Contributors: Aman Rai, Amogh Kawathekar, Devansh Bangad, Rajat Jain
No Offense
Contributors: Akanksha Sachan, Alok Ranjan, Aman Rai, Kushal Yadav,
Namit Agrawal, Rishi Rathi
Earlier this year, several meme groups were banned for sharing content deemed to be violating the community standards of Facebook. There was huge outrage post the ban, as people considered the moderation policy harsh and arbitrary. With multiple similar groups springing up post the ban, the success of the imposition of this policy isn’t evident. But these bans have led to increased conversation about this online culture which many believe invalidates minority voices through the use of memes and humour that propagates stereotypes
A frequent argument used to justify the existence of these groups despite their offensive nature is the freedom that participants have to actively opt-out of the discourse. People point to the closed nature of these groups, leading to the fact that these groups are not supposed to be safe spaces in the first place, as mentioned in their community guidelines. These measures are seen analogous to trigger warnings and other measures have become common in the comedy scene if a joke is based on lived experiences like sexual misconduct. These trigger warnings ensure individuals who are uncomfortable about a particular subject being mentioned in a standup set can opt-out.
In this article, we review this notion and look at the other and often disregarded side of this discussion.
Dank Memes = Offensive Memes?
While the history of dank memes is not very clear, they seem to have originated around 2013-2014 when r/DankMemes started trending on Reddit. Knowyourmeme.com defines dank memes as "Dank Memes" is an ironic expression used to describe online viral media and in-jokes that are intentionally bizarre or have exhausted their comedic value to the point of being trite or cliché”.
Thus dank memes exist primarily to take mainstream memes, which memers consider to be subpar, and then recreate them in a way that is meant to subvert these memes’ popularity. Frequently, this is done to mock and undermine the mainstream “normie” meme culture. (“Normies'' in this sense is a pejorative used by web subcultures; as an adjective, it describes that which is mainstream, conventional, every day, or ordinary.)
It is this motive that leads the dank meme into objectionable themes like racial stereotypes, homophobia, etc. Not all dank memes take on these themes, but it is the dank meme genre which encourages the creation of such content.
Over time, they have been radicalised to the extent that there’s been a drawdown in humour and they have instead become incrementally offensive to people’s sentiments. It is impossible to discern what the creators of these Have you ever come across memes that you found objectionable, in your own social media circles?
memes meant when they shared their content. Some dank memers might be merely trying to be as “edgy” as they can by being offensive, with no intention for their memes to be seen by people outside their communities. But others still might hold truly problematic beliefs. Many believe that these memes need to be curbed irrespective of the intentions of the people, due to the broader narrative that they propagate.
Why is disparagement humour problematic?
groups
like
Placement
Rejection
Posting
regularly
approved
sexist
memes
which
implied
that
women behave promiscuously to achieve success, which devalues their professional abilities and is overtly sexist. Other such groups (like IIM Dank) which had plenty of witty and non-degradingly sarcastic memes, also dedicated a huge chunk of their content to memes which operated on tired social stereotypes, due to a lack of active moderation and a nuanced judgement of where to draw the line.
Research
suggests
that
even
though
disparagement
humour looks harmless, the effects are far from benign; such humour can reinforce stereotypes to an extent where intolerant
attitudes
sexism
an
as
become
example,
to
commonplace.
better
understand
Let's the
take issue
Is humor based on traditional gender and/or caste and religion based stereotypes harmful?
caused by disparagement humour. Imagine that the social norms treating
about
acceptable
women
Everything acceptable;
on
are
the
and
unacceptable
represented
inside
everything
of
on
the
the
by
rubber
outside
a
band is
ways
rubber is
of
band. socially
unacceptable.
Sexist humour permanently stretches the rubber band. It expanded the bounds of acceptable behaviour to include responses that would otherwise be considered wrong or inappropriate.
So,
in
this
context
of
expanded
acceptability, inherently sexist memers felt unrestrained in expressing their antagonism with no risk of violating social norms and facing social disapproval. This signalled that “it’s okay” to express sexist attitudes under the pretence of humour. More importantly, the real problem might not be with the humour itself but rather the audience’s dismissive viewpoint that “a joke is just a joke,” even if disparaging.
Another study found that this "joke is just a joke” belief might indeed be responsible for some of the adverse effects of disparagement humour. Considering that many of us find it difficult to acknowledge these effects simply because we haven’t (consciously) perceived them, we encourage readers to refer to these studies to know about the fallout of such seemingly trivial content.
Humour theorists have emphasized the socially positive and disinhibiting functions of joke-telling as well. It serves as liberation from severe constraints of everyday life. Asserting that one is non-serious with humour represents a socially valued position, perhaps even a core cultural value. Jokes targeted towards people of other less socially dominant groups, however, walk the grey area between being either simply playful or serving negative intergroup objectives.
