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Meaning in the time of fraudulence

 

We live in a political system that reduces us into mere numbers. In India, your Aadhar number is your identity. Whether you want to travel by train or flight, you need this number. In fact, you can do nothing without that one number which in turn is connected to a host of other numbers like your bank account, driving license and income tax payments. Even to be admitted in a hospital for treatment, you need your Aadhar.

What this number implies is that the political system is not interested in you as an individual. Its sole interest is what it can extract out of you: taxes and votes. Have you ever received a birthday greeting from your government? A get-well wish when you are in hospital, let alone a query whether you need any assistance? Votes and taxes. You are valuable only for the sake of those two things. Otherwise, you are just another pawn on the board or a cog on a gear.

To make sure that you remain just that – a pawn, a cog – the system bombards you with all sorts of propaganda. The propaganda in the present India has reached such levels that even your gods are being replaced without a tinge of subtlety. Your food choices are delimited by the system. A particular language is imposed on you. In short, you are being redefined day after day until you become something like the untouchables in the old caste system.

Old age can be particularly painful in such a system. As long as you have a job, your identity is associated with that job. What are you? A doctor, an engineer, a teacher… And then, one day, you retire. Now when the question is put – what are you? – the answer is: “Retired.” That very word ‘retired’ implies that you have no identity beyond your profession.

We need to create a new meaning for our life as we move on, particularly to old age when you won’t have the solaces of a professional identity.

Someone sent me the following message on WhatsApp the other day. 

What this means is that even if you are not ‘retired,’ your identity is at stake in this country which inevitably distorts your very essence. You are being fraudified, so to say, every moment here. You need a lot of courage apart from clarity of vision to preserve your own integrity as an individual, to retain the meaning of your life as you would want it.

Previous Post: Dealing with Regret

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Comments

  1. Liz A.February 2, 2024 at 6:27 AM

    It's sad when we are identified by our roles. It seems that we think of ourselves that way, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalFebruary 2, 2024 at 9:59 AM

      Yes, we think so too. We are conditioned to think so.

      Delete
  2. Yamini MacLeanFebruary 2, 2024 at 6:59 AM

    Hari OM
    ...and that all too often, on retirement, our roles are forgotten; somehow we are classed as being among the unlearned once more...and we are treated as fools. YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalFebruary 2, 2024 at 10:01 AM

      So true. Loneliness becomes the lot of the older ones.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2024 at 10:42 AM

    Well why don't we just don't care of how they treat us, just live a life and die someday!

    ReplyDelete
  4. peppylady (Dora)February 3, 2024 at 5:52 AM

    I would guess by now, every country has some type of number system to identify their people. Our is our social security number. It has 9 numbers in it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalFebruary 3, 2024 at 12:50 PM

      Your number brings you some benefits, ours take away something from us.

      Delete
  5. CareenaFebruary 15, 2024 at 2:22 PM

    This is really something to wonder about. Right now im young, a career to identify with is much needed. But what after? Luckily, during my certain phases of "unemployment" i had to identify myself everyday so that i didn't fall into a black hole. Those days, taught me principles through which i really identify with now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalFebruary 15, 2024 at 3:24 PM

      Those principles will abide with you in hard times (if they choose to come).

      Delete

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