Aur Sunao!

"The difference between news and gossip- News tells you what people did, gossip tells you how much they enjoyed it" - Shantaram

Gossip has been a part of Indian culture and routine.. since like.. forever. We even have stories of our Gods gossiping, and we are petty humans so we'll naturally do. But does that mean that we have STAY that way ?

In separate studies they've concluded that Indians are one of the most satisfied and least tensed cultures around the world. Outlook's magazine in its July edition, tells us that gossip is actually healthy!..
But its not gossip that bothers me. Its these two words. " Aur Batao"...

Its like scrapping the bottom of the gossip barrel.
"Dude! Show over! Go home! "
In this age, where you barely get the time for basics like sleep, food, family, how do people - 'Aur batao?'

Idle talk was good.. long .. long time back.
Everyone is SUPER-competitive these days. Especially at work. You'd rather take your reputation, put it in a soiled sock, dip it in grease, and throwing it at a pristine whitewashed wall, than utter these two words. The seriousness of these words hitting you back will be equivalent to the casual quotient of the phrase. Why! Even a lunch invitation from a friend has an agenda these days, except yeah, for obvious reasons like a birthday or something equally apparant.

I personally take these two words very badly, specially coming from people who I'm not very familiar with. I find it crude and rustic. It projects that this person feels as if I have nothing better to do than to entertain. Because you certainly have nothing to tell me, and I obviously have run out of things to talk about. End of conversation. Literally. But NO. Instead of putting a perfectly respectful conversation to a dignified end, you have to drag it around the courtyard.
Most people, unfortunately still use it as a conversation starter or conversation conjugative and become the unsuspecting victims of my wrath.

I dont know. I think even this attitude of mine is a little to the extreme side. People these days are so impersonal and cold, everywhere and everytime, that this can also be one pathetic little attempt of an entire generation to squeeze out, last of the indescribable warmth from each other. One little shrug/jerk towards back to being humans from the rational robots that we have started to become.

Sometimes I wish, everything'd go back to where it was, how it was. People wouldnt have such complicated issues because they'd still be worried about food and shelter.

Can't really decide which one is better.. after all, life isnt black and white.. its just shades of grey..