The world is too full of contradictions. People say something but behave in an entirely different manner. It is like most of the human race is a live example of incredible hypocrisy. I used to think that people are born honest and as they grow up, the environment around them begins to corrupt their minds. But now after 22 short years in this world (or long - that is still 2.2 decades - depends on how you look at it - but anyway, that's not the point), I am almost ready to believe that the opposite must be the truth. I am beginning to wonder whether this is a born defect. May be this is human nature. May be most people are born hypocrites and as they grow up, only some of them choose to be their true selves. Because no rule is absolute and the ultimate rule is that there is an exception to every rule. It is a shocking revelation to my own self that honest people might be that exception, not hypocrites. People, it seems, are honest by choice, not by birth. It may be offensive to most people, but in my limited experience (again, depends on how you look at it), this very fact has been thrust into my face time and again. By my own people too.
We humans have a habit of complicating stuff. We tend to overlook the simplest thing in the world, which is simplicity itself. What makes people want to be a multiple personality? Why can’t they be what they are? What is it that makes them hide behind a mask? Fear of the society? Yes, may be. But please, what on earth is this ‘society’? Again, the answer is simple. Society is the term used to collectively describe people who have a certain common manner of living and a similar way looking at things. Just 'people', in short. In addition to the four basic physical needs of food, air, water and shelter, there is another need in all of us. The social need - the need to fit in the ‘society’. They punish, they ignore, they abolish, they ridicule and they shamelessly trample upon anyone who doesn’t stand by the ways of the society. Very few people have the courage to challenge this, be themselves, think differently and overcome all the obstacles placed in their way by the same old society. These are the people who rise above the voices of the commonwealth. And the irony is that these very people who were tortured for being different are then projected by the society as ‘role models’ to emulate. All the while, there is no change in the ways of the society and people who challenge the system are still looked down upon. There! Hypocrisy pokes out its ugly head again.
So how do you distinguish between the real and the hypocrite? Good question, I say! Like Jane Austen said, “One has all the goodness and the other has all the appearance of it." Difficult, isn’t it? No, it’s not. In fact, it is far too easy. All you need to do is observe and make a deduction, just like Sherlock Holmes. “Oh”, one might ask, “So why have you been ranting about the whole thing?” Well, if anybody out there still cares to know the ‘why’ part, then I’ll willingly oblige. I wrote about it because I’m angry. I'm sorry for putting you through the process of reading this but yes, you heard that right. I am mad at the society and at the world in general. I have waited long enough (unless 22 doesn't count) and now I want answers. Fat chance that I’ll get it from the object of my anger, so I decided to find them myself. And no, I’m not some great wannabe philosopher wanting to change the world with my mind blowing and out of this world ideas. I could be called ‘a rebel’ at best. And this was just a small piece of my revolt.
- Gayatri Shejwal
