Good morning, Bangalore.
The trials and tribulations of being active on social media... sigh! Being a performing artiste with a penchant for the written word and a rhetorician among other things, it is imperative I maintain a social media presence (to an extent, of course!). As my persona is, ‘what you see is what you get’, my book of secrets is very limited. I just find it very irksome or tiresome to either keep or divulge secrets and in my line of priorities, these ‘trivial pursuits’ occupy very little personal mind space. But personal social media aside, this vast internet space where one can take a voyeuristic peek into another person’s life (including the colour of their lingerie) is a breeding ground for rumours and misinformation. This in turn can be funny or dangerous, depending on the situation.
For instance, political parties and unscrupulous people use and abuse this platform, feeding the gullible with utter nonsense, and then sit back and enjoy all the mayhem they have unleased. Other than their intentions being mala fide and evil, this mayhem also translates into some type of economic gain for them and they laugh all the way to the bank (which has our hard-earned money!). What vexes me no end is the anonymity of cowards (trolls) who expound and opine on each and every topic which is, excusez-moi, none of their business!
Every time you ask a frothing and spitting armchair political analyst where they got their information from, there will be a slight pause and then they (sheepishly) admit that the said information was forwarded on social media. Anonymity behind the keyboard is the new art of bullying! In this age of (mis) information, many of us resort to unsolicited advice, bullying and trespassing into one’s private space without a by your leave. Any polite answer to a question on WhatsApp or Facebook instantly means that person is your new BFF with no regard for any personal boundaries.
When one can make life partners or partnerships on Shaadi.com and Tinder, then I suppose there are (unrealistic) expectations from some people that an answer (usually to an invitation) means you are their new best friend. If their expectations are not met, then may the Universe have mercy on your poor soul! To quote Al Pacino in the iconic film Godfather, ‘keep your friends close and you enemies closer’.
Keeping my friends close, I accepted an invitation by Amitabh Rai, the general manager of The Ritz Carlton, for an intimate sit-down dinner hosted by him and his team. The visiting French chef, Nicolas Durif, of the Michelin star restaurant L’Hysope in La Jarrie, laid out a magnificent six-course dinner for corporate honchos and guests who frequent their hotel on a regular basis. An elegant ambiance, coupled with outstanding international fare and wines set the mood for the evening.
Our table had an interesting mix of guests, a prominent lawyer, his wife who has a film production house and an angel investor. I was kept spellbound with the conversation that abounded on our table. Tusch Daroga, the hotel manager, was the common link, but soon enough we were all chatting and laughing animatedly. There was a mutual respect for each other’s views and an evening of good food and ambrosia only complemented the soigne deluxe.
Being a die-hard Bangalorean, it just thrills my heart when our city has slowly but surely changed its image from being a ‘sleepy hollow’ to a vibrant metropolis. We are exposed to world opinions and trends, mega brands and businesses, and chefs from Michelin starred restaurants that make a pit-stop in namma oru. Our infrastructure needs sprucing up and our government needs to stop depleting our natural resources, but which big city in the world doesn’t have its share of problems? Till next week, keep talking and stop trolling!