Daily Times

The way we once read books on etiquettes and manners, and how to thank people and apologise. The way our parents were so humble and generous to others, and politely excused themselves from the dinner table because it mattered. People, specifically in Pakistan, have long since forgotten where the real essence of life lies.

The only way to distract yourself in Pakistan is to go to event launches, functions or ceremonies of matrimony, and more such events which have lots of new designers popping out of nowhere and people rushing to take pictures and upload them on social media. The cycle keeps revolving, until you no longer want to do the superficial. That is, ONLY if you REALISE that you’re into the superficial mess that we call this world.

What is it about clothes that is so fascinating? True, it’s an expression of one’s individuality and the way they want to be seen. Then I ask all of you women, why are you mindlessly following any new designer on the block? Why are all women wearing the same clothes from these 1000 designers: same shalwars, same shirts, same use of colours even. What’s so enchanting about wearing the same ‘overpriced’ clothes that everyone else is wearing. Where’s your freedom of expression there? I don’t see any. Sorry, ladies.

It’s quite heart-breaking to see that now, I don’t have alot of people who connect with me on a certain level that they once did. Everyone has become superficial, fake and un-original.

Seeing the distractions that we are allowing us to get involved in, I see very less scope of people actually making something out of their lives. This one is for the designers: Do you think that at a point in your life, you will be able to make a difference in the world with your clothes? Do you think that you are providing people with something that is so enthralling, that they’ve perhaps never seen it before? Is your creation any different, perhaps a bit peculiar, perhaps something people who believe in change and having their own identity and uniqueness would LOVE to wear? If the answer is no, for me you have under-achieved.

A personal rant like this means that in no way I believe I am better than anyone else, and perhaps all those who are doing this to achieve something, will actually achieve something in life. I ACTUALLY, with all my heart, wish you the very best of luck for that. But from now on, I’ve promised to write about things that matter, in a little effort to bring back the BRAIN we once had, so that people actually remember that they’re being hypnotised to love this world, to be an average in a world that is constantly pressurizing you to fit in. I don’t fit in, and I know that I will do something different some day. Please ladies, believe in yourself and invest in yourself, rather than wearing clothes that are better than everyone else’s.

I’ve seen my maids having more intellect than a couple of my friends do. I’ve seen people who have absolutely nothing to eat, and tattered/torn clothes to wear, showing gratitude to the Lord more than wealthy good-for-nothings. What angers me the most is the way these egotistical women and men carry themselves: wearing a Rolex on your wrist does not make you a hero in my eyes if you cannot respect a waiter; I am actually calling you a DOUCHEBAG in my head.

I would really love for people to wake up and realise that their personalities and the way they behave around people, rich or poor, is what’s more important. INVEST in yourself. INVEST in your behaviour and your manners. INVEST in your health, and on your dreams. Stop with this superficial-ness, this will get you nowhere near success and will leave you with alot of regrets later on.

You are at a privilege, you can either dismiss this article or you can read it and actually awaken yourself. For me, it doesn’t matter what you have to say to me: you may want to degrade me, may want to say hurtful, offensive things to make me feel bitter and make me feel like a loser for writing this all, but in the end I’m just trying to help out in a rat race, where people are focused on the exterior and not the interior, which is what REALLY matters.

Yes, focus on who you are. Clothes don’t matter. I have genuine best friends who don’t wear expensive shoes and clothes but people love them because they’re authentic. Please do yourselves a favour and stop living in a bubble. Live life the way it’s meant to be lived.