This year, I begin with an ending. An ending to a chapter of my life that I am told will be the best one. To quote Alice Cooper, “School’s out forever”.
And to be honest I don’t really know what’s going on and I don’t know what should be. But I think I’ve understood one thing…
I am undoubtedly, among other things, a couch potato. And unfortunately the day-to-day requirements of living life as an adult are not compatible with extended periods of time spent sprawled on the couch with the stereo blasting Mötley Crüe on repeat. In my juvenile mind that isn’t fair. Why can’t I spend my days doing what I like? What stops me? The justice system probably. Maybe I should go and form a country of my own. Live on my own terms.
But that’s the question, right? Can one really ever do what they want to? ‘Sure’, you say, but then you have to take into account the fact that we are all limited in our thoughts by the possibilities we deem acceptable. The reason I think I can’t become say, a pilot, is because I am made to believe I’ll not be capable. I have to settle for something else on an unproven notion that I’m forced to console myself with. I accept whatever is told to me as fair and necessary instead of questioning its’ validity. And it’s not just me. Everyone I see around me is victim to this.
For example, there’s the case of entrance examinations. What a genius idea. Why don’t we make life harder for our children? Why don’t we introduce a secondary form of testing to pick students to study in colleges that will render the concept of passing one’s class XII totally redundant? Whoever cooked up this ginormous turd of a proposition must have really had it in for his/her future generations.
I’ve got to bust my head over the hilariously excessive amounts of matter that I am required to have at my fingertips at all times. Theories and formulas that I shall never use for any purpose whatsoever, ever in my life. And I find myself asking the question, “Why?’ Why indeed, am I going through the pains of cramming my brain with useless waffle?
If I am to be honest, it’s got more to do with the fact that it’s all the people around me who are going through the motions than me wanting to do so. Because of course, that’s what we’re supposed to do… or something.
You might ask, “Okay Sunandan, why don’t you go on and raise your voice? Get people behind your motion. Make a difference.” And that’s a good question.
The answer is that even if I did, the sheer volume of humanity that throws itself into the throes of what they think is normality every single day would render my movement pointless. For every person that sees things my way, there’s going to be ten more who think I’m a spoilt primadonna looking for an easy way out. There will always be somebody who will stoop lower. Somebody to undercut you. And in this world, that’s what takes you forward.
The lower you go, the higher you reach.
And that’s how it is for all aspects of life, be it something major like getting into college, getting a job or something small, like getting into a club if you’re underage.
Hence, for now, all I can do is type away angrily at this keyboard. And dream of my utopia while I lay sprawled on the couch, stereo blasting Mötley Crüe on repeat.