So, is just me that sees the irony in the phrase "settling down"? Its quite stupendous what turns the conversation takes when you and your friends are a little inebriated. Regardless of the intoxication, the gist of the conversation was very entertaining. So here is some food for thought
So, while my friends were discussing their future prospects, aspirations and plans, it just hit me. Not exactly an epiphany, but just a happy realisation. With all this talk about "settling down" going around, it dawned on me that when people say "you need to settle down in life now" that is exactly what they mean. Essentially, to settle means to come to a conclusion or negotiate. And that is exactly what most people mean when referring to that phrase. Isn't the conclusion of life, death? Negotiation translates to "You need make certain compromises now, especially with your life-style and some of your aspirations" Suddenly we are supposed to change our whole perspective and put every single decision, even the most trifle ones through a Risk-Reward Matrix. There are certain expectations from these "settled" people. Social conformism has set the rules for it, and they have been set in stone. Give up your creature comforts and leisurely indulgences to live a better life. Thanks, but I'd rather not. Its these indulgences and comforts that add a personality to my life, they make it my own, else it would be quite generic. It might sound shallow, but I don't really care, I like a little decadence in my life...
Isn't it about time someone brings about a paradigm shift? I for one, am not fit to live my life in these moulds set by ancestral prejudice. Why not have the freedom to design our own life, to our liking. Why does it have to conform to a preset, a pre-configured, generic shell, which we have to shove ourselves into? Marriage, children etc, are all defined on the scale of age. Agreed that age plays an important role when it comes to them, but why not the individual be given the liberty to choose? And why outcast him or her when they choose differently? Why jump to the conclusion that there must be a personality flaw preventing them from committing to these social norms?
I do feel that having a family is important. But that only applies to me. I do not judge the people who haven't gone down the conventional path dictated by our culture and society. In fact, kudos to them for sticking it up to the proverbial man. Life is a pursuit of happiness, and happiness comes from within. So first, make yourself happy, it only makes sense, no?
I believe, that the generation gap between mine and the previous one is monumental. Development occurred at such an astonishing rate in the last quarter of a century, that it made us very flexible. The information age exposed to global ideologies an made us misfits for the social norms from the yesteryear. Suddenly our perspectives changed, a new sense of clarity emerged which was unfathomable for people for the previous generation, even blasphemous at times. Many things that "they" thought of utmost importance, we now take for granted, and that too, without having any guilty conscience. Life has gotten bigger and shorter at the same time. We have become a lot more greedy. That insatiable hunger to always want more is what drives us. Striking balance in life is not the key. It reminds me of something I read in a book, "The moment we try to obtain balance in our life, is when we kill creativity and any chance of innovation"
"A man is not old until regrets take place of his dreams - John Barrymore" There, that's the secret of eternal youth. Live life without regrets. Easier said than done, but as if that's going to stop me from trying. A mistake doesn't constitute to having a regret. We should learn from our own mistakes, for they are ours to make and the lessons learned from them are a lot more personal, intimate.
"Someone who hasn't made any mistakes in his life, hasn't tried anything new - Einstien" So go ahead I say, try something new.
So, while my friends were discussing their future prospects, aspirations and plans, it just hit me. Not exactly an epiphany, but just a happy realisation. With all this talk about "settling down" going around, it dawned on me that when people say "you need to settle down in life now" that is exactly what they mean. Essentially, to settle means to come to a conclusion or negotiate. And that is exactly what most people mean when referring to that phrase. Isn't the conclusion of life, death? Negotiation translates to "You need make certain compromises now, especially with your life-style and some of your aspirations" Suddenly we are supposed to change our whole perspective and put every single decision, even the most trifle ones through a Risk-Reward Matrix. There are certain expectations from these "settled" people. Social conformism has set the rules for it, and they have been set in stone. Give up your creature comforts and leisurely indulgences to live a better life. Thanks, but I'd rather not. Its these indulgences and comforts that add a personality to my life, they make it my own, else it would be quite generic. It might sound shallow, but I don't really care, I like a little decadence in my life...
Isn't it about time someone brings about a paradigm shift? I for one, am not fit to live my life in these moulds set by ancestral prejudice. Why not have the freedom to design our own life, to our liking. Why does it have to conform to a preset, a pre-configured, generic shell, which we have to shove ourselves into? Marriage, children etc, are all defined on the scale of age. Agreed that age plays an important role when it comes to them, but why not the individual be given the liberty to choose? And why outcast him or her when they choose differently? Why jump to the conclusion that there must be a personality flaw preventing them from committing to these social norms?
I do feel that having a family is important. But that only applies to me. I do not judge the people who haven't gone down the conventional path dictated by our culture and society. In fact, kudos to them for sticking it up to the proverbial man. Life is a pursuit of happiness, and happiness comes from within. So first, make yourself happy, it only makes sense, no?
I believe, that the generation gap between mine and the previous one is monumental. Development occurred at such an astonishing rate in the last quarter of a century, that it made us very flexible. The information age exposed to global ideologies an made us misfits for the social norms from the yesteryear. Suddenly our perspectives changed, a new sense of clarity emerged which was unfathomable for people for the previous generation, even blasphemous at times. Many things that "they" thought of utmost importance, we now take for granted, and that too, without having any guilty conscience. Life has gotten bigger and shorter at the same time. We have become a lot more greedy. That insatiable hunger to always want more is what drives us. Striking balance in life is not the key. It reminds me of something I read in a book, "The moment we try to obtain balance in our life, is when we kill creativity and any chance of innovation"
"A man is not old until regrets take place of his dreams - John Barrymore" There, that's the secret of eternal youth. Live life without regrets. Easier said than done, but as if that's going to stop me from trying. A mistake doesn't constitute to having a regret. We should learn from our own mistakes, for they are ours to make and the lessons learned from them are a lot more personal, intimate.
"Someone who hasn't made any mistakes in his life, hasn't tried anything new - Einstien" So go ahead I say, try something new.
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