HYPE

Hype is anything done to promote oneself or others extraordinarily. They want others to focus more and more on them to satisfy their ego. They avoid common sense and logical thinking, quite often, while indulging in these activities and affairs. False prestige encourages them towards hype. The present party culture is just one example for hype. We often fail to understand why one is throwing a party or why others are making him give a party, even for quite casual or negligible facets of his life or profession. Celebrities often wish to create, continue and enjoy hype about something they have done. Ordinary people and stupid idiots often get attracted towards thoughts and acts of hype in many societies. I give some examples to let you know the nature, volume and intensity of hype happening around now.

1. We often hear a lot about our celebrities related to films, sports and games, business and politics. They have inaugurated a showroom grandly. They have conducted a marriage of their family member in an unbelievable manner. He or she has millions of followers on Facebook or Twitter. The products endorsed or used by them have been sold hugely within days. They have wealth worth billions of dollars. They donated millions of dollars for positive change in this world. They have sacrificed their lives for others.

Have they done it because it was needed or just to make many know and talk about them grandly? Selfless and ideal individuals seldom wish to do anything for hype. They are humble, simple and generous. We need such thinkers, pioneers and revolutionaries to change our lives steadily.

2. We often see on the cover pages of some books, “1 million copies sold”.

How can I ensure that it really happened? If I cannot ascertain it, why should I believe it? If something cannot be proved at my level, do I believe it? Should I read that book because millions have already read it? Then, I have no choice of my own. I follow trends. I have no self-respect or intelligence of my own, depending on which I can decide whether somebody or something is great or shallow. If such readers read that book, being influenced by that printed hype, what is the worth of that book? Millions of ordinary blokes read an ordinary book and make it extraordinary through related hype. A few visionaries and idealists may read a book, which is not sold greatly at book stores or otherwise. It means, there are no standards and values in those people and firms, who/which wish to promote themselves artificially.

3. We read that millions of enthusiasts took a holy dip in a river for a period of time, during which it remains holy, as goddesses and gods sanctify it during those special days, once for 12 years or so. Is that river great only because millions have bathed in it? Does it become and remain profane if many do not visit it with a great purpose? Does water sanctify and glorify people or vice versa? Who counted head to head to ascertain the exact number of visitors to that fair or celebration? How can we believe in it?

4. That celebrity spent 100 crores for the marriage of his daughter. He offered gold rings to all the guests. He spent 5,000 rupees for every meal offered there for guests. It was a majestic event there.

Whose money is that? Does a great man spend hard-earned money that carelessly? If he is such an idiot, who does not know how to value money and spend it, how can he be a celebrity? What is there in him for others to learn and emulate? If many are going there just to see and feel that celebration, they are superficial persons. Can a celebration be considered grand if many sheep attend it to eat and play there?

5. Mr. Ram Prasad, a personality development trainer, had got 25 degrees. He talks about them in each of his classes. He struggles to present himself as a noble speaker, through highlighting his many degrees.

Does it mean that he cannot impress his learners through his great classes? Does he believe that others consider him great only if he had earned many degrees from different universities and places? If they value him based on his degrees, the worth of which they cannot assess readily, they are ordinary blokes? Why should he try to get such appreciation? An extraordinary person can assess him within minutes even if he says that he did not study anywhere and he has no any certificate? Should he aim at appreciation from such one or two masters or hundreds of buffoons, who appreciate anybody just like that?

6. Mr. Milas Puran walked in every country in this world over a period of 10 years. It had been his dream. He fulfilled it after a long struggle. He wrote a book to share his experiences about his unique journey.

What is his contribution to humanity through his walk? Did he offer food, water or shelter to anybody this way? He did it to satisfy one of his wild fantasies. He spent much time and money on such a stupid thing.

7. Mrs. Bindu Dinasari conducted a political meeting in Neplis Valley. It was stated that about one lakh people attended her meeting. It was a record in their region. She could attract that many people.

Have they come there on their own or has she offered them money, spicy food, liquor and transport free of cost to somehow bring them there? If those are their standards, and if she wishes to get popularity to her meeting this way, what should really talented and ideal people think about her? Do you want stupid followers who shout slogans, appreciating you, even if you sneeze or cough, or a handful of geniuses who appreciate you if you do something substantial and historical only?  Have you worth of your own?

8. There are many organizations, books (The Guinness World Records, Limca Book of Records, Forbes) and interest groups, which record and highlight many as achievements and extraordinary things in their own fashion. Is it not for hype? What can others learn from these achievements and wonders?     

