By show off I mean display of valuable possessions to impress others. Most people have this weakness that leads to lavish expenses and
piling up things, most of which they do not need at all. Consumerism is the root cause of this crazy behaviour. Tempting advertisements by the print and
the electronic media make people buy things spending beyond their purchasing capacity. Unquenchable thirst for ostentation is also a kind of intoxication.
Like liquor, it is injurious to our life.
Luxurious cars, expensive mobile phones and posh villas are being considered indispensable. Credit cards
make people live as debtors for long periods. The interest of the banks is only in the exorbitant interest that they suck from the trapped customers. Equated
monthly instalments (EMI) reign supreme these days turning some people from riches to rags. Activated Teller Machine (ATM) is mistaken by many as “Any
Time Money”.
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They keep drawing to squander over things which they want but do not actually need. Cyber-crimes are on the rise since many people are
lured by mind boggling offers by invisible fraudsters. Fake e-mail and on line calls by culprits trap gullible people who are unable to resist temptations.
We find people pouring millions on weddings merely to show-off. Huge amounts are spent on wedding feasts.
Even glossy wedding cards are a sign of show-off. Why don’t these spendthrifts atleast try to learn to be frugal? I have seen some people
spending Rs.500/- to get printed just one wedding invitation card. After the wedding these cards get dumped in trash cans. Running to book palace–like
wedding halls is another matter of grave concern. Inviting people through WhatsApp message is enough, isn’t it? Precious time is wasted by going
door to door and inviting people in person.
Music programmes during wedding receptions is also sheer waste of money in my opinion. Unheard melodies
are being paid for. The recently held wedding in the family of business tycoon Mukesh Ambani is a very good example of Show-Off. Why don’t these people spend a small
portion of wedding expenses on some charity or social welfare work? I feel, tax must be levied on such grand events. People who Show-Off merely
as a “Status-Symbol” must be made to pay the price for their extravagance.
Technological advancement has made our life easy but it has also made us all lazy. We avoid personal contacts with friends and relatives and communicate
mostly through mobile phones and other gadgets, but the cost of these devices is really alarming. People spend lakhs of rupees just to talk. Owing
to the Show-Off tendency most people have given up the habit of savings. It is undesirable to compete with others in Show-Off. Imitation is flattery. Let
us avoid it and learn to be modest, living a life with humility. False prestige is meaningless. Simplicity would certainly make our life lova ble.
Translated by : M. R. Manohar
Source: ‘Viduthalai’
