thoughts of someone else, who seems to think the same way as me.
My Dad subscribes to the English newsmagazine "The Week" and it happens to be one
of the few magazines that I used to read from my school days, when it used to be priced
at a very lowly Rs.3 (today it is priced at Rs.15).
Last week's issue had this article by Mahesh Dattani, which I felt was very relevant for
the times we live in today. You might not agree with him fully, but gotta give him credit
for atleast some of the points he makes.
So here goes the article.
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All copyrights reserved with Malayala Manorama Group
Best things are for free
By Mahesh Dattani
At the ticket counter I discovered that the movie I was keen on seeing as a special treat to
my friend, was showing only in Gold Class. The weekend price being Rs 500 for a ticket.At the ticket counter I discovered that the movie I was keen on seeing as a special treat to
We didn't succumb to the temptation. Instead we went over to my place, made some
popcorn at home, listened to some classical music and talked about life in general.
What did we miss out on by not paying that fortune for a multiplex movie watching
experience? We missed out on the stale air in the theatre, the air conditioning that is
probably bad for your health, the heavily fattening, overpriced milk shakes, and the
annoying titters and comments of people in the row behind who find the movie boring
but have nothing better to do with their time, money or their lives.
The rising cost of leisure activities will affect the upper middle class soon as the
consequences of global recession hit them in the next fifteen minutes. The party
is over and the fake champagne is drying up. Weekend air travel to the favourite
getaway is now a wee bit more expensive. The price of olive oil has gone up by a
couple of hundred rupees and the health spa, sorry, wellness centre can knock you
down by a dozen of those 1K notes. What now?
The upwardly mobile have always eyed the super rich as their role models. Like getting
from point A to B, the objective is not so much to enjoy what your money can buy but to
buy whatever it needs to get you into that charmed circle of 'successful' people who seem
to have all the time in the world to attend parties, get into scandals and mow down a dozen people on the streets. Now why would any sane person want to aspire to belong to this set
is anybody's guess. Or maybe I am missing out on something.
Inflation is no laughing matter, I know, and the survival of many depends on affordable essentials. But seriously, the positive side of it is that it prevents us from carrying on with
a self-destructive lifestyle. Maybe it is a good time for some stock taking. A reality check
on what we really want from life and why we spend inordinate amounts of time in acquiring
a lifestyle that is questionable in terms of true happiness. I think the upwardly mobile need
to do an about turn and look at the middle class for inspiration instead of the super rich.
The middle class has always known how to budget their income & prioritise their expenses.
To the middle class, debt is a shameful word. Whereas, to the aspiring class, debt is a direct correlation to one's repayment capacity and hence one's social standing. Today's bank interest rates wouldn't be so scary if the upwardly mobile knew the simple axiom of living within one's means. It may sound downright old-fashioned because it actually is. Tomorrow's survivors
are the ones who know that one has to spread their feet according to the space they have.
In fact, the reason why we are faced with inflation is because there is so much money and
very little value for it. You don't need to be an economist to realise that if the money floating around is on credit, the squeeze is not too far behind.
What if we all spend less, even if we do have spare money? I think that would be doing oneself and your society, and probably the world a huge favour. If you stop spending on Washington apples and California grapes, you lessen your carbon footprint (those fruits have to be flown in, you know) and also encourage the growers in Simla and Kinnaur. Travel by train and watch
the airlines all turning 'budget'.
The multinational brands will soon disappear and we will be back to swadeshi. Spend less
on eating out and see how healthy you feel with home cooked meals. Try gardening as a
leisure activity instead of water parks or bowling alleys. If you really want to hang out in
a mall, do so but don't buy anything. Check out the local park for a jogging track and let
go of the gym membership.
Think of all the no-expense leisure activities and you will be amazed at how creative you
can get. Fly a kite with your kids or play a board game at home. You can make the kite
and the board game yourself or with the whole family. Spend less, borrow less, and pay
off your debts but binge on love and fresh air. The best is still for free.
- mahesh.dattani@gmail.com
All copyrights reserved with Malayala Manorama Group
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