Aglib thought recently struck me as my auto-crossed Soho House in Juhu, one of the new purveyors of poshness. "What if my impostor syndrome is fake?" I said to myself with a laugh, too lazy to peel the layers of this particular thought-onion. It did, however, make me think about the rampant pretentiousness that sociable living necessitates. Here's a list of five kinds of pressures we'd do well to shed.
The cultural bandwagon
A few days after Geetanjali Shree's Partition-themed Hindi novel Tomb of Sand, translated by Daisy Rockwell, won the International Booker, I stepped into a hipster coffee shop to buy an overpriced, bitter Americano I've developed a disturbing appetite for. I found two young women, dressed alike in pretty, floaty dresses, reading the book synchronously. It was quite an arresting sight, considering the book is 725 pages long; not your regular Tuesdays with Morrie or Jonathan Livingston Seagull kind of café performance staple. Made me wonder about the last time I read a book without posting about it. But then writers are allowed all kinds of vanity in the guise of connecting with readers. Phew.
The (second-hand) opinion factory
Denne historien er fra August 20, 2022-utgaven av Brunch.
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Denne historien er fra August 20, 2022-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Fit Check? Look Behind You
In gyms, someone is always filming. We are all in the frame without meaning to be. Is privacy at odds with fitness goals? Is consent even possible with all those mirrors?
Avantika Dassani
Actor, @AvantikaDassani
Keep your i on this BMW
The brand's beloved sedan has now gone electric. The i5 M60 has a sci-fi roar and razor-sharp graphics. It's worth the hype
Why adapt when you can evolve?
Sometimes, the movie or show does it better than the book it is based on. Here's when to stream not flip
Sharp edges, blunt words
British chef Heston Blumenthal has gone public about his struggle with ADHD and bipolar syndrome. He hopes it calms kitchens down. It's hot in there already
The suitable boy
He's played lovers, taxi drivers, street rats and rich brats. He's redefining what it means to be the token Brown boy on set. But would he be on a reality show? Ishaan Khatter tells us why he's a career chameleon and how he got here
Stay stylish in your cubicle
Everyone's back at the office. Covid flexibilities are long forgotten. But being comfortable is still key. So, what are we wearing to work?
Hey, I found you online
Baby pics, emo selfies, old tweets outing the ex. If it makes you cringe, it makes HR departments do too. Here's how to clean up your digital footprint
Is It Scrolling Or Screening?
Being on the phone while the TV plays is the new normal. Just don't do it when there's company. A case for what it means to be present
This week, we're...
Preferring the spinoff.
