, he tended to this plant with all his love but to no avail. It refused to grow larger than it had been and even seemed to be slowly withering away. Thakur sat at his doorstep, head in hands.<\/p>
\u201cI have been scammed again,\u201d he thought. \u201cMother was right. Mishra was right. No such thing as happiness.\u201d <\/p>
Saying this, he got up bitterly and walked to the man\u2019s house. <\/p>
\u201cOi Agarwal, come out you rascal. Come out this instant,\u201d he cried out, standing near the man\u2019s gate. A few minutes later, Agarwal came out. He was dressed normally this time and had his hair neatly combed backwards. <\/p>
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Thakur?\u201d He asked, again with the same whimsical curve on his face. <\/p>
\u201cYou told me that I could have a happiness tree as big and large as yours and it has been nearly a year, yet no sign of it. You scoundrel. You wasted my time.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cI never told you your tree would be as large as my tree. I told you that anyone could be happy if they wanted to.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cSame thing,\u201d Thakur was fuming. <\/p>
\u201cNo, not the same thing. In fact, two very different things. My friend, how do you expect your tree to grow when you constantly keep comparing it to mine? The poor little plant feels pressurized and probably wants to die before even experiencing life.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cThat means, Thakur, that your tree is unlike anyone else\u2019s tree.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cBut you said anyone can grow a happiness tree.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cYes. But the nature of tree depends on the one who\u2019s growing it.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cSo Mishra and Sharma can\u2019t share from my tree?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cNo. They will want to. You may want to. But to each his own.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cSo how do I know its real?\u201d<\/p>
\u201cWhy do care if it's not?\u201d <\/p>
Thakur went back home armed with knowledge on gardening but still confused. However, he continued to persist but this time, he didn\u2019t obsess. After the daily routine of watering it, he gave the plant its own space to grow. He didn\u2019t stay in his backyard all day and night but continued to do other work. A few weeks later, the three friends met again, as they usually do. <\/p>
\u201cWell, bloody hell Thakur, that\u2019s quite a tree, man.\u201d Mishra placed his hands on the trunk. \u201cHow come I never noticed it before? Must be quite old.\u201d <\/p>
\u201cNo. Very young. About six months,\u201d <\/p>
\u201cLiar. No tree grows this big in six months. What have you been feeding it? Tree steroids?\u201d <\/p>
\u201cIt\u2019s a happiness tree,\u201d Thakur said, very casually. <\/p>
\u201cAre you saying you have happiness in your backyard?\u201d Sharma asked, his mouth wide open. <\/p>
\u201cSharma, you sometimes say the most nonsensical things. I don\u2019t have happiness. I am happy,\u201d saying this Thakur slowly reclined into his chair, a smile forming over his now serene face.<\/p>"}]
Maybe it's just me (or maybe its Maybelline), but I find Metal music quite calming and peaceful when I want it to be. Don't get me wrong, power metal tracks and the hair raising face melting growls and chord progressions along with ear splitting crashes and cymbals still make me pumped up enough to get whatever I'm doing, well, done. But that's the thing. That is precisely what I want to talk about. <\/p>
How on earth is it even possible?<\/p>
Metal music is not everyone's cup of tea. It is loud, it is brutal, it is crazy and if the music doesn't drive you insane, it isn't trying hard enough. When you're listening to metal, you're perpetually on the highway to hell, listening to Gojira growl its way to glory and Amon Amarth singing praises of the Vikings and their gods. It is a euphoric experience. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509531703263","data":"59f9a333e1e2a"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509531706623","data":"
But for me, I listen to metal for the trance it puts me in, a trance that I cannot break until he music stops playing. The brief moments of clarity that I get in the seconds between the songs when the music stops is when I realise the universal truth about metal music and my relationship with it: I love it, and it gets. work. done. Period.<\/p>
I've been making a playlist over the years but this was prompted by the fact that Netflix and Spotify thinks that I'm the Demogorgon from Stranger Things and I find being compared to a inter dimensional monster to be METAL. The comparison was drawn based on the type of music I listen to and I find that a great honour. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509532283409","data":"59f9a30e83cb9"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509532284983","data":"
That's all, I wanted to ramble about it and I did. Mission accomplished. <\/p>"}]
Ah yes, the month of November is here, that means status updates and Instagram photos by your friends growing their beards and letting it go wild to people wishing they could grow their beards at all, the month will be dotted by folks talking about how their beard growing skills are the best and more, enough to make it insufferable at times, but hey, it's all for a good cause. <\/p>
Or, it was, but turns out a lot of folks do not know the origins of the No Shave November trend and what it represents, hence the article today. If you're participating in No Shave November, it is imperative you know what it entails and how you can help. <\/p>
Before we start, however, let me make it clear that even women can participate, the idea is to forgo personal grooming for hair and collect that money to donate at the end of the month. But donate to what? <\/p>
No Shave November: The Origins<\/b><\/p>
Before No Shave November became a global trend, there was Movember, a portmanteau (or in less fancy English, a mash-up of two words) of Moustache and November. It traces its origins to a bunch of college students from Adelaide, Australia, growing out their moustaches in order to raise awareness about cancer and related issues that plague men the most. This soon became a national phenomenon, of course, this is Australia we're talking about, they're awesome like that. A few years later, in 2004, an unrelated group from Melbourne organised a 30-day moustache-growing challenge to raise awareness about Prostate cancer (that can only affect men) and depression (with a disproportionately large number of men suffering from depression) and would later go on to become the Movember Foundation. <\/p>
