Freedom at what cost?

Sure the Sensex is riding high. The industry is seeing a boom. Shopping malls of sizes that make words like gigantic seem small are opening by the dozens. Tinned and canned foods have made a foray into smaller towns as well. Unknown faces find voice on atleast one of the numerous 24 hours TV channels either to show off their talent or to fight out their household battles. Sure Ekta has freed us from the clutches of Tulsi ‘Smriti’ Virani.

We are free. To do what we want to. Share market is up. The industry boom is spelling the freedom to work and earn a living. Colossal shopping malls provide umpteen brands to choose from and the freedom to spend the money earned by working in MNCs to buy the various MNC products. We have the freedom to see any channel we want on any subject we want and in any language we want. The freedom to know what is happening around the world just by clicking the remote. And of course the BIGGEST freedom is from Tulsi ‘Smriti’ Virani’s tears.

But at what cost? One bad day in the market and families are ruined. The companies have the freedom to hire and fire at their own free will. Job security… well what is that? Shopping malls mean everyone wears the same thing. No exclusivity and death of the Indian traditional art. 24 hours news channel constantly feed us with hype in name of news. Abhi-Aish wedding is the topic of discussion when Kashmir is being demilitarized. Channels are no more a source for information rather they have become a guide to immorality spelling out ways to perform heinous of crimes with the ease of a master. Last but not the least we gained freedom from Smriti Irani who played the victimized tear shedding machine Tulsi for 7 years at the cost of having Goutami playing the role and making us doubt the existence of eternity of soaps and soap queens.

I am not an 80 year old bored grandmother remembering the good old days. I am just a 24 year old trying to define freedom and its cost for me and my fellow ‘Y’ generation youths.