Tuesday, December 28, 2010

No mother No father Give me $2 dollars

In order to remove any skepticism you might have about the claims I made about the beggars in the blog earlier check out these little busy bees:


What a wonderfully summarized, catchy phrase!! No mother, no father, so give me $2! Easy, simple, pure genius.


Season of giving, but I beg to differ

In the western world, the end of december is known as the season of giving, a time when people do whatever they can to help others. And contrary to all you might have been able to judge about me through this blog, I can be a kind and helpful person. The easiest way to give, or at least the way I have seen, is to help a homeless hobo, or as in India we call them "Bikhari" or beggars. In India these vagrants are not necessarily homeless, they usually dwell in illegal shanty towns or pitch a tent on the side of road, even sometimes complete with luxuries such as televisions etc.

What really grinds my gears is the way the homeless or needy ASK for help in America, sometimes almost demanding it, or thats the way I see it. I mean these people stand there with their cardboard help signs and an empty cup, and think they can just ASK me for help, and of course they never end up getting even a mouthful of my precious spit in their begging bowl. Let me clarify this further for the confused ones reading this. The way people get "help" or as I see it, free money, in India is really commendable. I mean they really put the beg in begging. From having limbs cut off so they an fetch some sympathy, to carrying an emaciated, weak, malnourished baby in their arms, there are myriad ways of really toying with the emotions of a person, in order to get a couple of rupees(2-3 cents!!!) I might add. It is very common for beggars on street to advertise their open wounds on hands and legs in plain view, again to garner some sympathy and thus some free money.

In America though, homeless people think they can just walk up to me with a smile and ask for some change! How presumptuous and over confident of them!! They beg in such a perfunctory manner that it actually angers me, much less kindle some sympathy. If you are going to ask for free money, you have to do something for it in addition to just asking. People in India touch my feet, make helpless and crying faces, carry their rib-caged kids; I mean they really BEG for the money, not just ASK for it. And not to mention what people actually do to MAKE money in India, as rickshaw drivers (my favorites), house servants ( and yes servants, not maids), laborers for construction etc etc. These people usually make around $50-$150 a month doing some of the most enduring, humiliating, admirable jobs I have EVER seen on the face of the earth. And you think you can just walk up to me and ask for a little help or some change?? You have got be kidding me. I would rather throw a pretty penny in a wishing well or down the drain rather than give it to one of those lazy bums. So please, next time I want to a see a person down on their knees touching my feet and BEGGING for money or help, not just ASKING for it. Happy Holidays everyone!!!!!!!!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Stop your whining

I just dont understand the validity of all the poor people I see in America. I am talking about the poor people though who always blame the government or society or immigrants or whatever as a reason for their socioeconomic condition. I always hear from or see these people on television pitching their problems about not having money like I care. Thats because I believe in something called "internal locus of control" in the field of Psychology (vs external locus of control) . That is I believe that most of the people end up where they are pretty much due to their own actions. I mean, of course there are coincidences and happenings that are outside of our control like accidents, deaths etc., but I firmly think that most people end up poor, or rather with less money than they always desire, because of the choices they make. After seeing some of the things that people (millions of them by the way) in India do to make money, I cannot consider any argument about one's economic problems as credible at all. If a person can voluntarily have one of their limbs cut off so that they can perhaps get more money begging, I cannot believe anyone whining and moaning about money until I see atleast 2 limbs off. So its not that most people dont get opportunities, and Im talking about America, its just that most people choose not to act on those opportunities, and then come to a harsh realization later. If a homeless person wants money, just move to India and get the chop or something, just stop being a burden on me & the society. Maybe I'm wrong.....

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Hurry the %^@k up!!

My indian people really like to hurry. They love to be in a jiffy, love that state of constant activity. They don't particularly like to be in a "slow ride" or "take it easy". I used to think that they are just very impatient but that is clearly not the case. After a rather long and thorough journey today to the center of Old Delhi (to visit the predominantly muslim area of Jama Masjid to eat some delicious mutton) using various transportation modes, I came to a shocking realization about my own desi peeps: Indians love to live life the "hustling" way; (not the same hustle as selling dime bags on the corner) but the state of perpetual motion. It is as if instead of the restless leg syndrome, its just the restless syndrome.

I saw them hurry at every aspect of life: the traffic, buying food from a vendor, at the doctor's, buying fruits, waiting to be seated at a restaurant, finishing a meal, getting anywhere at all, etc etc. You could be eating food at a roadside cart, and people will literally brush you aside with absolutely no hesitation or civic sense whatsoever, and demand that they be served as well. You have not seen overtaking on a one lane road, and you have not seen people demanding the doctor see them quickly and immediately, not because of the condition/sickness they are in, but simply to just be in a hurry. I saw people running in and out of trains as if it was really some sort of amazing race, when the next metro is always 4 minutes away!! I saw people refusing to wait in the waiting area of a restaurant on a couch, and rather choosing to stand and stare about 5 feet from my table, somehow trying to make me uncomfortable, forcing me to surrender the table. I am sick and tired of hearing the phrase "thodi jaldi karna" or "could you hurry a little". And of course since its normal to "be in a hurry" people don't even say the usual "please" in front of it, in a way almost demanding that you hurry.

I just cannot, or rather the American in Me just cannot understand this ridiculous way of going through with life. If there's one thing I learnt, or rather realized, living on the sunny beaches of California, its that one HAS TO live life slowly in order to have the time to appreciate all the little details. You can sort of not just see everything around you, but actually analyze it and then maybe better understand it. I like to stroll , rather than running or even walking through life. Its actually a bit more amusing in back home in India, as you see everyone just zip by you, like busy little ants.