With Malice Towards None At All

I am forever left dumbstruck at the innumerable types of shaming today, some that shockingly make me realise I surely would have been declared?a social pariah if the Millennials and Gen Z had seen me through my wonder years of growing up!!

I have been witness to the elders using every possible discourteous name for their closest friend or relative in their very presence with impunity, and no one taking any offence at this evident disrespect. But the world has spun many times on its axis from those years of yore. For obviously, today a misplaced term used in endearment can also cause social upheaval 'shaming' me for my slur and 'cancelling' me from all social presence, digital or direct.

Since the 'shaming' business is an ever evolving franchise, I would like to add two more ‘shamings’ to this ever growing list of body shaming, age shaming, job shaming, gender shaming, colour shaming, race shaming et al.

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My contribution to this is Parent shaming. I mean, how much can we cope with the ever evolving social norms of our young ones. Every time I open my mouth, I am hurriedly hushed up by my progenies because of some social faux pas I apparently created by passing a harmless, innocent comment, uttered with not even a gram of sarcasm or malice. Our generation was born to parents who were newly liberated from the Raaj. And their colourful prejudiced speech bore irreverence on many aspects, but all with good intent. My generation of baby boomers toned down this derision and scorn tremendously as we stepped out of their shelter. But our scions and successors are far removed from any subjugation or serfdom including that of their care-worn parents. And in this liberated fraternity of emancipated minds, my straightforward remarks appear highly objectionable and inappropriate. I protest against this Parent Shaming.

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And the second 'shaming' I would like to register is Tomato shaming. I mean, who would have thought that eating tomato chutney with work colleagues would one day label me as an elitist, snobby and thoughtless moneybag!! I know how I paid for these tomatoes through my last saved penny, and so do I not deserve to eat the tomato chutney at peace in public? And I was so willing to share my bright red riches with my peers too. Well, I definitely turned tomato red listening to their not so quiet judgmental whispers while deflecting their accusing glances. Sorry, this was my last indulgence of the elusive red vegetable till the prices drop to the level of the Mariana trench. I will never again be tomato shamed.

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In this evolved world of universal brotherhood, or maybe we should now call it ‘peoplehood’ so as not to annoy any gender, even my alter ego has started shaming me!! Good luck to me for the years ahead. I have just ordered a muzzle for myself to tame my reckless boorishness so as not to offend the easily offended! I hope I have not crossed the shaming lines and not declared shameless now!

#shaming #tomato #parenting #parents #generations #prejudice Marchforth Peoplecraft