People regularly face a disparity: the existence of obvious inequalities between social groups on the one hand and a prescription for norms favouring equality on the other. A joke is just a joke belief, and dismissive humour orientations may, therefore, justify maintaining the status quo by trivializing communications that can oppress others.
Further, the nuances of online engagement and interpersonal interactions, the formation of such unwelcoming groups, which deprive access to specific groups of individuals because of their identities, is harmful. On the surface, the harm may seem insignificant but it can make people feel unwelcome in their offline lives. Even though the memes talk about a stereotype that one person may have faced over their lifetime, people who take offence are perceived as being too sensitive. The person has two options. Either they can detach themselves from the group or they can stop taking offence. Given these memes are so commonplace in the institute, the first option means that the person excludes themselves from almost every group. The second option trivializes the person’s unique struggles, which makes them question even if their struggles were true or an overreaction on their side (read: gaslighting).
We should consider the particular context of engineering institutes in India which have been predominantly cis-male from socially privileged sections. As a university that secures reservation for marginalised castes and is actively trying to increase the percentage of women students on campus, IIT Bombay strives to be among the few Indian engineering institutes that are truly diverse in terms of the student demographic.
But the goals of having a diverse campus can only be achieved if all its spaces are made accessible. Given that our social interactions are a crucial part of our lives at the institute, all social circles must remain inclusive. As a university campus where people aspire to transcend their identities, which have defined them previously, with their hard work, it doesn’t hurt to create a more sensitised environment.
According to you, in what ways is humour based on gender stereotypes harmful?
But, are memes offensive?
While the harms are clear and far-reaching, a world full What, according to you, justifies the existence of these groups?
of meme police sirens would just leave us with cat and dog videos to enjoy. Memes have also emerged as tools to call out people in positions of power, and a curb would severely limit this ability of memes. We look into the
other
side
of
the
story
and
understand
the
perspective of a memer.
Whenever a meme (or any piece of humour) is made at the expense of any community, people are quick to point out that “it is a personal attack”, or is “harassment”. This nicely
segues
Harassment.
us
to
Memes
the have
debate
of
evolved
Criticism
into
a
vs
socially
acceptable form of criticizing the status quo and calling out the powers that be. Unlike purely written content, memes are more relatable, succinct and engaging. In fact, we won’t be surprised if memes on this article receive more reaction than the article itself!
We memers use the copious amounts of templates available to us for a humorous take on society’s woes. Let
us
consider
the
example
of
companies
with
affirmative action policies for women. These policies don’t sit well with me, and therefore I make a meme that criticises them, and I am well within my rights to do so. The line is crossed when I personally seek out females recruited
by
such
companies,
and
make
memes
attacking them, or insinuating that every female on the campus landed a job just because they flaunted their sexuality to the HR, or any such rumours that I know are completely false. That is harassment, and it shouldn’t be allowed (but it did happen a lot of times on PRP, under the pretence of humour, or freedom of speech).
On the flip side, the subjective definition of “hate speech” can be exploited by people at which the meme is being aimed. O things when election season rolls ane can easily flag a meme, just criticizing their actions, as “highly offensive” in nature, and have it taken down. That is a way of directly silencing my opinion. (And everyone has seen suchround). I don’t have a right to harass you, but you can’t take mine for being critical of you.
Moderate these groups and filter out the right content Social Media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter give their users considerable freedom to argue with people’s opinions, and to express their own. However, it is critical to keep in mind that rights to freedom of speech & expression are not absolute rights under the Indian Constitution - and can be restricted to protect other rights of an individual; especially in cases of incitation or intimidation.
Consequently, all of these platforms (operating similarly to an actual social community, albeit online) also have a duty to keep any unacceptable behaviour out of their domain. Most of these platforms adhere to a clear set of guidelines to prevent the misuse of the freedom of expression. Facebook Community standards, for example, define hate speech as “a direct attack on people based on protected characteristics — race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, caste, sex, gender, gender identity, and serious disease or disability.” Content that shows these (or any other) objectionable characteristics is liable to get banned. Multiple community standard violations lead to the group/account/page getting banned by Facebook. According to you, social media groups containing dank content/humour should be:
While the above distinction seems very clear, it does not work perfectly in practice. Users often report posts for no good reason which trivializes the few genuine concerns, which go unnoticed. On the flip side, several offenders continue to spew unabashed hatred on the platforms with apparently no oversight. It is essential to understand that the system, despite having clear guidelines, operates on a level of subjectivity that often leads to errors. The content reviewers are only human, after all. The moderation system is further hampered by the enormous amount of content getting shared on them. Thus the onus lies on the individual group moderators as well as the audience. Admins and moderators can do their part by actively reviewing the content and banning repeat offenders, while the audience can do theirs by either reporting such content or at the very least downvoting/negatively reacting to it.
