Addicted? No... Read on...

So you think you are not an addict... such a lie!

While growing up in the 80's there was enough on TV to tell us not to smoke or do drugs! Rather, the only few things that came on TV then, were with the message! Like every good child (so I presumed) I managed to stay away from both through my college and in the last few years of working life! Only to realise in the last week that I am actually an addict! And so are you!

In the last two weeks that I did not have internet connection, it dawned on me how addicted I am. Internet is just one of the things. What were you thinking of? Drugs and smokes...! Ha!

We are living in the world, where we are so dependent on "helpful tools" to make it easier for us to just get through our day, that it is unbelievable! Computers make our work faster. MS Windows makes it even faster (or is at least suppose to). MS Word makes it easier to format. And the help in it even corrects your spelling… so you can remember other important things in life... no I am not talking about the Birthdays and Anniversaries... your MS Outlook calendar takes care of that.

Cars and planes make your travel faster, ball point pens make your writing easier, keyboard (not the musical one) make your typing faster, ACs and fans make it possible to survive the Chennai heat, switches ensure you live after connecting two live wires, scissors help.... Oh yes you and I can go on listing things now... you are getting the hang of it!

Hey... but you will say, these are necessities not addiction. Think again.

Would you have said refrigerators were a necessity 50 years ago? or are, in the rural areas of the country even today? Did I forget the African countries..? But today we can't live without it! But they can. SO it is not a necessity just a tool of convenience and your addiction to it.

You and I are so addicted to electricity that we can't survive a week without it. Yeah... you might get through a few days.

The TV that told us not to get addicted has become an addiction by itself! And does not talk about the original message anymore... cos it runs from the money the tobacco companies give as revenue.

You and I are addicted and living in a world where you can't de-addict. Wish there was an EA - Electricity Anonymous!

Cheers!

Another day...?!!!

With the advent of change in Indian Economy in early nineties, it was not just the economy that was opened up for other countries... from the looks of it, the doors were opened for cultural exchange as well!

With this cultural exchange came the idea of celebrating days... mothers day, fathers day, sisters day, grandma day and today was friendship day!

American's must be wondering, how did we show our appreciation to all these people before they updated our cultural file with their new version. Well we didn't need a day to show our love to our family, cos that was designed in our culture in a way where these people are special to us everyday and not just one day.

I don't blame them for thinking of having a special day for each person, that's the way their society is. Each one for themselves... the concept of family living together seems to be far and few in between and simply not enough for them to drive the message of giving respect to their loved ones.

If you notice you were not aware of any of these days, nor did you care about them... it's all the advertisement to increase the sales of cards and gifts that enlightened you! Oh BTW these are the same American companies (Archies and Hallmark to name a few) that were allowed to do business in India when we opened our economy... and not knowing how to sell in a market like ours.. they decided to help update our cultural file by creating a demand of something that was never wanted.

We are such suckers to have eaten the bait!

I would like to take this opportunity and say a rare thank you to god for giving me a heritage that I am proud of and can say is the best I could have ever asked for.

And a big Thank you to Ma and Pa for making me who I am.

Let's see if we can update their cultural file with Karva Chauth, Ganesh Chaturthi, Pongal and Vijay Dasmi (to start with) before they start the doggy day, cat fight day, bitch slap thy neighbour day... ... ...

Cheers!