Age No Bar

Image: Anonymous ART of Revolution

‘In our days, we used to respect our elders, had discipline, and were afraid of the seniors; but nowadays the kids are just spoilt. Damn it!’

This is one of the most redundant statements we have been told, ever since we learnt what the old people only want is to give us lecture on duty and obedience. The society is strange to me, because it rewards only those people who do what other people tell them what to do. Let me obediently take some examples.

Sample this. Most people were obedient and dutiful in my hometown in those days. We believe it because we are told so. (Come on, we are not that kind of punk who hate the old folk and defy every rule!) But how come we are living in such a shit-hole now? Is their obedience the reason why we are submitting ourselves to the sorry state of affairs? The government officials loot the public exchequer to buy gold for their wives, luxury cars for their sons and branded bras and panties for their daughters. Is their dutifulness the reason why there is such a mess in governance and administration? Obediently corrupt, a preferential treatment, nepotism and favouritism — you name it and you get it in Imphal, my native shanty hometown. Are obedience and discipline all about these craps?

The condition can be worse. The lack of obedience and discipline is too rampant. But it’s only us — we are what the society is and the society what we are. So here we are now, in this huge pit of human folly and ignorance. For the record, I have high regards for people — yes, the old folks, who have proved with their age and wisdom and have earned the respect; though there are only a very few of them. Others are just dickheads, though I will not call them dickheads; and not even do I ever keep the impression of their dickheadedness, except when they try to show their dickheaded expression. Still I ignore it most of the time. Old or young, life is about happiness. That’s the point I’m trying to make from the beginning but I just could not come to the conclusion. That’s it. Life is happiness. Life is no age.                

I remember being nice to my late grandfather, who was a nicer gentleman. He was the first finance minister (and hold some other portfolios too) when Manipur became independent, but he left politics as soon as the kingdom was annexed to India. Perhaps he knew, politically, India would be such a pain in the ass that he cannot be a part of, or he had other plans I know not. Back again, he used to take a walk every evening and we took turn in giving him company, because he always needed someone to hold to, while taking the stroll during the evening of his life. He was 98 when he passed away in 2000.

If you are nice, people will be nice to you; if not, not. Age is apparently not the factor for respect you get from others. Neither age determines what you are. It is what you do. Though it is always the best to be nice to other people no matter what the age and sex are. Indeed this is the principle that should guide our lives. But, in any case, there is always a group of people who get us fucked up. How I wish I can ignore them obediently. Fortunately, age is no bar for calling a fart a fart. And our dear parents, uncles and aunties should get rid of those imagined days of glory when there were supposedly respect, regard, obedience and other such nostalgic nouns. An ageless wisdom is that we are today how we did yesterday and we will be tomorrow how we are today.