Masks and Mirrors — The Price of a Life Built on Appearances
I sit quietly and observe how people are engulfed in shallow, eye-pleasing things, people and narratives. There is a plethora of industries helping media personalities look and feel good, but many who consume media don’t see what’s behind the scenes. They accept what’s offered—sometimes as propaganda, sometimes as a push for virality, often to sell products, and even to sway minds using audio-visual means. Why are we chasing this? Why do we want to look like them? Why aren’t we drawn to people who seek calm in their hearts and souls?
Why do we wear a mask rather than looking inward to solve our own puzzles? Why aren’t the things that truly matter being addressed? Why don’t people seek genuine happiness? Why has it become fashionable to look dishevelled, to lack harmony between mind, body and soul?
Why do so many receive parcels from major brands? Why are we on social media to see what to buy, exchange and return? Why is social media swallowing us whole—suggesting the restaurants we should visit, the celebrity-endorsed apparel we should wear, or the trendy accessories we must have?
What’s happening to us? Why can’t we have conversations without social media fads? Why can’t we enjoy ourselves without chasing the trends on reels? Why is it all about money, property, accessories, trendy restaurants and hotels?
Why does owning an XYZ car or a flat in a posh area validate one’s existence? Does the number of flights taken or destinations visited elevate a person in others' eyes? Does a university name or job title truly define who we are? Why is there such a drive to be seen as better, richer and more influential than others?
People seem to be in constant pursuit of validation, eager to measure themselves against others. But does this chase bring any real benefit? Instead, it hands over our peace, calm and tranquility, letting others control and disrupt what should be our own inner contentment.
With India facing poverty and the middle class struggling, where is all this money coming from? How are young people who aren’t even earning affording these things? With parents working hard just to make ends meet, where is the money inflow supporting gadgets, trendy clothes, food deliveries and the constant celebrations of Indian and American holidays? With so many struggling to find jobs, how is everything kept up?
And whom are these people showing off to? In the end, no one will come to their rescue. What ensues are piles of loans, distorted affairs, broken relationships with loved ones, low self-esteem, lost credibility and mental health struggles. So, what is anyone doing to keep everything right? Is anyone being discouraged from indulging in excess? And does anyone even care about this bizarre way of living life?
So much gets passed down to us through our past generations, why one talks about only the wealth? Why nobody wants to discuss about the value systems, traditions, family values, etiquette, happy memories, experience of being truly loved and feeling of how it feels to belong.
It’s the calm that matters when one is around family and close folks, being happy and content with what one has rather than aspiring to someone else’s goals and chasing them without even weighing the pros and cons. No amount of chasing the outwards will ever bring one to a calmer, happier, and more purposeful life. Chasing the calm should be the mantra in this chaotic world.
