Shallow, Shallow World

Ever wondered how shallow and vain we humans tend to get? How we tend to judge and subsequently snub people who we think are not as smart/pretty/rich/successful as we are? I can bet how most of us are nauseated by the overload of "fairness creams" ads that feel like a gritty piece of gravel when you're gorging on your fave Biryani.

Why has our idea of beauty narrowed down to how fairer/thinner/taller we can get? Whatever happened to the good ol' heart, a sense of humor, intellect, strength of character and well-nurtured talent? As a list down the virtues, I realize how bookish and other-wordly they sound now. It is perfectly OK for our generation to reject a perfectly nice person just because he/she does not meet the checklist of perfect complexion ( no, this does not imply clear, healthy skin but "fair" even if the rest of the package looks and behaves like a stinkin' garbage can), height, weight and other stuff that's not likely to last for another decade. This, let me clarify, is not a random, thoughtless statement and neither is it an all-encompassing one. I see people around me every moment who are completely obsessed with the way they look and they are cruelly critical of others who don't care a hoot about what they are wearing with what and how their hair is not perfectly framing their face to accentuate their features.

Sure its great to be well groomed and nicely turned out but is it all that is there to life? Doesn't it take a small bit of life away from you if you refuse to open the car window when its cool and breezy outside for the fear of ruining your hairdo? Aren't you turning your back on small pleasures by refusing to eat a chocolate pie you so damn love coz you're scared it will land up on your butt? Don't you feel ugly staring at the mirror when there are larger and more important things waiting for your attention? Don't you feel disgusting inside when a close friend unloads his/her worries on you and all you can think of is what you should wear to the party tonight?

I might be wrong (though I hope I am not) but in my opinion, people who are all about themselves are somewhere very insecure inside. They know they are ugly and they have little to offer other than branded clothes and a chiselled body. The make-up and high-maintainance haidos are facades which they use to hide the hollowness within themselves. Why are they so scared of showing their real selves to the world? Why do they feel like death if someone saw them before they got out of bed? I am compelled to form an opinion because of late, I have been coming across too many people who do not believe in keeping it real.