What will our neighbor Sharma ji say? What will Neetu maasi think about you? Why can’t you just do what everyone does? Why can’t you be what everyone is or wants you to be?
Log Kya Kahenge (What Will People Think) is a social slogan in Urdu and Hindi used to create fear of public’s opinion on one’s personal life.
Being born in a middle class Indian household, these questions alway pop up. And it’s not that our parents don’t love us or want us to not be what we want to be. It’s just that, our parents are afraid. Afraid of what will happen to us unless we follow the social norm.
Funny thing is, in our country today, Sharma ji’s son is actually selling incense sticks after becoming an engineer or Neetu maasi’s daughter is working at a very underpaid job after completing her MBA.
Judging people is a speciality in Indian society, and used as a weapon that most aunties and uncles have mastered.
Judging people on basis of their skin colour is okay, but discrimination on the…