Announce your "Arrival"

My cousin, much younger to me, bought a new car last year ... fully automatic with a sun roof.

He had also purchased an iPhone as proof of having "arrived".

He explained, a bigger, better car is required to establish your status. I asked the purpose of the sunroof. And he said, if there's an accident, that's an escape route. He has been driving since the last 30 years. On being asked him how many accidents he has had, even minor ones, he couldn't think of any. So he said, his young daughter, would enjoy.

But since in Mumbai one can't imagine keeping the sun roof open at any time of the year, except may be a couple of days during January or February....that was ruled out, too.

Also after he became educated about the dangers of standing up through the sunroof in a speeding vehicle he decided against risking his daughter's life.

Then he told me, in these new upscale cars, the front lights are on all the time. As a safety measure he assured me. Now, in a country where sunlight is aplenty, i asked, why would we need front lights during the day and whether that would not drain batteries faster!  Of course, no answer to that.

How gullible can we be! The automobile manufacturers are playing on people's psyche and we, fools that we are, are ready to literally, buy anything.

Our self-worth for most is, what others think of us. Because, intrinsically we are hollow. We quote the Bhagwat Gita at the drop of a hat but believe nothing contained in it.

And how can we, for we have no belief in ourselves. We need approval all the time.

And if you dare to be different, God help you!

[Sucharita]