My dad, in the recent past accompanied me to a Shopping Mall. While I was waiting in the long queue to pay the bill for the clothes I purchased, he was looking around.
When I finally paid my bill and joined him, he smirked and said, you people do not have happiness anymore. I was puzzled and asked him to explain. He pointed to the people in the queue and asked me what I saw. I was a bit irritated and said… I see people waiting in the line impatiently to pay the bill. He said “Exactly”.
I was unable to comprehend. On probing further, he reminisced and said… not very long ago, when people purchased any items (clothes, appliance etc.) you could see the happiness on their faces of having purchased something that they liked or wanted. It’s not the case anymore. Most of the people now run up bill in thousands, yet, you can only see the impatience to pay the bill and get out of there. Where is the happiness?
That got me thinking… he is right. Has money lost its happiness buying capacity? Or, do we have so much of everything that it does not excite us anymore? I bet it is the excitement and easy availability.
Let me explain… in the beginning of the month, my wife and I splurge on household goods. Money is no criteria. Literally! The reason being, we are blessed to be working in companies that give us more than sufficient Sodexo vouchers. We walk into a retail chain and pickup anything that we can lay our hands on (for my global readers, Sodexo vouchers are given as a benefit to employees to buy food. These vouchers are also accepted by retail chains instead of money).
As the month progresses and our Sodexo’s spent, when we require household provisions and visit a retail chain, we delve into our dwindling cash reserves. Its then we choose the required items wisely. We discuss the items that can wait for the beginning of the next month and the items that we require immediately. We make a planned purchase. My wife and I can then cannot stop ourselves from commenting on how sensible people we are, and how happy we are with our purchases. Every single item of purchase is discussed and every deal we got on the items is commented on. We are content and happy with the purchase.
What has changed? Did Sodexo not have the same buying capacity as the real money? It did, but why did it not hurt us so much when we ran up that huge bill? Why did we not have the same happiness? The answer is simple, with Sodexo, it did not feel like we were buying from our money and we purchased items without a thought. When we had to pay cash, we felt the pinch and that is why we discussed and decided what is right for us and hence the happiness.
With all the mindless spending that is taking place due to the availability of easy credit, people now buy things that they do not require. Not many years ago, buying clothes was a yearly affair (for birthdays, festivals, marriages etc.) and it was something that was looked forward to. Now a days’, shopping is a past time and has lost its charm.
I am not saying it’s wrong… all I am saying that the Money is now unable to buy happiness it used to.
If money can talk…. mine is only saying Goodbye!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Aam Admi - A Comman Man Hoping for a Change
It’s been some time since my last blog. Time sure does fly and situations do change.
So many things have happened in this short while. India winning the world cup, Mumbai being targeted once again, the markets crashing, disgusting stories of corruption, and heartening demonstration of revolt against the politicians and corruption by the usually submissive “Aam admi”.
Why is the Aam admi a walk over? Why is the Aam admi fearful? Why does the Aam admi bear the brunt of misfortune? Why does the Aam admi have to put up with disrespectful, agonizing moments of degradation?
There is no one simple answer. However, in my perspective, the answer is “lack of time”.
How many times have we heard the saying “An idle mind is a devils workshop”? We have heard it enough to have memorized it without trying.
An Aam admi simply does not have time. Aam admi is working hard to provide bread on the table, clothes for the body, shelter for the head, and insurance for the future. Aam admi is fearful of not being able to have access to the basic requirements to live if the time is spent on so called revolt against corruption.
Aam admi only wonders why is he being asked to pay up extra for no fault of his? Why should he pay an officer (who is being paid salary by the Government from the taxes paid by people like him) to do his duty. He wonders why can’t people just do their jobs and get on with it?
He can’t help but pay up the extra amount. The reason being, there are many jerks around who care a hoot for his predicament and have no qualms of paying bribe. This results in the officer thinking that it is birthright to not work without a bribe, and the Aam admi accepts it as a norm to pay bribe. The Aam Admi cannot say no to the bribe and risk his valuable time.
Things will fall in order only if all the citizens have a sense of duty. Perform your duties as required by you. I am as guilty as any of you offering bribe. But the recent developments have gotten me thinking. Seeing the support for Anna Hazare made me realize that I am not alone. There are millions who are frustrated with the oppression as me and wish for a change.
Now is time to hit back. The iron is hot. Let’s stop giving or taking bribes. Let Government officers perform their duties as per their role for the salaries they get from us. We rarely get chance to demonstrate our frustration, this in one time now… lets utilize it to the maximum and hope things change for better.
So many things have happened in this short while. India winning the world cup, Mumbai being targeted once again, the markets crashing, disgusting stories of corruption, and heartening demonstration of revolt against the politicians and corruption by the usually submissive “Aam admi”.
Why is the Aam admi a walk over? Why is the Aam admi fearful? Why does the Aam admi bear the brunt of misfortune? Why does the Aam admi have to put up with disrespectful, agonizing moments of degradation?
There is no one simple answer. However, in my perspective, the answer is “lack of time”.
