My Experiments with Rat Race

The term Rat Race sounds extremely exotic to hear. But there is no exoticness involved in the application of this term whatsoever. It’s just an eloquent translation for everyday run-of-the-mill activities and duties undertaken by each and every one of us. 

Many people have spoken about the infamous exotica in the past and some have even penned down memorable books, chartering its presence in our lives right from the time we enter the world till we drop down dead. An evil eye, its presence has been necessitated mainly on account of the expected premises and deliverance of the societal needs, rather than it being a necessary evil. 

It has been drummed – to the point of ad nauseam – into our ears and heads that we, as humans, are social animals. That our demands, needs and expectations are largely premeditated on the basis of what the society expects and provides, instead of us doing things for ourselves individualistically. And this is where the problem arises. When the society sets a particular norm and someone endeavours to even slightly alter it, thereby elevating the expectation to a different level, there tends to be a conflict. Balking at tedium and choosing to circumvent it can very well be considered a convenient option, but if and only if, the society accepts it. If the society rejects it because it doesn’t come up to their standards, then might as well reject it unequivocally, without any questions raised. This is how the whole system works. You cannot change – in fact; you cannot even want to change because change is an evil instead of orthodoxy and conventionalism being clubbed in this genre. 

Also since societal governance demands that people follow the same procedure over and over again, enter our esteemed breed of effervescence. Right from choosing a subject for majoring till deciding on a career for our life, we adhere and stick to societal norms and regulations. And incidentally, it is these societal norms and guidelines that add more complexity – hugely negative – in our lives. The higher we study, the higher we expect to earn and the higher we earn, the higher we plan to splurge and save. Of course, it is automatically assumed that higher studies would ensure and guarantee one getting a job in one of the so-called permanent establishments, where supposedly life-long income is assured of. 

Permanency is an over-rated concept and as ironic it may sound, our life is never ours to control. The tentacles of expendability reach out to everyone and at some stage or the other, every person becomes a paper-towel – to be used and discarded at will. 

Considering that this is the most realistic and likely expected scenario, irrespective of our best or worst performance, then why do we not balk at the system? After all, aren’t we the ones who established these exalted strata? Critical times demand critical responses. At times, when our own self and conscience encourages us to rebel and go against the norms, why not do so? Isn’t that a norm in itself – today’s revolution; categorised as the first step in tomorrow’s evolution.