Many people live their lives in ways that don’t matter to anyone, even to themselves. We are just passing time till we reach the finish line, death, a thing we fear the most, but which is the truest thing that exists - an irony!
But we forget to live and avoid living at all costs. By distracting ourselves with anything that might prevent the bubbling up of the existential anxiety that might stare us in the face once we choose to just sit down with ourselves and do nothing. We don’t want to get bored. We want to be entertained at all times. We don’t have monkey minds anymore; their minds will be much calmer and happier than ours. Because they have managed their expectations better. The difference between their expectations and reality is not much. Unfortunately, our case is completely opposite.
We don’t want to die, yet we don’t live even for a moment. What an irony!
We just keep running in circles. Everybody wants to earn more money. But why? Because, collectively, as a species, we have decided that it is the most important way in which we can spend our limited time. More money equals more happiness, more stuff, more respect, and other bullshit.
We, all of us, consume content like anything. Only the form and quality of the content differ. Some of us consume news; some consume reels; some consume books; some consume podcasts; some consume “long-form content” - movies, web series, YouTube, etc.; some consume video games; some consume experiences - travel, food, water parks, concerts, etc.
We are at a stage where watching long-form videos is considered an achievement; it means your mind is less mushy than that of someone who consumes reels. The market has made it incredibly easy to mask and curb those deep-rooted feelings. You can consume at any price point. There is something for everyone - cheap internet, TV, yachts, domestic vacations, international vacations, private islands, and kids on some of those islands. Scooters, commuters, street nakeds, adventure bikes, cruisers, scrams, cafe racers. Hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, MPVs, EVs(so that you can feel a little good about yourself), and ICEs. Economy class, business class, business economy(whatever that is), private jets.
You name it, we have it. Cricket, football, basketball, and F1. NBA, UFC, FIFA, IPL, T20s, ODIs, tests.
If everyone can be a creator and everyone is a consumer, most creations will be shitty. That’s what content is — shitty art.
You have to keep the machine churning. And it runs on your time, your dreams, your ethics, your morals, your principles, and your soul.
Having some gatekeepers is a good thing. The quality of books was better before self-publishing. Only the rich could produce substandard books. For everybody else, the gatekeepers would kill the bad ones.
Now there are more coaches than the people who want a coach. And the irony is that some of the people who need coaching the most are….coaches. Delusional to the extent that they think that regurgitating third-rate manifestation books will make people’s lives so much better. But they can’t manifest success as they define it — more followers and more money. Nothing is enough. They need more of everything. If only we could defy physics and stretch time as well.
Like ignorance is mistaken for bliss, delusion is mistaken for truth. With delusion comes happiness or maybe some polluted or watered-down version of it. Sometimes I envy these people's confidence, but it is not a good deal if it comes as a combo with delusion. It’s better to be a miserable realist than an ecstatic delusional. The disappointment when the reality hits you will be much less. Most of Instagram is just a dance bar, and it seems like everyone likes to perform and watch others perform. And the majority of the remaining minority is a marketplace.
In this age of hyper-aggressive marketing & advertisement, and so much free content, it is a big achievement just to NOT be a consumer. The ads are no longer just in-your-face. They are in-your-behind, both from inside and outside. It went inside your mouth when it was in-your-face and then reached your behind, making your liver and soul fatty on the way. But now it cannot go any further and exit because there are already other ads trying to enter your behind from the outside. So the equal-and-opposite forces cancel each other out perpetually.
People tend towards social media, fast food, porn, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, fitness, shopping - whatever can help them escape the harsh reality. Reality where they need to put their shit together, the reality which is waiting for them with a barrage of miseries, inconveniences, and other wholesome stuff. It's just too much work to face it. Kal dekhte hain. We have the whole life ahead of us to deal with that shit. The people I love, and I, are immortal. Everybody else is a mere mortal. They can be murdered by ramming my car into their two-wheeler. They deserve it. Their blood is on their own hands. The level of entitlement one can have just by owning two more wheels is scary. The government and those in power stopped caring about human lives long ago. Some of us have joined the club too. And I strongly believe that social media and the enormous amount of capitalism play a considerable part in this. The level of rage, envy, faux power, and entitlement they can create is palpable. You can touch it if you have the patience to observe it in yourself or others. Your carbon footprint is directly proportional to your ego and entitlement.
Mar 7, 2026
Bangalore