An Unusual Interview Of a Peculiar Indian Kid
Q1: Do you wish you were born or brought up in some other country of the likes of America?
ANS: My answer is an obvious (if u know me closely) big NO. An average kid in India experiences what the western people would never ever witness throughout their lives. And if you are lucky you can experience even more. That is why they say that an 18 year old Indian’s brain is as developed as a 30 year old American’s. (And just to extend the joke a little further) Maybe that is the reason that they marry at a later age than an average Indian. And it is very interesting and amusing to note that a well read eastern scholar is fully exposed to the western culture while ironically even the most advanced western kid/student/scholar won’t have any significant knowledge about the east. (Those who even try to learn sound so silly while our BPO employees fake their accent with such authenticity.) No wonder we have an inherent advantage in becoming much better Global professionals than our western counterparts. Also, we enjoy the best of “both” the worlds.
Q2: Would you like to visit western countries?
ANS: Of course. I was born on the planet Earth. Ideally the whole earth is my home. It’s just that some other people live in the western parts. I’ll find a place for myself wherever I want for whatever duration I wish and will move on.
Q3: Everyone lives a different life. Many have regrets at their deathbed that they could‘ve lived a better life, a more complete life. While others would claim that their life was best. How do you think life can be more fulfilling, more complete?ANS: It depends from person to person. There is no end to desires. Some always want more even at their deathbed. While some feel they have had enough and end their lives. Do what your heart says. Be unpredictable, at least not stereotyped. Welcome change. Don’t postpone happiness, so that you don’t have any regrets even if you die today. You cannot see everything in life and you never know what all you might be missing in life. But if you see the following two things/circumstances you would see enough, close to completion. 1. Any person however beautiful/handsome/intelligent must face rejection once in life. 2. Any rich person must experience poverty once in life. The list can be extended by choosing any two extremes but these two REJECTION and POVERTY are indispensable.
A rich person reading this might call me insane. But he would never know what he has been missing out until he sees what I am saying. (The best sequence for ultimate experience is from being rich to poor and back to being rich). Even if I am right, you can’t and shouldn’t and won’t give up all your wealth just for experimenting on my theory. That is why you just have to be lucky, to be born in the right circumstances and in the right place. Being born in India helps. (The probability of adverse circumstances increases):).
Q4: What according to you is the psychological difference in the mind set of Indian and say, American children?
ANS: The difference in psychologies of children eventually goes on to be extended to grownups as well. The differences are apparent and contrasting. How many Indian kids in India get INK (tattoos) on their bodies? These kids are dependent on their parents and under their control. How many Indian kids go on back pack trips (to search for their identity and blah-blah)? Not many, because they have to shoulder the responsibilities of their dependents then or in the near future. Actually the poor kids do go on trips all across India searching for work but sadly they don’t even have bags to pack. Even such ideas, of tattoos and backpack trips, would cause havoc in the entire neighbourhood. (All the aunties would gather and there would be a great comedy show).
One way or the other Indian children can’t take independent decisions. They are denied the basic liberties. But there are a lucky few for whom the conditions are ideal. They are the blessed ones and often belong to the rich and upper middle class. And other few who defy all odds and do what they want. They are the risk takers and are unpopular, unaccepted and infamous and belong to the poor and middle class. Hilariously, majority of them share the common ambition of becoming Bollywood stars. In India, there is no dearth of success stories of those who rose from rags to riches. But majority of these people are very practical, who chose the safest paths (education). Rest others are just too busy in making their both ends meet and spend their entire lives doing that. You ask 5 year old kids their ambitions in life. If they tell, they would name all myriad professions ranging from cricketer to miss world, lawyers to engineers, writers to painters, pilots to swimmers. Ask 15 year olds. You’ll just hear Engineer, Doctor, MBA (and yes some still want to become Shahrukh Khan till they face the hard realities, it is now accepted and expected by parents). Where did the swimmers, pilots, skaters, writers etc. go? By and large, as they grow older, society grounds them. They understand they can’t fly. Thus it is justifiable that we don’t even have participation in all the Olympic events.
Q5: You say Indian kids see more than their age demands or allows? Doesn’t it have an adverse affect on their growth and development?
ANS: Hardships make you immune if they persist but they make you more sensitive (and over-cautious) after you recover from them. Majority of the people don’t recover from them (say poverty) throughout their lives. So they adapt. For instance you might feel sad for a blind person but he might not feel the same about his condition. Someone who has never seen colours won’t sulk for not seeing any now. But those who recover are a bit blemished psychologically. Certain behaviours, perceptions and attitudes are the direct result of their inglorious past, which can be for the better or worse, better for the free thinking people and worse for the conservative.
Q6: What is your take on drug-abuse, alcoholism, smoking etc?
ANS: I would advise everyone to keep away from such things. But yeah, they are different people. I respect them “sometimes”. I’ve a great empathy for drug addicts, alcoholics, smokers and dopers (though I am not one of them yet). I admire the ones with tattooed bodies. I am enticed by hippies, artists, writers and philosophers. But, all of them (artists, writers, hippies, alcoholics, smokers, dopers, etc.) envy the celebrities, the superstars, the sports-stars. Generally, the former are the ones who just missed out from being the latter (possibly because they were not practical). And the empathy is justified as right now I stand in the middle of these two extremes. It has to be now or never.
Q7: Something you would like to share from your own life experience(s)? Like a mantra for success??
ANS: All experiences keep updating and enriching our decision making software (brain). Some of my theories or philosophies are as follows:
“Whenever I have had a backup plan, in the end I had to use it. So go for the ultimate goal wholeheartedly with full belief in yourself. The moment you see doubt in the horizon, your boat will sink.”
