Right To Information

Dedicated to all the pokey noses of the world

India is the so called one of ‘the’ oldest cultures in the world and it is also a developed nation now. We are the back office of the world and successfully earn good salaries and lead a comfortable lifestyle, eat pizza and continental food and substitute Gulab Jamun with Gelato. We eat out and party every weekend; we watch movies in multiplexes and holiday abroad. We have adapted many good things from the world but one thing that has not changed is our mindset. We poke our nose into anyone and everyone's life. And today this mindset got me so pissed of that I started typing this. How can you go to someone's home and get into their personal lives. Aarghhhh...Spare me Please. We don’t think twice before asking the most embarrassing or personal question. Why?

Gossip is our national time pass and we love to rip apart peoples’ lives in public whether the concerned person is around or not. That’s why it’s not a surprise that even for entertainment we get a heavy dose of gossip and drama through dozens of so called message oriented sitcoms.

Leave aside nagging relatives or neighbors even your co passengers in train or bus have this birth right to ask you personal questions. We all Indians are a one big family and some people take it literally and interfere in others' lives. People stop and lecture you about how to run your life. If there were a charge on speaking we Indians would be the highest payers.

People do not hesitate even once before asking questions. If you are young you are asked why you were talking to certain boy/girl, if you are earning this is the killer question they ask with 10 people around. What is your salary? How much is your take home? When are you getting married? If you are married you are not spared either, when are you giving good news (don’t get surprised if people ask you this question even at your reception), how much money you save every month? The list is endless. And don’t even imagine that you can get away by merely answering the question. The moment you answer the question you get free and unlimited advice on what you should be doing and how you should be doing it. People can have hours of conversation about some third person discussing their lives, decisions and family too.

But I have only one question or rather answer for such people who have RTI written all over their face. “Why the hell do you need to know?” Freedom of speech has a different meaning for such pokey noses. I am not dependent on them. I am not asking them for any financial or emotional assistance. I do not even expect them to sympathize with me then why should they know whatever I do with my life?

Why can’t we follow the live and let live principle? (I always thought this idea originated in India) What kind of happiness do you derive out of putting people in awkward situations? Can’t we have the basic etiquette in life? Which culture teaches people to declare that they are the best and what ever they do and think is right? Who has given people the right to ask others every wrong question in the world?