We Have Too Much Money!

Last week, 2008 ended with a lot of people sighing in relief at the passing away of a year which caused much heartburn among everyone for whatever reasons. The dawn of 2009 began with fervent prayers across the globe for a year of peace and prosperity. As if to prove that 2008 would haunt us for still some time to come, the gunshots and the thud of missiles falling could still be heard reverberating even as people ushered in the New Year.  I discovered this song and I've been humming it ever since. The magic that A R Rahman spins is just unbelievable.

But what I really want to tell is how decadent our current generation has become. The youth of today think of all the good things in life but we should pause and quit complaining about the state of the economy, the inflation and the rise in the cost of living. I mean we are richer than we ever were at any point in history! And to think that people still aren't satisfied with what they have is a tad disappointing. Children have never been more obese, adults have never been morbidly unhealthy and people have never been more depressed with their lives today than anytime in the past. All this goes to show that there is a limit to what money can buy. Our pursuit of happiness is maybe leading us to the wrong direction. Maybe it isn't about money anymore, maybe it's about how much. I see my friends, family, colleagues at the workplace and practically every second guy I bump on to the street telling me the same thing: "Life's not as exciting and interesting as it used to be." Curiously, it is here that the nouveau-rich and the filthy poor come to an understanding of sorts. Life seems to be unfair to the both of them! What more proof is required that life is indeed fair?!

I definitely belong to that school of thought which lays emphasis on the value of giving, keeping just that much which is required for one's daily sustenance. Of course, it is easier said than done. To be lured into the seductive world of the latest gizmos, the latest communication devices and to be seen flashing the most trendy wear is seen as a "statement" that either makes or breaks your standing in the notoriously fickle world of social networking. But how far do we go before we realize the tide has turned too far? Personally speaking, I find it a virtue to live within my means. That, in no way, means I cannot have my share of fun too! All I believe is that maybe we are looking for happiness in the wrongest of all places - the shiny, glossy, sexy-as-a-siren shopping mall. Maybe the staid store at the back of your home has all that you need to stay content and spread happiness around you too.

No, I am not ranting against consumerism at all. But I definitely am ranting against mindless consumerism. To sport the latest in the world of tech and to engage in debate about who traveled to the most exotic destination in the garb of eco-tourism is to basically lose the plot. Much more harm has been done by eco-tourists probably than even the evil capitalist, well-intentioned though they might be! So folks, think about this for a moment. I am not really articulate enough to eloquently and forcefully drive my point but yes, I am passionate about what I feel and I believe we would all be a little happier and could maybe even smile at the rise of the sun daily if we started caring about the environment, our impact on Mother Nature and the kind of legacy we would be leaving behind. History is ours for the making - and losing.

Loneliness - Curse or Boon?

Of late, there is this creeping fear in me that I shall die one day unheralded, cold, alone and unnoticed. Does anybody else feel the same here? I dunno, but what really infuriates me no end is this unsettling feeling that probably there DOES exist something like fate. I mean look around you, do you notice that smart gal/guy who has it all in life and doesn't seem to waste a sweat in getting into that Ivy League institution? For whom it is not at all an effort to seduce the hottest member of the opposite sex? Don't you feel that rage, even if for an instant, and would rather wish the son-0f-a-bitch drop dead right there?

Okay, I was led on to thinking about this whole idea of loneliness and boredom after this Slate article and I was amazed to discover how much of me the article was really describing! All things said and done, the symptoms of loneliness, depression and the vague fear and dislike of random strangers and even close friends is a near-epidemic now what with increasingly secluded and isolated lives we live. Technology has catalyzed this rapid degeneration of our social lives and has increasingly intruded into the sacred personal domains of our lives so much so that we really do not own ourselves anymore. This is not really an attempt at decrying technology nor its wonderful after-effects in the way our lives have shaped up and improved compared to say, ten years ago. But what should be of utmost concern is that technology has substituted for life instead of complementing social life. We are plugged into our iPods 24/7, Twitter all the time, Facebook each other almost to the point of addiction but think twice about meeting someone over a cup of coffee!

That says something about our priorities but also is a damning indictment of the level of spiritual and moral degeneracy that has gripped almost the entire globalized world today. Teenagers seem to be the worst-affected as we cocoon ourselves deeper and deeper inside the wonderfully intoxicating and equally dangerously addictive tools of the Internet. It should come as no surprise to those of us who have been victims of the amazing fruits of technology and the opening up of a new world of opportunities the age of the Internet has spawned. Moderation is the key word here, any technology is as good as the person sitting and operating it. Surely, it is in our hands to make sure that we own technology rather than letting technology own us?

So, the next time you get this incredible urge to update your status on  Facebook or Superpoke some long-distance "friend", do remember that there is another equally uplifting and emotionally fulfilling world literally out there. Do take your time off to share your stories with your real-life friends, neighbours cousins and everybody else who you can touch. Remember, this is not your Second Life.

Oops, now who just kissed me on Facebook? Hmm, I better check out before they go offline.