A life or living - what do you wish to make?

What is the purpose of my life? The reasons for my confusion? Is there anything I truly want to do? Is there anywhere I really want to go?’ I’m sure many of you reading this relate to these questions in some way or the other. Bespectacled uncles and well-fed aunties asking us ‘So what are you up to these days, my boy?’ does nothing to alter the state of our much-confused minds. I fail to fathom how our ‘doing something’ will in any way contribute to their mundane existence. Surely, if exchanging harmless pleasantries are their only intentions, a more appropriate question would be ‘How do you always look so sexy, Beta?’ Okay, digression alert!

 

After much contemplation, I’ve devised a theory to overcome the confusion. Simply put, there is a way of figuring this out. Today, sit down with yourself and decide what you don’t want to be. Let’s start with the corporate world, for those among you who hate the mention of an MBA. Alright, you don’t want to be in the corporate world. Why? Because you’re disastrous at organising. Horrible with managing people (loving and respecting them, YES. Hiring and Firing them? NO!). You’re mathematics and accountancy skills are dismal. And you don't really enjoy wearing formal clothes that suffocate the neck.

 

What then, is the point of you pursuing an MBA? Even if you did, it would have to be from someplace other than your own country and obviously not at a top school because your math skills could make a 6th grade teacher commit suicide. So then, you would be among the 1000 odd job aspirants from mediocre universities thinking of ways to answer an interview outside a drab room filled with people equipped with great experience and knowledge. Probably even before you get to the unfortunate stage of meeting these monsters, some IVY league bloke who’s middle name is ‘multitasking’ would have impressed these people with his ‘dedication’’, ‘mastery of knowledge in you-name-it’ and the confidence that would scare lions. So where do the rest of us go? The rest of us not so ‘blessed’ with academic intelligence? Do we end up in careers that make relatives gasp? Or make people come to the conclusion ‘I feel sorry for his parents, look at Geeta’s son, he’s an engineer and Preety’s daughter, she’s going to Harvard’. Though we all know that in our hearts, we youngsters don’t really care about what people think. Why then do we have to worry about what society thinks? Just do what you feel like. Wish to be a monk? Go ahead, be one! A writer, A poet, An actor…anything. Be what you choose to be? And if that choice doesn’t work, then choose again. But don’t give up! Not everyone is an MBA or a CA and that is perfectly fine. I’m sure the almighty created people for different purposes. It’s just that it might take a while to figure that out. But have fun figuring it out! Because that’s what life is intended to be -- a whole lot of fun!

 

What are the medical, engineering etc professions all about? Millions of aspirants, many out of their parent’s choices, slog relentlessly for the entrance examinations, many of whom are unsuccessful and they try again and again and again, ageing considerably in the process. When they still don’t succeed, they commit suicide. When they do, they are almost definitely ragged by similarly-frustrated people who require a platform to vent their suppressed weakness and inabilities. The same child who set out to be a doctor/engineer with a spring in his step, ends up being a frustrated soul with a personality disorder. My intention isn’t to berate these noble professions. After all, our survival depends on doctors but when I hear of ragging incidents in medical colleges, I often do wonder that a person who can’t display basic humanity towards a fellow human being, hardly stands a chance of being sympathetic towards a patient. If you have it in you, by all means go ahead. I don’t intend to generalize. Of course, all medical and engineering colleges aren’t subject to ragging! But don’t do it because you are asked to by your parents, who want to ‘live their dream through you’. Never do anything under pressure. When you continuously suppress your desires, you become a mere puppet of society’s will.

 

Each time one opens the papers, there’s some or the other news piece of a student committing suicide due to poor marks. What is even more appalling is that it’s now happening at the primary and secondary school level. My question to parents: ‘Is failing that math paper really the end of your son/daughter’s career?’ Is he/she now fit to do nothing else? Why create so much pressure during these carefree years that will never return?

 

My message to fellow youngsters is this - Love who you are. Respect yourself. Dream big. Don’t be misled by boring, balding men who love mouthing inane sentences such as ‘To achieve your dreams, you can’t sleep.’ Yes, you do need to work hard. But you don’t have to be the human equivalent of a mule.