How My Autocratic Parents Used Democratic Principles to Raise Me
I have given this a lot of thought
*Disclaimer — Some content included in this story is graphic for humorous impact.
I come from the biggest democracy in the world. The democratic principles were bound to impact my life.
I. Citizen Participation & Human Rights
Indian parents understand that decision-making is not easy. Hence, children in my country are spared the horrors of life’s dilemmas.
Religious beliefs, culinary palate, friends, leisure interests, academic milestones, career goals — you name it. Everything gets handed over to us on a silver platter.
My say in important decisions of MY life, well, fell on deaf ears.
1. I wanted to be a doctor < Dad wanted an engineer son = I am an engineer.
2. I loved making friends < Friendship annihilates, Dad believed = I didn’t have any.
The matters of my marriage and kids, in the current context, will need a sixology.
II. Equality
All men are created equal — Thomas Jefferson
After all, all men are created equal. So, how can I score less than Mr. Singhal’s son?
Mr. Singhal, in turn, looked up to the score of Mr. Sharma’s son to apply the same principle.
I haven’t seen Mr. Singhal and Mr. Sharma’s sons in the last twenty years. They have been missing since.
What? Why are you looking at me like that?!
III. Education & An Electoral System — Majority Rules
My dad always wanted me to get into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). It is an elite engineering institute in India and every father’s dream once his wife lets him.
He even spent his hard-earned money to send me to IIT coaching institutes for a year to help me prepare for the difficult entrance exam.
I was lucky, though. In my second week at the coaching institute, a professor gave me a reality check.
He made me realize it’s not easy to get in, and only one of us from the class of sixty would make the top draw.
He even drew me this graphic.
It didn’t take a lot of convincing to accept I was not a top dawg. I decided to stick with the majority and make the most of this opportunity.
Being the ideal pupil, I took the professor’s advice by heart. I spent the remainder of the year at the coaching institute watching movies, traveling, drinking, and ogling hot Delhi girls.
Why only ogling? Was there any boom-boom? That’s what you suckers got from all of this?
Because I embraced my mediocrity and drank down the dream of being a multi-millionaire doesn’t mean I am not content with my life (I am).
My father, however, has a contrasting viewpoint.
I, then, went on to marry the liberal girl of his dreams.
Did I finally come to power as a first-rate husband? Or did she filibuster to henpeck him?
To be continued….
