Blurred Lines

As kids, the difference between right and wrong, good and bad had such prominence in our lives. Of course, we would wander onto the other side just to have a peek at what we were missing and soon enough be reprimanded for the same, making us realise how unworthy it all was. And yet, on some occasions when we got away scot free, we still had the heavy feeling of dread looming over us- the fear of being ousted any moment. Whatever the outcome, It was a path we chose in utter and complete awareness, most often to push the envelope as an act of rebellion or purely for cheap thrills.

But doesn’t the thrill factor lose its novelty after a while? Shouldn’t responsibility and maturity and all the adult stuff people talk about kick in at some point, as we age? So why is it then that the older we get the graver our deeds become? It’s almost as if the lines merge or have become so blurry we don’t know which side we are on any more, or, even if there are sides for that matter!

Is it our conscience that has duped us or is it the world? There is a slim possibility that all the things considered bad as growing up aren’t actually bad things. Isn’t that how we ultimately justify our acts anyway? If you really think about it, it’s basically a matter of perception. As the adage goes one man’s food is another man’s poison. What works for one, doesn’t necessarily have to be another’s way of life. At the end of the day we do what we have to do to survive, to thrive and to make it to the top without drowning. What we tell ourselves, how we rationalise our acts are all basic tools of survival. And maybe, we wouldn’t need to convince ourselves so much if we weren’t moulded with someone else’s beliefs in the first place. We agree that no two people are alike to think alike, yet, we ape their views of what is socially accepted and what isn’t.

So where does this leave us- are we all just some form of horrible human beings or are we just mere mortals doing the what we can to subsist the best way we can.