We and our obsessions…

I always wanted to write something on this topic, but after three lines, whatever I wrote seemed too forced. All I needed was some incident that would prompt me to write something more. And I got just that today. The incident was as follows:

So this certain someone (let’s call her CS) went to a reputed fitness and beauty center with a voucher that she was given by a friend, for a haircut. As soon as she reached there, this was how the conversation ended... 

“Stylist”: Do you know what the cost of hair-cutting at our salon is?

CS: “I’m sure it’s expensive. But I've got a voucher”(in Hindi).

“Stylist”: I see… Let’s have a look at your hair…

(CS sat down for a hair checkup)

“Stylist”: Your hair looks oily. I think you’ll have to get it washed.”

CS: But I just washed it yesterday. Don’t blow-dry it. I’m OK with a simple haircut.

“Stylist”: But mam, my scissors are expensive. It’ll get damaged. I’m sorry, I can’t take a risk.

At this, the lady left and gave her voucher to another friend.

While narrating this incident to someone close to her, CS said, “Log aaj kal pehenaawe par zyaada dhyaan dete hain. Yehi agar aap jeans mein ya salwar-kameez mein jaao, English mein baat karo toh aapko zyaada importance milti hai…” at this, she could speak no further and started crying like a kid.

This furthered my stance on this subject matter.

• I agree that looks and attire do hold an importance in one’s life. But not at the cost of belittling a person’s self-respect and his or her self-perception. Everybody has the right to have an opinion, but being judgmental only because of that is sheer idiocy. I've known many ladies in western attire and highly decked up having no sense of what is going on in the country and lacking opinions. And those very ladies holding an English Magazine upside down. So the question is, does Westernization lies only on how we look? What about our outlook?
• Does knowing English means knowing it all? I mean what is yours if not for your mother-tongue? If you've adopted yourself to some place or some language, you've made yourself that ways. It was never yours. Had there been only English speaking crowd, you’d have no Munshi Premchand, no Nirala, no Rabindranath Tagore, no P.L. Deshpande and very recently, no Gulzar, Javed Akhtars and many other geniuses who have written and still write in languages they are familiar and comfortable with. Why did Shakespeare never try writing in French? What is language if not for the expression and body language?
• And then again, what’s Education if it doesn't show up in your behavior? I respect everyone who is intelligent, knows how to survive and is well aware of the ways of the world. Though I must admit that I dislike everybody who is pretentious. I can stand someone not speaking a language correctly because he or she is unaware; but I’d really disregard anyone who tries faking it, thereby disrespecting his or her state of unawareness and being someone he or she isn't.  Not that my opinion matters to many, but I’m just saying… in case it does.
• We are hypocrites. And we should unabashedly admit it. Take an example of a “foreigner” trying to speak in Hindi. A Namaste, a Shukriya, a ‘Mera naam whatever hai’ is awwww-ed upon. But on the other hand, an Indian, not so familiar with English is booed. A case of vice-versa expects a similar reaction. So why be confused?

Anyway, coming back to the topic, with due respect to their professionalism, why do they always suggest this add-on of washing our hair, on the pretext of finding our hair oily? I’m sure they have better ways of marketing their services… And well, your expensive scissors. I get it. Those that you got from Alfa market? Hmmm… Fair enough. And the cost of hair-cut you asked. Well, I’m sure it’s as much as the sweeper in your office gets it. Value it. Had it not been for him, you’d have to do it yourself. Bend your head for humility and not for looking down upon people and threading.

I apologize in anticipation if I've hurt anyone in anyway whatsoever; that’s not the intention. My concern is with Indians and their obsession with fair skin, straight hair and English, which is indirectly proportional to their unfair mannerisms, narrow mindset and twisted loose talks.

As for the rest, I rest my case…

Yours Sincerely,
A not-so-intelligent, English writing, jeans wearing but not so decked up girl!