The jeans so tight,
Offer no respite.
The car driven so fast,
Gives a jolt to my heart,
But then it is the need of the hour.
Red and green hair,
Make me scared,
But if I don’t have them
Don’t you think, my friends would stare!!
Thus, spoke the heart, which is a victim of the syndrome of status symbol. Alas! This sentiment is not just confined to a particular victim, but is echoed in many a heart.
India is a country that has cradled many ancient civilisations, a land where epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata unfolded, a land where a rich composite culture unfolded. Till very recent years, the country could boast of a generation that was the proud inheritor of a rich legacy.
But what is the scenario now? A generation that is so gullible and immature that it swears by whatsoever is in vogue or whatsoever is a status symbol. Revolution in Information Technology has reduced vast distances and has reduced the world into a global village. The advent of satellite T.V. has brought all that is latest in fashion to each and every living room-be it dresses, hair styles, fast and flashy cars, high tech mobiles or opulent lifestyles.
The campus of educational institutions and other favourite haunts of the youngsters testify to the severity with which the syndrome of status symbol has gripped the society.
The senior in age are not to be left behind. A small compact house would reduce their status to zero. Oh yes! Frequent foreign trips to replenish their wardrobe are a must!
So, young and old alike, are chasing a mirage – a mirage where the status is enhanced by aping whatsoever is the latest. Let us spare a moment for introspection. What is the product of this syndrome of status symbol- a cultureless, soulless decadent generation! So is it wrong to change with the changing times, or should we remain bound to the traditions?
Let us change, but, let us change wisely and not blindly. Let us incorporate only those styles and changes which benefit us- the proud inheritors of a rich legacy, that is unparalleled and unsurpassed, the worldover!
