Good morning, Bangalore!
It is that time of the week again when we get to interact and agree to disagree with each other. Of course, I do most of the talking/writing and it suits me just fine! (Who doesn’t like to hear the sound of one’s voice or pen, huh?) But honestly, I look forward to sharing a slice of my life, thoughts, information and views as it brings into focus what matters and what is important to each one of us. After all, however much our Id and Ego demands that we must believe that we are all unique and different, I would like to insert another perspective.
Perhaps physiologically we are very much alike. Like any ordinary living cell, we are stimulated and we react. Of course, our stimuli and reaction patterns may differ; but the basic pattern of a stimulus that evokes an involuntary response is no different from an amoeba! If one wants to giggle (whenever we take ourselves too seriously), this is one thought that will at least make you smile. Yes! We are no better than an amoeba!
As any self-respecting psychology student would infer, there is a big difference between reacting vis-a-vis responding. A response is studied and deliberate, while a reaction is almost involuntary. That, in my mind separates the riff from the raff! An intelligent and reasoned response keeps one grounded and rational. No amount of planted and illogical stories of the death of a young actor will, for example, shift my focus from the dismal state of our city and country even though it may satisfy the voyeuristic instincts and conspiracy theories of many. I empathise, but my weighed response helps me to understand that the core of the matter is apathy towards mental illness.
During these confusing times, we seek stimulus from people and things around us. One of my all-time favourite people is Casandra Brené Brown, an American professor, lecturer, author, and podcast host. She says, “We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalised greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, disconnection confusion and rage. We should not long to return to the old normal.
We are being given an opportunity to stich a new garment. One that will fit all of humanity and nature’’.
How beautiful and succinctly said, and reading this has changed my perspective about these crazy times that have befallen us. My son, a ‘pucca’ millennium, was chatting with me from London. He had just picked up his ‘stuff’ from university and while carting it to London realised how little of it he really needed. He was sharing about how the mind-set of most of the millenniums had changed. From compulsive buying of newer clothes, phones, gizmos and gadgets, the overriding urge to drink, eat and party more has altered. Now, a realisation has dawned that one has to be healthy and fit physically and mentally to face an unfamiliar future.
I feel the ‘millenniums’ have gotten the hang of these times far better than the older lot. It is really very inspiring seeing many of my son’s school buddies turning into smart entrepreneurs, taking into cognizance our altered reality, helping their parents and catering to their large base of customers by giving them what they want. Karan Virwani and Siddharth Mankani teamed up with chef Vikas and have come up with a concept of cloud kitchens dedicated to getting hygienic, tasty and pocket-friendly food to their patrons. By using three locations they ensure the food reaches fresh, their facilities are utilised and their staff employed. Rohan Belliappa, a young chef, returned home from NYC to optimise his father’s Windsor Pub and now they have an online food facility making ‘pub grub’ available to everybody. It requires fortitude and courage to do what these lads are doing…This is ‘the call to courage’!
Rubi Chakravarti
writer, actor and funny girl