9. We often talk about the great features and qualities of flights and other facilities used by the presidents of the USA. When millions of their citizens are suffering from poverty and insecurity due to many reasons, is it great if their government treats one person supremely based on his political status? A true and visionary leader lives such life which majority of their citizens are living then. If one is living like a royal figure, spending public money, is he a great leader? Should we consider him great because he has such admirable character as an individual or because he is in such a position? If we respect him based on his status, we are treating him as an idiot only? When does he understand it? When do we change?

10. They showed a particular feature film in a cinema for so long that it became a record. Have they showed that film there just for a record or that people have really visited it for that long period of time? What do we get from a film if we watch it repeatedly? If we are watching a film many times, it means we are good at wasting our valuable time. Even if we are fervent film-goers, we should see and encourage all films. We should not be attracted highly seeing the characters and scenes in one film only, if we are broad-minded. Only shallow and lazy blokes watch a film repeatedly. What is use of such records and reputation derived from it? What is its positive contribution to the society there? Does it encourage the contemporary youth and others towards constructive thoughts, plans and efforts? If art fails to guide and console others, it cannot be art? Nobody sits at a God also for a few days continuously. Then how do we justify records and celebrations of this nature, which, mostly, misguide people regularly.

Some more negative, ugly and repulsive shades and characteristics of those associated with hype:

1. He has no money and capacity to feed his children also satisfactorily every day but he borrowed 5 lakh rupees to conduct the marriage of his daughter grandly, to impress his familiar folks, who follow dirty trends of contemporary society but cannot realize and feel bitter truths. He could not repay it even after five years. He committed suicide one day out of frustration and self-pity. He would have avoided it if he had not borrowed that money one day from others for the sake of hype. He should have lived minding his financial ability always.

2. The imported car of president of India is scheduled to travel in that route that morning. 100 police have been deployed in that place to streamline traffic. Here streamlining means disturbing and torturing the free lives of many that have been using that road regularly, asking them to go another way. Police blocked roads everywhere until this man-made God’s vehicle passed that way and 50 other cars to show his excellence to all. Is it necessary? Whose money are we spending for this royal treatment of our political idiots? What sacrifices have they made for this country? They assumed those positions out of their blind loyalty to a political party for years or through quite dishonest and corrupt means. They are not builders of India but opportunists and unbelievable parasites and hypocrites. They follow formalities to live happily, benefiting from the privileges offered by our dirty governments. Are these our celebrities? Are they authorized to stop our journey anywhere just like that? Are they upholding our rights or violating them? We have to listen to their great speeches on television and radio on special days. They talk about morals but never follow them as heads of our governments. A true leader guides or dies for others but does not torture or kill them to be comfortable and happy at his level? How many of our MLAs, MPs, ministers, prime ministers, presidents, celebrities, judges and such other supposedly honourable citizens of India, have represented such standards and values in those positions, which deserve such unbelievable royal treatment from us, the people of India? Should we spend millions of rupees for these blokes, who cannot move out without police and retinue of substantial order? Is this not hype, a crime, we are committing daily, honouring those, who should be hanged publicly? We are bearing with this hype. We are neglecting the poor and the helpless daily.

3. A film celebrity is going to conduct a meeting in a venue to address a local issue formally. The local SP deployed 100 police in that place to conduct visitors and people. Are not our police thinking and behaving like shameless dogs and bitches in this nation, saluting those who don’t deserve it? If an ordinary man dies on a road due to an accident; if a rape occurred in a part of city; if a traffic jam occurred on a busy road; if a corrupt leader is looting people publicly somewhere…do these police go there to resolve the issue as seriously as they go to the meeting of a celebrity of this order? They beg alms on roads stopping our vehicles saying that we did not wear a helmet or we are not carrying a driving license. Shall I become a great Indian if I wear a helmet and carry a driving license and a criminal if I don’t have them? If these are the standards, expected by our governments, how many corrupt politicians and businessmen have been punished in India till now? How many lawyers and judges, who argued fraudulent cases and who disfigured our systems of law and order through fake judgements have been hanged in this nation to uphold standards and values to sustain our democracy? Why these double standards? Why this hype?

