For those of you who have not yet read the book, please go ahead and read it. It will change your way of life, trust me.
Have you ever entered an elevator and started a conversation with 'Hi, How are you doing'? ' How are kids at home'? You give a little pause and smile for the replies that he gives and yeah, he asks you the same questions. And you look at the number on the lift, it's still at the 4th and you are seated on the 13th floor. You are left with no choice other than to start conversing something again and what else to talk about when you just do not know what to say. 'The weather has got really cold right' you say and he nods and talks about the morning dew. You also have to say something now or else he would be offended. Oh yes, he would be. Again a pause.....
This is something that you do every day, every day when you walk your dog out of your house, everyday when you enter your office elevator.. This is termed 'Small Talk' - light conversation for social occasions. I am one of you people who hates these 'Small Talks'. There is a better word for this, 'Phony' .
The Catcher in the Rye is one book which made me think. And think twice about this society and the phonies living all around us.
-> Fellow students, who are more interested in playing a part or looking good than in doing or saying anything honest.
-> The Movies - the dramatics involved ...
-> Politicians-i don't need to talk about this group of people
-> Sports people who seem to be longing to show their skills and exhibit themselves rather than playing their part
-> Neighbors who know well to flash a smile when they pick up the morning papers and forget you once they are inside.
When you think of all this is when you wish for a conversation that's straight from the heart, to converse with someone anything and everything that comes to your mind. It is really difficult to find relationships of this kind, but only when you find them, your pursuit of happiness will end. Till then, you are also very much part of this phony world and giving your share as well.
Go and find that person, maybe a friend, a love, your cousin who is two years old and who is innocent, your grandfather who is 70 who wishes for your good and who means it........
9 comments:
athane pathen .. valkayae vetti a irukome nu blog start pantiya .. liked this post tho .. but somehow did not convince me to read the buk (is that wat u wanted?)
hehe.. hmm.. let some things be between us.. :) .. no not at all.. read the book .. and someone who liked 'Into the Wild' so much will love this book.
Nalla irukku machi.....
So this is gonna be one of those serious blogs, eh? I don't think I can ever do that. :P
Smalltalk is not as bad as it may seem.(And I'm not talking about the obj oriented language, c i told u i can't be serious for that long! :P ) Have you ever considered that maybe some people do really care enuf to make a polite enquiry about u. I do agree it is not the case with most of the people. Say you ask ur colleague how his toddler is doing, and if he says something is wrong with his health, u do feel bad for the kid and hope he feels well, don't you? That is not very 'shallow' is it?
P.S 3 post in 30 mins is a litl too much don't u think? Anyway keep 'em coming!
konda mani.. yeah... this is gonna be one of those serious blogs i guess... yeah, there are two kinds of small talks.. there was a person on the train when coming from bits to chennai.. some 60 yr old guy i guess.. me,raghu, ramcha n co generally started talking, and we spoke about quite a lot of things.. and the difference was nobody was trying to get attention, nobody was lying, we were speaking from our hearts.. it was one of 'those' conversations.. there's a thin line between what i have said in the post and what you are telling me.. as long as you are honest and speak it all out..
dei...nee ivlo naala padika sonna andha book'a...but enaku thonave illa...but now i'm really keen on reading that book after reading this blog...i'm fed up too, with acting in real life...:)...but sometimes that acting is good for a bigger cause...for example...if u wanna start a friendship...u'll start with a how-r-u conversation..in that case...u dont genuinely worry about how he's doing...but when u become friends...and if u become true friends...its all because of that phony how r u right???...
hmm.. yes .. even i have had those conversations... in the case that u have said, it does help.. even in these conversations, at some point, you become friends only when you have some common interests or something about which you talk about genuinely.. hmm.. but agree with you ..
For the heck of it...i read that book...not very interesting...didn like the author's way of writing...but a few good things to learn were there...
hmm.. varies very much from person to person.. for some people like say ramcha, me - it touched a nerve..
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