Albert Pinto, that quintessential angry young man, is my hero. Not because he could not help but get angry at things. But because he did accept and stand by his anger.
But then, I’m told that he is not such a good hero to have.
It is not fashionable to be angry. Nice people don’t get angry. Oops! Please forgive my language. Nice people never lose their composure, is what I had meant to say. It is not classy to raise your decibel, even if you are speaking the most dignified language. Nice people, after all, are not just about thoughts; they are a whole-lot about conduct too.
In fact, nicety is increasingly becoming only about conduct and appearance. Or maybe we can stretch the envelope to call it political correctness of one’s disposition. Wow! Now that really was put nicely.
Game for getting angry at a social gathering or with a loved one, anyone? I must be kidding. Who wants to be with a wimp? Everyone wants to be with people who keep smiling, everything withstanding.
And as they would say, what is wrong with me? Why do I get so angry? Why do I get so angry so often?
Because I believe that things can be changed. And because I don’t believe that one has to learn to take things in the stride of life. Or that some things, after all, can’t be helped. That one should not lose one’s cool under any circumstances. So what if we know that the teapot that the hostess is bragging as an unbreakable one can be broken in one single throw away from the table. Albert Pinto did that. I would want to do that. Of course, in spite of not being a nice man, I would pay for the damages. In any case, I would have to pay in the form of losing a few ‘nice’ people.
But that is not what the crusade is all about. It is about being what one is. Being one’s own self definitely does not mean breaking teapots at others’ homes. That is a metaphor for the freedom to express one’s emotions in a manner that is the most natural self. A manner, which is invariably buried under multiple draping of proper social etiquette. Or maybe the man’s oldest adage-friend, If you can’t beat them, join them. There is no dearth of statements, phrases, beliefs and judgments that prescribes composure – in spite of everything.
But of course, why should there be any dearth when the majority either believes it, is made to believe it or just plain lacks the guts to speak against it. I’m never dressed to kill. I don’t want to either. But at times I am expected to dress, as they say, well. And it makes me angry. I’m not showing you anything that you would anyway imagine if you like me.
Of course, you don’t like me. So you don’t like what you see. So what if I’m wearing some of the best brands in the world, the concern is whether the brand is suitable for the occasion. Yes, that makes me angry too.
Over to you to hate me for my low-society diatribe. But what the heck! I’m not here to be popular with you; I’m here to be a friend. I’m told. They unfailingly put their views across in such a manner that it does not hurt the feelings of anyone. Kisi ki bhawnaaon ko thhes nahin pahoonchni chaahiye, you see.