4. On national highways, there are many toll gates, where fixed tolls are being squeezed from us. They display large boards there specifying who can be exempted from these tolls. If you read these boards, you understand that most of them are idiots of contemporary India. If the presidents, prime ministers and MPs of India need not pay toll, for the kind of services and sacrifices they are doing for us daily, what about our peasant farmers, helpless laborers, ideal doctors, admirable social activists…for that matter 90% Indians deserve more respect than these nasty rogues, whose positions and statuses are displayed on these boards. I am also an honourable citizen of India. Why should I pay toll? Why is not the government of India honoring me without collecting toll from me? If I become the president of India, everybody should treat me like God. If I work silently in a mango garden, to offer quality fruit to all in my place (real social service), I am being treated like a negligible entity. Are we respecting positions and statuses of idiots around us or their actual achievements and contributions to their familiar societies or nation? We are treating many thieves and robbers in this democracy like our royal figures daily, spending crores of rupees. Who started this dirty culture? Why are we accustomed to this retrograde culture? Is this not hype?

5. Tickets meant for entering and watching a 20-20 cricket match have been sold like hot cakes within hours in that city. These are all builders of India. Because they have worked unbelievably for the progress of their companies, societies or families for long, till now, they want to enjoy their time now, watching this cricket match. They have to encourage those players, shouting, making fashionable appearances, dancing madly and throwing stuff into air, when they hit ball hard. How many of these builders of India come with me if I request them to join me to fight for a social cause? Very few have time to think and work for developing India now, but millions of them for watching cricket and doing such nasty things regularly. It is their money. It is their time. They enjoy it the way they like it. Who am I to question them? This is the prevalent argument from many modern Indians now. We have freedom to do whatever we like because we are living in a democracy. When you become the victim of a rape, an accident by a drunkard, a land grabbing issue by a local politician, a cheating by a fraudulent business firm …don’t cry sitting alone in your home. I have no time to come to you. When you were watching cricket, I was playing chess. When you were dancing in a nightclub, I was drinking alcohol in an outlet and celebrating myself. When you were chatting online with your friends quite casually, I was enjoying a bachelor party thrown by my friend. India has become a country of shallow and meaningless celebrations. Here anybody can do whatever he or she likes. Why should you expect others to help or guide you when you are in a problem when you did not think and struggle to solve the problems of others when they sought your help the other day? We, Indians, have been accustomed to hype, during the last two decades, more than earlier. We talk about those, who did something grandly. We appreciate those, who earned millions of dollars, within 10 years, going abroad, doing something. We wish to sit there, where nobody questions us about anything. We want to do such things, where we need not contribute anything to others but just nominal presence as a voter, commuter, devotee, employee, villager, citizen or customer. We want parties and celebrations always. Many should talk about us publicly. We go to any extent to impress others artificially. We have no genuine concern to improve ourselves or others. This is all culture of hype.

6. Your employer is offering you employees a party to celebrate success. You would drink, eat and dance like a mad dog or bitch. Do you do so if you are spending your hard-earned money at home with your family members? You would spend the money and assets of your company like a dirty bastard. You would submit fake bills and loot your company like anything just because they are treating you kindly out of their goodness. Do you follow values and standards when spending money and utilizing opportunities offered by your employer generously? Every year, billions of dollars are being misused by millions of worthless employees, across the world, in the name of parties, celebrations, purposeless inland and foreign travels, stay in costly hotels, valuable gifts and so on. When you fail to be a sensitive and sensible employee in your company, you fail to be a good Indian as well. You are a fraudster because you are misusing the money and resources of your company. Many are working for pitiable salaries in the same company, where you are working, like bonded laborers. You never thought about their lives or plight because your culture is to loot your company somehow and celebrate with that easy money. You think a lot to offer a 10-rupee note to a beggar but you expect your employer to spend lakhs of rupees every year for your perks and privileges, which you don’t deserve at all. You are a shameless and worthless parasite on your employer. You have no value of your own once you step out of that company. I have been seeing millions of such employees across the world now through my metaphysical perception. They think and behave like princes and princesses once into the campus of their company…like worthless beggars once out of it. Kind employers are paying them hugely out of their generosity. When a landlord is taking months or years to increase the daily wage of an ordinary agriculture worker; when an employer is taking a long time to increase the daily wage of a contract worker a little; why should your employer increase your salary, offer fantastic bonus and increments, every year, despite the fact that you did not learn anything substantial during the last 10 years or so. How much knowledge have you gained or how many skills have you acquired during this time, to expect too much remuneration and special treatment from your employer? You are rushing to another company after working here for a few days or months if there is enticing hike or privileges there. Are you loyal and ideal towards your present employer? Are you not criticizing your employer daily for this or that, clearly knowing that you are a helpless parasite on his kindness? Are there no problems in your home at all? Are you not waiting patiently until you or others can solve them? Why are you not thinking and behaving similarly towards the problems in your company also? If you go out, he recruits somebody else. He is more powerful, visionary and kind than you, in a hundred ways. Have you ever felt grateful towards those employing you? You talk greatly about a film star, a sports celebrity, a fair in your place, a love relationship with a girl or boy, a funny event but never about your employer. You are happy just because of him but you never feel or express it anywhere. You are indulging in such things only, which are directly or indirectly related to hype. Many companies and employers are bearing with our dirty attitudes and culture daily. Shame on us as employees.

