Open your eyes and get real

Third world countries, like India, are often looked down upon by the rest of the so-called advanced people more often than not for their lack of progressive thinking than their outdated technologies and working styles. But I beg to differ. And I can elucidate this by the following example.

I mean what do you call the endless, obsessive, bordering-on-insanity kind of dependence people seem to have on looking gorgeous in today’s world? The possible reasons: the portrayal of the perfect looking woman (or human form in general) in media, which is highly warped anyway; the self proclaimed beauty experts; beauty magazines; beauty pageants; cosmetic giants trying to make money by selling unreal ideas…unblemished skin???...fair skin??? I mean if nature intended us to be a certain way, I’m sure there must be some darn good reason for it. I’m not against grooming oneself and trying to look your best. But I’m definitely against trying to look anorexic or ghostly pale.

On a recent show of Oprah, she’d invited people who were clearly in need of psychiatric help. For no apparent reason, each one of them seemed convinced that they were the most ugliest and unattractive people on this planet. No amount of plastic surgery, nose jobs, breast enhancements and body and face lifts were enough to meet their perception of perfection.

The above example was of course from the United States. Back home, in India, in a country that is considered not-so advanced, we continue to suffer fools by the dozen. Today, more than one national TV news channel had their cameras fixed on a man—an astrologer who has apparently been accurate on his predictions most of the time—who had predicted his own death to occur between 3 and 5pm IST. From 9am in the morning, he’d parked himself in a small temple while camera crews covered the event and people from far and near towns flocked the place to see him die.

Back in the studios, the anchors had a field day debating over the prediction with other astrologers and psychologists, playing the guessing game, all in an attempt to keep the gullible public glued to their channels. At about 4pm, the man got up, spoke a few words, and walked away to his own room. I say the man probably wanted to attend to natures call and could not wait until 5 o’clock.

Will someone please tell me what’s going on? Why are people so blind and prone to falling prey to unrealistic expectations and claims? Why is the regular man on the street—regardless of whether he/she belongs to an advanced of backward nation—unable to see that it is only the media or the cosmetic company or some self-proclaimed god man trying their luck at more-than-fifteen-minutes of fame? Food for thought I say.