With the advent of capitalism, the big cities are getting monstrously consumerist and every step you take, there’s a billboard that’s asking you to buy something. There’s a promise of a lifestyle that everybody apparently deserves and we’re all slaving off in pursuit of the advertised dreams.
There’s nothing wrong in such ambitions, regardless of how tiring the futile endeavor may prove to be in the end. It’s a different story for those who were born with a silver spoon. As for those of us who were born to a middle class family, let’s just take a moment to acknowledge how great we have had it.
We knew what we needed…
There was never too much or too less for we knew how to cut our coats according to our clothes. We lived like the grass, fresh, upright, head against the skies, never demanding more of the earth than we needed – never trying to hog what we would hardly need.
The Importance of Being Earnest…
If there’s something that we had really learnt while growing up it is the importance of being really earnest about something we wanted. We knew what delayed gratification was and we can’t thank our parents enough for never holding in front of us a silver platter full assorted toys that money can buy – glad that we were made to earn them.
We knew the world well…
We had grown up in proximity to all strata of the society. We carried our own clothes to the laundryman, did our own groceries, traveled in public transports, made friends with anybody and everybody because there was no boundaries of status quo. We were in tune with the real world from the early days.
We knew what sacrifices were…
Well, all kids are a little materialistic, aren’t they? If they want something, they’d be hurt if they don’t get it. It’s true that we had the tough love going on while growing up but it doesn’t mean our folks had hearts of stones. However, as we began to develop a sense of how the world works, we realized, that our useless demands were met by little adjustments in the family budget here and there, a little slip of a long ignored simple dreams without as much as a sigh of disappointment.
That’s what had made us human since – the ability to empathize – a lesson far more valuable than consumer products.
We learnt what compassion was
We knew, very well, of that part of the society that is pushed under the mattress lest the progressive and developed image of the nation is compromised. We didn’t live like the Happy Prince, within the high walls of Sans Souci, where sorrow’s not allowed to enter; we didn’t have tinted glasses to roll up so that we could be cut off from the maddening poverty and destitute that is so evident whenever we stepped outside.
We never had the chance to live in denial and believe that everything is alright. It’s true that we couldn’t do much to help but we acknowledged the complexity of life.
We were moved by ideology
It’s true what they say about the capitalist promise – it gives you the chance to leave your rags and embrace the riches. However, nobody mentions that for one man to reach such heights, five men must be trampled under-feet. The world is not here to grant all the wishes we can think of and here’s the reality – everybody cannot live the big life at the same time – there’s simply not enough resource. Therefore, as society develops, as our purchasing power increases, as our lifestyles more and more like they show in the movies, remember, there will always be a dumping ground to trash the waste. Those grounds aren’t deserted. There will be people dwelling in those pits – eating off the waste.
It would be the biggest mistake to assume that whoever couldn’t make it to the top was probably not qualified enough. Not to say that all middle class children eventually grows up to be staunch communists, no, but our humble upbringing allows us to ponder over the gross disparity, the poor distribution of wealth, the flaws in the system and the realizations, good or bad, only leads to something profound.