How many times have we heard the saying “An idle mind is a devils workshop”? We have heard it enough to have memorized it without trying.
An Aam admi simply does not have time. Aam admi is working hard to provide bread on the table, clothes for the body, shelter for the head, and insurance for the future. Aam admi is fearful of not being able to have access to the basic requirements to live if the time is spent on so called revolt against corruption.
Aam admi only wonders why is he being asked to pay up extra for no fault of his? Why should he pay an officer (who is being paid salary by the Government from the taxes paid by people like him) to do his duty. He wonders why can’t people just do their jobs and get on with it?
He can’t help but pay up the extra amount. The reason being, there are many jerks around who care a hoot for his predicament and have no qualms of paying bribe. This results in the officer thinking that it is birthright to not work without a bribe, and the Aam admi accepts it as a norm to pay bribe. The Aam Admi cannot say no to the bribe and risk his valuable time.
Things will fall in order only if all the citizens have a sense of duty. Perform your duties as required by you. I am as guilty as any of you offering bribe. But the recent developments have gotten me thinking. Seeing the support for Anna Hazare made me realize that I am not alone. There are millions who are frustrated with the oppression as me and wish for a change.
Now is time to hit back. The iron is hot. Let’s stop giving or taking bribes. Let Government officers perform their duties as per their role for the salaries they get from us. We rarely get chance to demonstrate our frustration, this in one time now… lets utilize it to the maximum and hope things change for better.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive.
Well Well Well.... Here I am writing my first blog!
I promised my wife (yes I am happily married since 3 months and 9 days)that I will start blogging from 9th but did not specify the year or the month.
Well I learnt it the hard way as what happens when you act smart in front of your wife... do you want to know what she did? Well, I would love to tell it to you, but I would be in even bigger trouble... so i'll let it rest for now and let you onto it as days progress.
My name is Vidya Sagar which means an Ocean of Knowledge! Well, to be honest I am an ocean in which the knowledge has sunk... I am still deep diving for it and i'll let you know when I find it.
My name has quite a story... My birth caused quite a commotion in my family as I was the only male child. Everyone in the family wanted to name me...what started as normal name suggestions turned into a battle of ego's. My 89 year old great grand mother (ggm) stood up from her cot and using all the strength she could muster ... yelled... well not yell exactly... she muttered SILENCE to her 65 year old son... my grand father.
She suggested that everyone should think of a name and should return in one week. They should write the name in a paper and put it in a bowl. She would pick one chit and that name would be my name!
Well... for that one week I was call little nobody... I was waiting eagerly for the week to end so that I would be named... you see I was anxious, I was tired of winning the competition (100,000 sperm and I was the fastest) and God wanted to reward me... but he could not as I did not have a name yet.
The week passed (I slept through it, I was tired you see) and the D-day arrived... My ggm acted importantly and started walking towards the bowl of chits. She started her 20 step journey in the morning and reached late in the afternoon. She picked one chit and gave it to her son who loudly said... this child here shall no longer be called little nobody... he will from now be called "vidya sagar".....well at least that is what he hoped. Well everyone calls me SAGAR... if you call me vidya sagar, I am guaranteed to ignore you.
So are you thinking why did I title this post as "Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive."
I did it because it's my blog and I liked the title :p. Now don't start taking it seriously.
I promised my wife (yes I am happily married since 3 months and 9 days)that I will start blogging from 9th but did not specify the year or the month.
Well I learnt it the hard way as what happens when you act smart in front of your wife... do you want to know what she did? Well, I would love to tell it to you, but I would be in even bigger trouble... so i'll let it rest for now and let you onto it as days progress.
My name is Vidya Sagar which means an Ocean of Knowledge! Well, to be honest I am an ocean in which the knowledge has sunk... I am still deep diving for it and i'll let you know when I find it.
My name has quite a story... My birth caused quite a commotion in my family as I was the only male child. Everyone in the family wanted to name me...what started as normal name suggestions turned into a battle of ego's. My 89 year old great grand mother (ggm) stood up from her cot and using all the strength she could muster ... yelled... well not yell exactly... she muttered SILENCE to her 65 year old son... my grand father.
She suggested that everyone should think of a name and should return in one week. They should write the name in a paper and put it in a bowl. She would pick one chit and that name would be my name!
Well... for that one week I was call little nobody... I was waiting eagerly for the week to end so that I would be named... you see I was anxious, I was tired of winning the competition (100,000 sperm and I was the fastest) and God wanted to reward me... but he could not as I did not have a name yet.
The week passed (I slept through it, I was tired you see) and the D-day arrived... My ggm acted importantly and started walking towards the bowl of chits. She started her 20 step journey in the morning and reached late in the afternoon. She picked one chit and gave it to her son who loudly said... this child here shall no longer be called little nobody... he will from now be called "vidya sagar".....well at least that is what he hoped. Well everyone calls me SAGAR... if you call me vidya sagar, I am guaranteed to ignore you.
So are you thinking why did I title this post as "Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive."
I did it because it's my blog and I liked the title :p. Now don't start taking it seriously.
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