Monday, November 18, 2013

Double standard

Facebook is full of Sachin’s retirement.
“Sachin retired...people cried, disappointed blah blah. I know it’s such a loss to watching cricket now...I am a great fan too. I have enjoyed tons of matches watching him play. But somewhere it crosses my mind, as to how much we Indians are attached to public personalities! Everybody retires, OUR PARENTS retire, but don't ever see posts of the same! Nobody mentions how their parents felt when they retired. I spoke to my Father 3 months ago when he retired and how empty he felt that day. That he choked thrice at work while saying goodbye to the 'other' family he had for 30+ years! Cricketers, actors, politicians - they play such important roles in our life! We forget they are doing a job! Jai Hind!”
I posted this today on my Facebook. Very few had the same views and liked it; as most of them as still in the agony of the GREAT RETRIREMENT! Why do we have such double standards? Why don’t we see jobs as jobs! Actors are doing a job, politicians, sportsmen…all the same!
A couple years ago when YSR…Andra Pradesh politician died in a helicopter accident, I read about how one or more people committed ‘suicide’ because of the loss of a great politician! REALLY??? So for these people, their parents come later..beyond these money raking public personalities? We never read a news that a son committed suicide after his parent’s death! Why are we so obsessed with public figures? At the end of the day, Sachin did his job of playing cricket for the country, yes we are proud of his achievements as an individual and as a country, and yes he had to retire some day, so another Sachin has a chance…that Sachin could be one of our sons!
The hypocrisy behind loving him and hating…until last year people were fed up of him…openly saying why doesn’t he retire already? And when he finally does, people want to cry and miss him and tweet and compose a song! Truly, I wonder what Sachin thinks of all this!
My father-in-law retired in 2011 and we (my husband, me and my brother-in-law) has flown in to town to surprise him on his last day of work! I feel sorry that my father did not have this moment of joy, as I and my brother both are here in the US. But I did make it a point to talk to my father and enquire on his last day. He did seem very down, like a lost battle. But it ain’t that bad as he got an extension and started his work the next following day. Point is my father and mother are idols to me, and yes their retirement bothers me much than Sachin’s!
Some of the over dramatic posts on Facebook were –

Life se ek question khatam ho gaya ................."Tendulkar ne kitne banaye?"

There is nothing left in Cricket now, time to start following other sports.

Can FB/ twitter release stats? How much posts were there for Sachin's retirement? I bet more than Obama winning the polls

5 comments:

  1. I know ,people treat him as god of cricket.
    As far as I am concerned,what the TV. Did was disgusting..It is on the same day INS added VIkramAditya to,it's fleet and no one bothered.

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    1. Very true Sir. So many social issues, problems, achievements go un-noticed because Indian media has selected area of interest. And even the crowd does the same! I would like to see how he does his next job of RS member. Until now I felt he should have stuck to his field than venturing into politics...but if he does any good to society then the decision was worth it. And as it is Sachin, I have high expectation from him, that he wouldn't turn out to be like the rest of the political "industry" we have!

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  2. Wonderfully written blog Ms Shilpa.. Fully agree with you.. specially on how until last year..people were vying for his retirement

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  3. I am posting your blog on my FB wall if you agree.. or else I will delete it.
    https://www.facebook.com/Kuldeep.Jhaala

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    1. Sure...no problem! Their my opinion and I stand by them. Sorry for the late reply..was out of town for the weekend. Thanks for your comments.

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