The seeds for a global movement were planted, all it needed was to go viral, which it would do as internet started reaching the remote corners of the planet and the global average internet speed went up over the years. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509523730143","data":"59f992f84555f"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509523732548","data":"
Split Challenges, Same Goals:<\/b> <\/p>
While Movember Foundation still raises impressive amounts of money today, No-Shave November started as an offshoot somewhere along the way over the years in the last decade with the same goals. While Movember remained about growing impressive moustaches, No-Shave November rapidly gained popularity due to social media, and of course, tell a man he has a legitimate excuse to not shave for a month and he will jump at it. After gaining momentum on websites like reddit, which was where I first heard about it, it crawled to what people consider 'mainstream' websites and Facebook. This was back in 2011, which was when I started letting my beard grow as well. <\/p>
For the aesthetically concerned among us, the differences between Movember and No-Shave November can cause an eye-twitch or two, but the important thing to remember is that the goals of both modern phenomena are the same: to raise awareness about Prostate Cancer and Depression in men. While cancer certainly seems to be met with the seriousness it warrants, the attitudes towards depression have a long way to go even today. In fact, the careless attitude towards depression contributes in a major way to the prevalence of depression in the first place: if one doesn't take depression seriously and treat it as a legitimate illness, people will ignore it and continue to treat it as if it is nothing. This has to change. <\/p>
Understanding Depression:<\/b> <\/p>
I decided to give this a special mention because depression has taken away from me people that I love. Depression has also pushed away the people I loved away from me, it has taken away some of my favourite pop-culture icons, just because they did not know how to handle it, even when they had all the fame and money in the world in their hands because depression is a disease that cannot be cured by simply saying 'just be happy'. <\/p>
Depression alters the chemical composition of your brain that actively prevents you from being happy. I've been down that road, I still have phases of it every now and then. You go to bed every night wishing you die in your sleep and when you wake up in the morning, you find that your arms and legs don't work and you can't find the strength to get up and face one more day of your miserable existence. It is like living in a body that fights tooth and nail to survive that is being handled by a mind that has already given up on itself. <\/p>
I wouldn't wish it on anyone, depression is hell. The people I've lost, the people the world has lost, are a constant reminder of how omnipresent this disease is and how little people know of it. It is like a Damocles sword hanging over your head, tied to the ceiling with just a strand of hair that you know is going to snap any second. The simple solution would be to move to the side, but when you are depressed, that one simple act seems impossible, like your feet are cemented to the ground and all you can do is look up at the sword and wait for it to fall. Sometimes, even pray for it to fall so something different happens. <\/p>
So this one is for everyone going through depression, please go see a counseller. For my sake, for the sake of people like Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell, Robin Williams, and of course, primarily for yourself. Seek help, it is important. Depression is a disease and must be handled like one. It requires care and medication, do not ignore it. Do it for yourself. <\/p>
<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509524785070","data":"59f992d0cd797"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509524787332","data":"
What Can I Do To Help?:<\/b> <\/p>
If you've asked yourself that question, good, it shows intent and a willingness to help, which is important. The challenge is pretty simple: avoid spending money on trimming your hair, shaving or general hair care (you can, of course, continue to shampoo and shower to keep clean, it is also important to grow a healthy beard and maintain strong hair), collect the money you would have traditionally used to shave and then at the end of the month, donate to cancer research foundations. While the movement was started to raise awareness for prostate cancer, you can choose to donate to whichever cancer fund you like. <\/p>
An equally important part of the movement is to talk to people who come up to you and ask why you're growing a beard. Take a moment of your time and talk to them about prostate cancer and depression in men so that they may also be aware and make someone else aware of your cause. This is a very important aspect. <\/p>
Where Can I Donate?<\/b><\/p>
The No Shave November foundation has a website for its own which you can find at www.no-shave.org or by clicking here<\/a>. There is also the Prostate Cancer Foundation that funds research into Prostate Cancer and is actively looking for a cure for the deadly disease. You can find them at www.pcf.org or by clicking here<\/a>. Of course, you can also find the cancer research foundation you want to fund by googling. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1509527865476","data":"59f9924c6a11b"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1509527867440","data":"That pretty much covers what I wanted to talk about here today. Make sure you raise as much awareness as you can and donate proceedings at the end of the month. Do your bit for the future of humanity! I believe in you! <\/p>Remember, this is not exclusive to men. Women can also participate and engage in a dialogue with men about their issues with depression as well as be a part of the challenge by forgoing personal grooming to donate to cancer research at the end of the month. Let us work together to make the future a better place. Happy growing! <\/p>"}]
That pretty much covers what I wanted to talk about here today. Make sure you raise as much awareness as you can and donate proceedings at the end of the month. Do your bit for the future of humanity! I believe in you! <\/p>
Remember, this is not exclusive to men. Women can also participate and engage in a dialogue with men about their issues with depression as well as be a part of the challenge by forgoing personal grooming to donate to cancer research at the end of the month. Let us work together to make the future a better place. Happy growing! <\/p>"}]
Published in
clg-short-name
Waiting for the approval by Admin
Terms and conditions