________________
JULY 2015
PRABUDDH JEEVAN
39
yet she secretly saves money from her monthly ghar all the good most often is the inability to be honest. We kharch and buys jewelry each Diwali as husband does have to play games, remain subversive, tolerant- we not like money wasted on things like jewelery. Also in can get a false reputation, drown in superficial praises case husband notices, then she will either say it is fake, in the belief that we are these good human beings or totally give a wrong amount of how much value it because we have emotional compassion and not actually is and in fact hides it and keeps it too for her universal compassion. daughter.
Compassion is compassion. It does not weigh people in Akash and Naina are both successful professionals rich or poor. It is compassionate to all- alert and aware of who have been dating each other over last 3 years but any pain. But we have made it about money and actually are not yet taking the decision to get married anytime deny people any other deeper layered emotion. soon. The hitch is not objections from family or any Have you heard 'I have done so much for you, and yet such reason. The problem is Naina earns more than how could you talk to me like this.'( so does giving justify Akash and this makes him feel insecure and dictatorship-now that I have given you an x amount, incompetent.
you cant have a difference of opinion on political Karan used to give Tanvi house expenses each month. ideology, or unanimously agree that while sleeping you Then Tanvi started her own dress designing business should not put on an air conditioner, or obviously go in and it took off really well. Things turn nasty each month a smaller car because you are my wife, younger brother between them over money. Karan expected her to pay /sister whose life I sponsor and if you do any thing the house expenses from her account now that she is otherwise it labels you as 'You are so materialistic.' earning and she sees no reason why Karan should This is my baap, dhanni panu, maaliki bhaav not stop paying as she wants to save her money to grow compassion or love. her business.
Every country might have their own individual unique Mansi and Jigna are best buddies since school. Mansi set of issues about money or the lack of it however it is married in a rich family and Jigna is a middle class not such a grave imbalance in interpersonal wife. Mansi never forgets to invite Jigna to any function relationships as in India. Most other places, drivers and or parties at her place. Jigna on the other hand feels house help are treated respectfully. Couples don't talk neglected at these get togethers since Mansi totally through layers of money and have slightly more equal ignores her and abandons her in mid conversation the solution oriented conversations. moment she sees someone affluent entering her door. How can we have a relationship which starts only Rajubhai is a self made man. He started selling skewed by comparing who has more money and so smuggled watches in the 70's and today owns a chain would have right of way. When will we be able to see a of electronic stores in the city. He got his 3 brothers person for his virtues, his qualities and his emotions if and their children to move to the city and got them the very first layer we judge him by his outer wealth. settled employing them at his shops. Not a single family We weigh how much our guest values us by the value get together passes where he doesn't mention among of the gift they give or the amount of cash they put at the group how if it wasn't for him his brothers and their
our daughters wedding reception. We keep a hisaab families would've been languishing in the village doing
to return the same value and think its Vyavhaarik. some menial farm work, nor does he ever let them
I am intrigued and amused at times when I see the forget how much money he spent on them. The episode
drama that is played around me each day, each which is totally sidelined is that if it was not for his
moment where the actors are visible and in front of all; youngest brother whose timely entry saved them from
however the writer / producer and the director in the bankruptcy.
background that is running the show is money. The point I am trying to make here is that money has
Let us all strive for within us to be able to actually see ceased to be a mode of exchange; it has stopped to
beyond and treat money, always as a medium instead be a means to an end and has become instead a distorted reflection of our ego and power it wields. It
Ide it of an end. has taken away our humanity from us.
Reshma Jain And this skewedness is far more starkly visible in India
The Narrators where there is no mass social security but hierarchical
Tel: +91 99209 51074 layered support systems. Which has many advantages
Email : reshma.jain7@gmail.com but the greatest disadvantage I see which outweighs
