‘Shape without form, shade without colour, Paralysed force, gesture without motion’, T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men
What are we? Mere robots? So, when they predicted the future, did they warn us that humans will turn into robots?
Many modernist poets also mentioned in their works that human beings are mere puppets with no emotions. We are young yet so old and some of us die before turning 30. You crouch and sit in front of the screen for hours, just like hollow men, as well as women, and that is it. You do that till you die and maybe this is why most of us are always on the look for an escape.
The sound of keyboards tapping, mouse-clicking and straining your eyes for hours shouldn’t be exciting. What happened to going out and making memories? Painting even if you can’t paint, singing even when you know you are not a good singer. What happened to that world? Are we going back in time or is being perfect and asking for validation from some strangers on the internet become so important that it has drained all the emotions from our body?
I always had to hear that those who enjoy their lives are spoiled kids, Yes! Naina Talwar’s mother is like all our mothers, “Jawaan ladkiyan zyaada enjoy karein na toh pregnant ho jaati hai”. We have been hearing such lines throughout our life and when you are old enough to understand that it is all a circle, it becomes too late. Go to school, get a degree, look for a job, get married, get pregnant and die.
The worst part is that you are not allowed to enjoy these things because there’s too much competition and no time for enjoyment.
What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.
Why is it that most of the people are depressed or are always angry? It is because we are tired? Tired of competing with others and faking smiles in front of our peers and colleagues. The emotions behind this article are not to question the way we live our lives but to let the readers know that taking a break should be normalised.
If you want to pack your bags, dress like Victorian ladies, sip black coffee and run away to the fields with a Sylvia Plath’s book, you may do as you wish. We have all been there and while some of us are still looking for an escape from our ordinary lives, we all will get through this, all by and by.
