Capricious Covetousness

Keats quoted, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. The question is what is beauty?

Beauty – whatever abstract thing it is. I know that it is mainly classified into two – inner beauty & outer beauty.

Inner beauty is virtue, education, behavior, attitude, poise whereas outer beauty is what we see.  As it’s visible, it’s more dominant and can be easily judged while apprehending inner beauty requires a great deal of effort and profound knowledge.

So, who has so much time? That’s why we fudge the issue and assume both to be the same. Simple as that! Why involve in intricacies of this enigma?

Stark irony is that this ephemeral thing is primordial. Yes, a good look has been the cusp of goodness and evil since ages. Irrevocable temperament to look like an angel has always been on the wish list. Living in a surreal world envisaging a pretty visage is so common.

It’s human tendency to emulate perfection.  We try to improve, to obliterate every possible thing in a maddening way which sometimes seems frightening.

This blooming cosmetic industry is a living proof that we are so much bothered about it. Face which is just supposed to be an identity to differentiate one from the other, sometimes changes the true identity of a person. Life is unimaginably hard for some grotesque faces.  An unnecessary inferiority binds them for which they aren’t even responsible. Humiliation, being mocked even by friends is usual. Happiness comes for those who learn to be mature enough to ignore these comments or develop a stoic silence pretending “I don’t care”.

And all these, what we die for is just for a few advantages: for some attention, envious & aspiring glances, fulsome compliments etc.  Looking good not only gives high confidence but immense self-esteem as well. You learn to love yourself, seeing your own image in the mirror conceits. No matter how you actually are but for some time you keep people enthralled by your facade.

This has taken so much time from our busy life or perhaps it is a break from monotonous work. It is such a good conversation starter too.  Even if you don’t know someone you can easily begin with a compliment on this. So, however insignificant it may appear, it has occupied a major part in our life. And, unfortunately nothing can be done about this. Even if no one says anything it’s indubitably one’s desire to achieve perfection in something so noticeable.  And this yearning comes in all irrespective of gender, religion, caste etc.

So, someone rightly said that beauty is a short lived tyranny.

Suffice to say, I’d like to end it with a couple of famous lines which says it all

“Beauty is like life itself: a dawn mist

The sun burns off.  It gives no peace, no rest.”

Where I went wrong

Things when started went all so smooth

Whatever happened around was also good

Everyone believed it was an auspicious mood

But I still can’t guess, O dude!

Where the hell I went wrong?

I’ve been waiting for so long

And damn! You arrived so rude

You surely broke my heart

Leaving me in the middle of the warpath

The blood dripping off my sleeves

No aspirin could even help me relieve

Yet the question still lingering my mind

Where the hell I went wrong?

Although the time has passed on now

People forgot you somehow

Ah! The wounds still hurt

You’ve made a gloomy, creepy cut

The terrific past

Makes me aghast

The agony deep within still remains

Neither cuddles nor lullabies could help me in bane

But I’m waiting for you again

Moving on, making smart moves

Still one question sustains

That where the hell I went wrong?

Role of Celebrities in our life

We ordinary people are born to worship, be it the God or a celebrity.  The beautiful, bizarre faces tend to occupy our mind to an extent of delirium. We become so harebrained that we’re unable to discern the evil and the good.  Their grimacing intimidates our normal expressions. We become incompetent in any lucky conversation with them.  We even emulate their statuesque moves. Even a single picture with our self – made deity becomes our priciest possession, and the best thing to flaunt. A mere physical contact seems to impart ‘The Midas Touch’ in us. Their gaffes and flaws are treated as style statements.

We gawk at their sleepy faces – because we find it beautiful.  Their every little routine part is an event for us.  Any beautiful creation isn’t graceful or charming if it isn’t promoted by the stars.

It’s an utter shame that mourning on their small cut is equivalent to death of 100 people in the city.  Without any emotional or social contact with them – their life events hold a festive place in our hearts.

And our dear luminaries have given us a lot in lieu of our adulation. They’ve encouraged:

(i)                  Metro mundane life:  A life full of gossips, envy, ostentation, parties without tweeting people, parties only with loud music and intoxicants. Money frenzy society with your near and dear ones busy pulling wool over your eyes. Your friends close to eavesdrop, to gather and reveal every possible detail of yours.

(ii)                Bike rage, impatience, short cuts to success.

(iii)               Haute couture, sophisticated, fashionable, costly, trendy, soulless living.

(iv)              Bullying, deception, melancholies, betrayal, violence etc.

Now, people don’t interact, thankfully there is only some form of talk through the internet but too becomes a headache with unwanted cyber personalities interfering.

These celebrities worshipped like the almighty should learn to behave like them. They’ve the power to change millions of minds, lives of their fans. I don’t think they’re taking this crucial responsibility trivially. Instead of boasting of their fame given by us, they should teach us some good such as:

(i)                  Laying emphasis on simple living, high innovative thinking. Isn’t it better to invent or discover new instead of bragging of the invented ones. People must come out of the traps of caste, religion, discrimination, cheating, corruption, false, easy and quick money making techniques etc.

(ii)                Encouraging people to use eco-friendly and renewable resources that may or may not look attractive. But this is the key to happy, sustainable living.

(iii)               Redefining fashion as something which makes you confident, comfortable and creative.

(iv)              Condemning the false flaunting and wastage as petty ideas.

(v)                Appreciating that owing a glossy, costly car/cellphone or trendy outfit is not a matter of pride. Instead it’s our knowledge, our behavior, our healthy thoughts that we should be proud of.

(vi)              Highlighting the fact that – it is not our wealth that makes us the center of attraction but it is our modesty, simplicity, loyalty and our loving nature that makes us a face worth remembering.

In this rat race to westernization, people are putting at stake much of its environment, culture and values.  Every development is leading to declining happiness.  And in this era of beauty, endorsing something ugly although beneficial is a challenging task.

These things may be vehemently opposed or shunned at the first time, but in the long run people will revel the idea of quiescent and simplified form of living. I know that a single person can’t do this but it could be a coterie of celebs inspiring this innovative, effective version of life. However difficult this job maybe but it should be tried, as a famous saying goes – “The night is indeed dark but when is lightning a lamp forbidden.”

If above mentioned things are accepted and followed, life will inevitably be simple & people will get time to relax and think high.