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Saturday, October 03, 2009

Of things Artificial, and those Natural

Love being Natural?

Yes you would say, but are we ever natural!

On an auto ride with my friend in Delhi we debated the artificial vs. natural thing like never before, especially in the context of Delhi, debate continued at an engg. college friend's home party.

We have two sides (we is generalized by people coming from smaller towns & cities), one is natural, likes meeting people, sitting with family and friends, enjoying nice street food, being part of festivals, going to temple sometimes, roaming around and having a nice relaxing evening followed by a movie on TV and some nice sleep.

The other side, goes to Pubs, drinks the hell out of oneself; multiplexes: buys popcorn worth 70 bucks (within 44 Rs. I used to enjoy pop corn, a movie, cold drink and a two way bus ride to city during school days), watches a movie a week, walks into a mall: window shops, really shops and just keeps on spending through the clutter of restaurants, food courts and ice cream parlors.

And after moving to cities (and especially after we started earning), we sort of have started living more like the latter than former. Although the joy of living life this style is hardly long lasting.

For a city, you would consider Gurgaon the best in India, super awesome roads, beautiful buildings, so many malls. My first day here I wanted to buy some innerwear, and I told my friend, so my friend asked Levis or Nike store? A city where people think of malls even while buying chaddi baniyaan!!! Its not their fault, this place is the pinnacle of consumerist culture and show-baazi, a practice linked to most of North India. Although I am not accusing all of this, there have been strange exceptions right from UG to PG days and they are all dear friends. But mostly a region characterized by slight rudeness in the way people talk, slight aggression, and a fascination to show that one can splurge money.

Compare that to the long walks I had in Old Delhi near Redfort through Ramlilas. Regular people, enjoying with families, having fun and a great time, & contrast it too hardly-anything-wearing-girls in GK or South ex at night, have seen a bit of all in the past few days. From the aloo chaat & paani puris in Old Delhi to 70 Rs dosas in Gurgaon fort, a nice mix of Artificial and natural awaits us everywhere we go.

Its on us and only on us, that which path we choose.

Many here want to fake it to make it, but I think they would be just fine if they just try to make it…

Right now for me I am trying to balance the two, somehow unsuccessfully

5 comments:

TheQuark said...

pI had a natural vs unnatural debate with some one on conservative side. The point in debate was homosexuality. Well neither I am one and neither am I expert of any sorts but I was flabbergasted when the above mentioned person claimed that is is unnatural and even "like" a disease!

That prompted me to rethink can animals be gay? What is natural? The common argument that I always hear is "God didn't make us to do this" (homosexuality/abortion...)

Did he make us to make huge towers, wars, GM food, Dolly?

In such a way I always get back to the same question, what is natural and I think to break from the loop people take an easy way of God to certify their biases

Amit said...

Nice observation...Even I have gone through similar experiences and time and again they have prompted me to examine and re-examine my changing lifestyle, preferences and habbits, made me question whether I am becoming more like them whom I used to laugh about.
But that's life I guess, about having different experiences and adjusting to changing times and cultures around you. This penchant to adjust and carry on life is what has sustained human life till now through toughest times and places.

Appy said...

nice post and as you know i can relate to these things very well... i was one of the people who actually came to know about the brand as such or what a chain of stores is post graduation when I actually started working in Mumbai. the thing is here we can not blame anyone but it is again about teh choice and the environment in which you are brought up. But again the thing remains that even if you take all kind of experiences, living life no more remains matter of choice but the habit or comfort. Me too trying to balance between two but would always prefer to be on the natural side, my comfort zone i. e. tier 1 or tier 2 city than a metro.

TG said...

Good post, very deep. I like your thinking, some parts are alike with mine.

DreAmgiRL said...

me likes it