ALL THAT GLITTERS

BY: PRATHAM GOLCHA

Many of the youngsters and Gen-Z of my age would be instantly attracted to the title of this article, for a simple fact that one, the title is a trending song on Instagram, and two, it is indeed catchy! Now, the reason for writing this is simply to understand and comprehend the psychology of today’s human being. When we say “All That Glitters,” it has a popular phrase which is completed with “Is Not Gold” as the predicate. We have nowadays become way too glittery with all our actions, perceptions, attitudes and behaviors. By glittery, I mean here, everything is worked upon for perception. The pictures need to be perfectly aesthetic, the clothes need to be in coordination, the food is required to be just as precise, the phone needs to be the latest model, we need to look our perfect selves, so on and so forth. Indeed, there is beauty and attraction in this perfectness. It is highly valued and does command a whole range of respect and affability from people. But, deep down, as simple human beings, is there anything simple left about us anymore? In today’s lives, it is no less than a paradox that we don’t even know ourselves and yet have unrealistic expectations of “understanding” others, leave aside the virtues and morals, such as empathy and compassion. Such is today’s world that these mere words have become a rarity. Sure, as the old school thought goes, there has to be some good in the world, and which is why the world is stable. It is just a matter of whether the glass is half full or half empty. If we focus on the negative, our perception would probably never change, while the converse is true as well.

The point being made here is that there is actually no need to make our lives this complicated. It is as simple as we let it be. This doesn’t mean that depression, anxiety aren’t real, this also doesn’t equate to the fact that genuine issues pervade everyone’s lives. Perhaps, these are universal truths and are inevitable. But, we still hold the key to our lives. We always have a choice in life- even at gunpoint, we do have a choice to give in or die. Thus, there is absolutely no arguing on the fact that humans have “no choices.” What is happening nowadays is that we are living not for ourselves, but to show the world, to make a statement, to prove a point. While this might never be a wrong proposition, perhaps, in which way it is being done and looked at, is worth giving a thought in the current context. Today’s human is completely incoherent in the way he goes about life- the thoughts do not align with the words, and the words do not align with the actions. This leads to a depletion of our soul energy, we lose the innocence and charm of what defines us as a person in life, something that sets us apart from others. Following the herd is easy, which is why it is the path more followed, while treading a solo path is never easy! But it definitely is worth living and experimenting. The people we meet, the experiences we hold, all together contribute to what we are today. It isn’t even about being good or bad, happy or unhappy, satisfied or unsatisfied. The spectrum is wider in life, and we must rise above perceiving things solely in black and white.

Materialistic things are rarely any indices to judge people. People are people, irrespective of being defined by the paraphernalia that defines them. This is what propels people to achieve and become extraordinary in life- different from the rest. It is not the possessions that count, never did. Yes, there is almost absolutely nothing that money cannot buy in today’s life. A person is known less for their possessions and more for the person they are. After all, we are all made of flesh and blood, and no matter how artificial our behaviors and attitudes might get, there is no denying the fact that it is emotion that binds us together. Showing manners is the new cool, being respectful is the new mantra, forming soul-to-soul connections is the new trend, being less critical of things is the new herald. Let this be our mantra to begin with. Let there be a renaissance and a new wave of thought and action that defines humans. Treasure relationships and people, for it is an open secret that we all have a limited time on this earth. No amount of perfection, glitter and glamor at the other end of life’s spectrum would be worth it in the end. Equating these arguments and propositions does not mean that one should not splurge at times, or enjoy luxury. Indeed, it is beautiful and is no less than a privilege of being gifted with them, and one should fully cherish. The takeaway fact is that it should remain decent and genuine, for one’s own genuine self; not flashy, or extravagant. Of course, people would be attracted, and there would be a certain amount of appropriation that you would command, but is it worth it in the end? Isn’t it all hollow? Like, be all glam-sham, attend parties, socialize with people, and yet in the same breath, have no social energy, be depressed or anxious, or be constantly in comparison. There needs to be a full stop to the needs and wants of a human being. Even the environment and climate do not have the capacity and strength anymore to accommodate them all. Look around you, the world is replete with examples.

There is no one way of looking at it. This may just be one perspective to a larger scheme of things, and there is nothing ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ as such. It is a personal disposition of living one’s life in the way one deems appropriate. In today’s times, moreover, it is impossible to ‘preach’ or make people believe in something. It is simple- people would live and behave the way they want, so why not live it in the best possible way, realizing our highest virtues and potentials, rather than pseudo, artificial, superficial or hollow ones! After all, “it is only the superficial qualities that last; man’s deeper nature is out soon”.