7. You cannot bear if somebody offers you constructive criticism also, something like…a. Please improve your English. Your communication skills are very poor. You are earning a bad reputation for our company. b. You are not trying to learn anything in this profession. You are becoming outdated day by day. c. You are drinking and smoking too much. This is not good for your health and family. Try to shun them slowly. d. You are not driving your car properly on roads. I have observed it many times. You are scaring and insulting many driving it carelessly. But, you would certainly enjoy, if somebody says something like this…a. Your hairstyle is fantastic. b. Your taste for foods is unusual. c. You walk like an angel. d. Your smile is divine. e. Your dress sense is superb. f. You danced madly in that party. You are expecting appreciation and admiration only everywhere from others, not criticism. You are a bloody idiot with many drawbacks and demerits. If you cannot bear if somebody criticizes you constructively, when do you grow as an individual, thinker and visionary? Casual appreciation and blind admiration make and keep you like a complacent bloke and indecent scoundrel. This is why you are remaining as one of those shallow nuts in this world. You don’t improve at your level but you expect all to behave sensibly towards you. You would sit in a reserved train coach with a monthly season ticket and argue with the one that comes there with his authorized reservation ticket to sit there. You would make dirty jokes at all girls and women but nobody should talk or behave so towards your sister, cousin or mother. You throw rubbish everywhere and spit like a buffoon but you expect Narendra Modi to make India clean for you. You bribe a police or government officer when you commit a blunder but you expect them to react legally and morally when somebody hits your car and moves away. You expect your wife or mother to serve you like a bonded laborer but you have no time or interest to help them a little when they are sick or overburdened with chores. When you cannot love and serve others honestly and decently, you have no moral authority to expect them from others. If you are enjoying your life or job, without thinking about and observing bitter realities around you, you are an avoidable burden to others. You are a victim to a superficial culture. You expect everything to be grand and memorable without contributing your worthy part to it. If somebody is struggling and suffering continuously to keep you comfortable and happy, and if you never knew about it or acknowledged it, you are living the life of a rogue. Worthless blokes thus crave lifestyles of hype.

The path of transformation

1. Never value a person, a society, a government officer, a politician or a friend if something is going on there grandly, without a purpose. Purpose must be so which honours the right ones and discourages the wrong ones.

2. Don’t struggle to make everything great and grand as far as your life or profession is concerned. God did not create this world in that fashion. You cannot make everything great. Accept and appreciate ordinary things also.

3. You cannot become great wearing costly clothes, travelling in luxurious cars spending the money and resources of others or exploiting the innocent and the helpless strategically. You should think and behave greatly first.

4. Don’t impose your interests, priorities and fantasies as those of the world, on those, on whom you have absolute authority. Let them know what is right, wrong, possible or impossible. Let them decide on their own.

5. Party is something others should offer you if they feel it strongly. Don’t ask or beg others for a party. If you do so, you are behaving like a shameless beggar. Don’t demand how they should do it. Let them do what they can.

6. Don’t appreciate anybody or anything without a good purpose. They should deserve it. You should analyse whether they need it or not. Appreciate a beggar, not your boss, when needed. Don’t be superficial and snobby.

7. Don’t do anything just because many are doing it. They may be idiots, rogues and criminals. You have common sense and conscience. Don’t be carried away by trends and styles. Do what is necessary, not what is happening.

8. Talk softly and behave affectionately with as many people as possible. Respond or react differently only if the situation demands it for your survival there. Most of our life is what our habits and manners are. Be careful.

9. Don’t crave recognition and appreciation regularly from others. Being simple, normal and silent is far better than being extraordinary, crazy and talkative. Achievers and idealists wish to remain unnoticed and open-minded.

10. If you are clear about what and why you are doing something, nothing to bother about those talking much against you. Great thoughts and acts cannot attract loafers and idiots around you. Ignore their comments.