This was the clever classification — if you did not have a boyfriend, you were dubbed “ugly”; and having one rendered you “characterless”.
WORDS ARE incredibly powerful weapons. Who amongst us has not felt both its warming glow and its cold icy sting… or its companionship and its abandonment… or how majestically it makes us soar to the greatest heights of paradise or how mindlessly it flings us into the deepest darkest recesses of hell! Words are incredibly powerful weapons. And in the hands of the master abuser, words become the precise instruments of psychological abuse. And without so much as lifting a finger, the words you use have the power to bring about the complete destruction of another human being. Words can be weapons of mass destruction.
However, before I begin this month’s piece (an extremely personal one at that), let me first announce what I haven’t announced to the rest of the world as yet: “I’m getting engaged!”
Well… I am not young… at least not by “Indian Societal Standards”, which is probably why my family got the biggest shock of their lives when they first got the news… a feat, nonetheless! — considering they are seldom shocked by anything I do. But… let’s reserve that for another time and another piece, for I am not here to regale you with their tales of insurmountable disbelief. In fact, some have still not recovered their power of speech (then again, good riddance, I say — for disarmament always is). Of course, that brings me back to the present: the curious case of words as weapons.
My family had a way with both words and weapons, and they knew how to use them well — or not so well (depending on your position vis a vis their respective words and/or weapons). Of course, although I never had to stare down the barrels of their guns, their words often found me an easy target. This is probably why, even though my decision to get married is one of the happiest decisions I have ever made, I can’t help but reminisce…
Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av Swarajya Mag.
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Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av Swarajya Mag.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Hesitant Orbit
In order to march boldly ahead into the deep space, New Delhi must work towards building a station, boost its techno-economic planning and use the Indian Space Research Organisation smartly.
Nudges And Narratives
The debate surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati brings India a complex network of portraits within a cultural world-system.
The Spell Of Specialisation
THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE NEEDS AN URGENT REJIG. THE KEY TO SPEED AND EFFICIENCY LIES IN PUTTING AN END TO A GENERALIST APPROACH AND IN GOING FOR A NEW SERVICE.
The Great Gamble
With demonetisation, the prime minister has taken a huge risk— both economic and political. He must succeed, because this move could transform both our economy and our society.
The Lies And The Truth
The government must be bold enough to up-end the activists who are coming in the way of the nation’s agricultural progress.
Figuring Out China
China’s economic footprint is being followed by its military footprint. To know that is not be belligerent but to prepare oneself adequately.
Management 108
The Upanishads Have A Lot To Teach Today’s Executives When Outcomes Are Unpredictable, Relationships Complex, And Change Is The Name Of The Game.
Sunny Days Ahead
THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR TAXI SERVICES ARE SENSIBLE, RATIONAL, AND MORE THAN WELCOME.
The Cultural World-System
Despite much talk of “soft power”, the fact is that whichever way you slice it, Indian culture fares poorly at seeking or exercising it
The Hard Way Forward
India has been focused on software, but there are large opportunities to be seized in hardware. A primer, and some busting of myths.