“You would be taught to never make a move without support in the game of chess. I believe- To win big games you have to take calculated (not like lottery) risk. .”
ANS: My answer is an obvious (if u know me closely) big NO. An average kid in India experiences what the western people would never ever witness throughout their lives. And if you are lucky you can experience even more. That is why they say that an 18 year old Indian’s brain is as developed as a 30 year old American’s. (And just to extend the joke a little further) Maybe that is the reason that they marry at a later age than an average Indian. And it is very interesting and amusing to note that a well read eastern scholar is fully exposed to the western culture while ironically even the most advanced western kid/student/scholar won’t have any significant knowledge about the east. (Those who even try to learn sound so silly while our BPO employees fake their accent with such authenticity.) No wonder we have an inherent advantage in becoming much better Global professionals than our western counterparts. Also, we enjoy the best of “both” the worlds.
Q2: Would you like to visit western countries?
ANS: Of course. I was born on the planet Earth. Ideally the whole earth is my home. It’s just that some other people live in the western parts. I’ll find a place for myself wherever I want for whatever duration I wish and will move on.
Q3: Everyone lives a different life. Many have regrets at their deathbed that they could‘ve lived a better life, a more complete life. While others would claim that their life was best. How do you think life can be more fulfilling, more complete?ANS: It depends from person to person. There is no end to desires. Some always want more even at their deathbed. While some feel they have had enough and end their lives. Do what your heart says. Be unpredictable, at least not stereotyped. Welcome change. Don’t postpone happiness, so that you don’t have any regrets even if you die today. You cannot see everything in life and you never know what all you might be missing in life. But if you see the following two things/circumstances you would see enough, close to completion. 1. Any person however beautiful/handsome/intelligent must face rejection once in life. 2. Any rich person must experience poverty once in life. The list can be extended by choosing any two extremes but these two REJECTION and POVERTY are indispensable.
A rich person reading this might call me insane. But he would never know what he has been missing out until he sees what I am saying. (The best sequence for ultimate experience is from being rich to poor and back to being rich). Even if I am right, you can’t and shouldn’t and won’t give up all your wealth just for experimenting on my theory. That is why you just have to be lucky, to be born in the right circumstances and in the right place. Being born in India helps. (The probability of adverse circumstances increases):).
Q4: What according to you is the psychological difference in the mind set of Indian and say, American children?
ANS: The difference in psychologies of children eventually goes on to be extended to grownups as well. The differences are apparent and contrasting. How many Indian kids in India get INK (tattoos) on their bodies? These kids are dependent on their parents and under their control. How many Indian kids go on back pack trips (to search for their identity and blah-blah)? Not many, because they have to shoulder the responsibilities of their dependents then or in the near future. Actually the poor kids do go on trips all across India searching for work but sadly they don’t even have bags to pack. Even such ideas, of tattoos and backpack trips, would cause havoc in the entire neighbourhood. (All the aunties would gather and there would be a great comedy show).
One way or the other Indian children can’t take independent decisions. They are denied the basic liberties. But there are a lucky few for whom the conditions are ideal. They are the blessed ones and often belong to the rich and upper middle class. And other few who defy all odds and do what they want. They are the risk takers and are unpopular, unaccepted and infamous and belong to the poor and middle class. Hilariously, majority of them share the common ambition of becoming Bollywood stars. In India, there is no dearth of success stories of those who rose from rags to riches. But majority of these people are very practical, who chose the safest paths (education). Rest others are just too busy in making their both ends meet and spend their entire lives doing that. You ask 5 year old kids their ambitions in life. If they tell, they would name all myriad professions ranging from cricketer to miss world, lawyers to engineers, writers to painters, pilots to swimmers. Ask 15 year olds. You’ll just hear Engineer, Doctor, MBA (and yes some still want to become Shahrukh Khan till they face the hard realities, it is now accepted and expected by parents). Where did the swimmers, pilots, skaters, writers etc. go? By and large, as they grow older, society grounds them. They understand they can’t fly. Thus it is justifiable that we don’t even have participation in all the Olympic events.
Q5: You say Indian kids see more than their age demands or allows? Doesn’t it have an adverse affect on their growth and development?
ANS: Hardships make you immune if they persist but they make you more sensitive (and over-cautious) after you recover from them. Majority of the people don’t recover from them (say poverty) throughout their lives. So they adapt. For instance you might feel sad for a blind person but he might not feel the same about his condition. Someone who has never seen colours won’t sulk for not seeing any now. But those who recover are a bit blemished psychologically. Certain behaviours, perceptions and attitudes are the direct result of their inglorious past, which can be for the better or worse, better for the free thinking people and worse for the conservative.
Q6: What is your take on drug-abuse, alcoholism, smoking etc?
ANS: I would advise everyone to keep away from such things. But yeah, they are different people. I respect them “sometimes”. I’ve a great empathy for drug addicts, alcoholics, smokers and dopers (though I am not one of them yet). I admire the ones with tattooed bodies. I am enticed by hippies, artists, writers and philosophers. But, all of them (artists, writers, hippies, alcoholics, smokers, dopers, etc.) envy the celebrities, the superstars, the sports-stars. Generally, the former are the ones who just missed out from being the latter (possibly because they were not practical). And the empathy is justified as right now I stand in the middle of these two extremes. It has to be now or never.
Q7: Something you would like to share from your own life experience(s)? Like a mantra for success??
ANS: All experiences keep updating and enriching our decision making software (brain). Some of my theories or philosophies are as follows:
“Whenever I have had a backup plan, in the end I had to use it. So go for the ultimate goal wholeheartedly with full belief in yourself. The moment you see doubt in the horizon, your boat will sink.”
“You would be taught to never make a move without support in the game of chess. I believe- To win big games you have to take calculated (not like lottery) risk. .”
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