How many of us realise that the term "OXYMORON" is itself an oxymoron because 'oxy' means sharp and 'moron' means dull. In the same yardstick, some of the simplest solutions of life are offered only when you are perceived to lead a complex one! Sounds quite paradoxical isn't it, but that's what I have experienced over a sustained period of time.
Let's start with the era of schooling. In 'our' times, being born in late seventies, once you reach the senior level of schooling an inadvertent wall erupts, that of good students and mediocre ones. By some divine rule, your advancement into Science stream unanimously declares you as the bright ones while the rest are existential and gets enrolled in the Commerce stream. I fought hard to be amongst the best, but the outcome was laid to rest with some tough questioning in Chemistry, Physics and Maths. And boy, that's when the theory struck me!
The science students made up the front rows of all school committees, they had the first right to open their mouth and also to shut ours. They represented our school in events and took center stage while we filled up the chairs full of pride written all over our face. Wish someone had guided me, that e=mc2 is not only mass and energy equivalence, but life, that would also get you dignified simplicity.
The college life was no different. The commerce stream, though had now considerable numbers and principles of its own with accounts and economics proved no match for the Science and Maths stream. Hence, the discriminations continued, with the B.Com students attending most of the political sermons, participate in boycott motions, control the common room from rival groups and forced to give attendance in every class, personally taken by the principal.
A newer segmentation emerged in the post grad scenario. The engineers decided to take up Finance and IT as specialisations and us the mediocre class got further marginalised for taking Marketing and Communications. And now grades came to play, CGPA, to be precise. We huffed and puffed semester after semester through complex systems of Financial Management and Quantitative skills. But somehow, our skills towards debate, quizzing, case study contests completely went unnoticed. It all boiled down to CGPA and it was a virtual walkover for them.
My consistency in experimenting with the bourgeois class mindset continued, as I chose to join Advertising. Once a very glamorous field, but eventualy transformed itself into randomised existence, that too till late nights. Investment Banker, CFA, CA, Brand Marketing, whizzed past me like noise. Creativity, communications, frameworks never got a chance against business models, adoption curve, credit rating principles and other benchmarked terms. Add to it, the aspirations of owning a car, marrying a good girl with better alimony, honeymoon, house, a pet followed by a child, everything was dreamt of, but reality had other plans.
And just when, I had a glimmer of hope, of owning a house, it almost got de-railed because wifey and me had submitted correct papers, paid out taxes and our developer too was found to be squeaky clean. The bank had de-prioritised our 'case' because it did not involve black money, illegal papers and a litigated developer. By this time, I was absolutely certain, I was paying a big price (and now interest) for being simply simple.
Here's the icing, now closer at home. The other day, heard my son say, 'Dad doesn't seem intelligent anymore!'. My ears strained, the conversation continued, 'He does not know how to play chess', I was dumbstruck. Till about last week, we had so much fun playing Ludo and I was declared the 'Best Dad'. Damn!
Let's start with the era of schooling. In 'our' times, being born in late seventies, once you reach the senior level of schooling an inadvertent wall erupts, that of good students and mediocre ones. By some divine rule, your advancement into Science stream unanimously declares you as the bright ones while the rest are existential and gets enrolled in the Commerce stream. I fought hard to be amongst the best, but the outcome was laid to rest with some tough questioning in Chemistry, Physics and Maths. And boy, that's when the theory struck me!
The science students made up the front rows of all school committees, they had the first right to open their mouth and also to shut ours. They represented our school in events and took center stage while we filled up the chairs full of pride written all over our face. Wish someone had guided me, that e=mc2 is not only mass and energy equivalence, but life, that would also get you dignified simplicity.
The college life was no different. The commerce stream, though had now considerable numbers and principles of its own with accounts and economics proved no match for the Science and Maths stream. Hence, the discriminations continued, with the B.Com students attending most of the political sermons, participate in boycott motions, control the common room from rival groups and forced to give attendance in every class, personally taken by the principal.
A newer segmentation emerged in the post grad scenario. The engineers decided to take up Finance and IT as specialisations and us the mediocre class got further marginalised for taking Marketing and Communications. And now grades came to play, CGPA, to be precise. We huffed and puffed semester after semester through complex systems of Financial Management and Quantitative skills. But somehow, our skills towards debate, quizzing, case study contests completely went unnoticed. It all boiled down to CGPA and it was a virtual walkover for them.
My consistency in experimenting with the bourgeois class mindset continued, as I chose to join Advertising. Once a very glamorous field, but eventualy transformed itself into randomised existence, that too till late nights. Investment Banker, CFA, CA, Brand Marketing, whizzed past me like noise. Creativity, communications, frameworks never got a chance against business models, adoption curve, credit rating principles and other benchmarked terms. Add to it, the aspirations of owning a car, marrying a good girl with better alimony, honeymoon, house, a pet followed by a child, everything was dreamt of, but reality had other plans.
And just when, I had a glimmer of hope, of owning a house, it almost got de-railed because wifey and me had submitted correct papers, paid out taxes and our developer too was found to be squeaky clean. The bank had de-prioritised our 'case' because it did not involve black money, illegal papers and a litigated developer. By this time, I was absolutely certain, I was paying a big price (and now interest) for being simply simple.
Here's the icing, now closer at home. The other day, heard my son say, 'Dad doesn't seem intelligent anymore!'. My ears strained, the conversation continued, 'He does not know how to play chess', I was dumbstruck. Till about last week, we had so much fun playing Ludo and I was declared the 'Best Dad'. Damn!
2 comments:
Very well written Deb ... actually life is simple. We make it complex ... in our heads. Life is what we make out it to be!!
Very well written Deb ... actually life is simple. We make it complex ... in our heads. Life is what we make out it to be!!
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