Conclusion
Vulgar and offensive memes have been part of social media for so long that it is foolish to believe that they could be banned out of existence. At the same time, it would be a gross generalisation to say that dank memes solely constitute memes which are based on the subversion of public morality. As a memer or even as an audience member, it feels like making/sharing humour is like walking on eggshells. People sometimes do get easily offended, throwing pots and pans around trying to change the world. A world with extensive policing
to
reduce
humour
to
meet
some
over-sanitized societal standards would be a boring one.
But as the world and institutions change to be more accommodative of historically oppressed communities, we are also obliged to make their voices a part of an everyday discourse by acknowledging their struggles. While no one will argue that social media (especially after the lockdown) has emerged as an important platform of both political and personal dialogues, people spare no effort to deny its impacts on everyday life.
While
homophobic
many joke
may in
a
believe classroom
that
making
a
conversation
is
wrong, they vehemently defend the same right to do so in the virtual world. People have rationalised these conflicting beliefs in a myriad of ways to resolve their cognitive
dissonance.
We
have
also
internalised
problematic belief systems due to years of conditioning which makes us perceive most humour as harmless. We need to make a conscious effort to recognise these beliefs.
While it may be difficult in the beginning, an effort to be sensitive to different belief systems and their lived experiences when posting a meme or sharing a post can go a long way in controlling the spiteful content online. It is high time that we learn to spread humour without spreading hate.
Brain Drain
Contributors: Pranav Kasat, Sahil Dixit, Samyak Shah
There can be no denying that we, the students of IIT Bombay, are more privileged as compared to the average Indian. There is no doubt that we (and our families) put in efforts and resources to make it to IIT Bombay, but most of us have benefited from having a better socio-economic position as compared to the average Indian.
Once we make it to IIT Bombay, we also benefit from significant government support in the form of subsidised facilities, the rationale being that IITs are incubating some of the best talents of the country who need to be supported by the state in order to blossom. The hope is that someday, these students will contribute back to the Indian society.
However, we see a significant percentage of students qualified in a particular domain leaving the country in the future in search of better opportunities - a phenomenon termed as “brain drain”. Brain drain induces a tangible loss of talent which is societally damaging to the people of that country. This undermines the societal expectation of “giving back to the country” or “working for the country”, and disregards the nation’s contribution in making us who we end up becoming.
However, how does the average student perceive these nationalistic concerns? What makes someone opt for opportunities abroad in the first place?
Brain Drain in Numbers
Brain Drain initially began in the 60s and 70s when more and more colleges were established in our country, and people started moving abroad either for higher studies or for better job opportunities. The Silicon Valley was booming at that time, and thus it attracted a huge chunk of people. The most talented from our country (mainly from IITs) started studying and settling abroad. A 1987 paper authored by Prof I Mahadevan and Prof SP Sukhatme from our institute studied the magnitude and nature of Brain Drain from IIT Bombay. They had analysed the batches from 1973-1977 and found out that a whopping 30.8% of the alumni had settled abroad. The main reasons resulting in such a colossal outflux are better education, earnings and the fact that our alumni adjusted well to their profession.
An IIT Madras study performed in 1989 states that from 1959-1989, about 26% of the graduates emigrated which might have created a domino effect and inspired the subsequent batches to move abroad. This effect slowed down after the late 90s when the ‘dot-com bubble’ crisis happened, and people started returning due to the economic slump in the US. Though the overall number of students migrating might not be as high today, relative to other institutions, the number of students moving abroad from IITs is still quite large. As a result, many people feel IITians do not contribute back to society to the level they are expected, which, to some extent, is true.
The Pursuit of Greener Pastures
More Holistic Education
The Indian education system is considered more rigid compared to its western counterparts. It is more textbook-centric, and there is little importance given to overall development.
Highly educated individuals not only covet foreign education for themselves but also prefer moving abroad with a promise of a more wholesome education for their future generations. The education systems abroadespecially in the USA, Canada and Scandinavia are very flexible in terms of subject choice and difficulty. There are higher opportunities in Arts and Humanities.
The number and quality of higher educational institutions is better. The cost of education is generally not affordable, but the quality of education and future opportunities to grow trump the monetary costs.
Those who move to college for their master’s degree or specialisation have access to great job opportunities abroad. Thus, they prefer working abroad because the pay is better, and their skills better valued.
Quality of life and associated perception
Indian society is significantly more close-knit than its western counterparts. Some people who prefer a more individualistic lifestyle may wish to move to Europe, Australia or the US given the opportunity. Western TV shows play an instrumental role in shaping our perception of western life and freedom. The cost of labour and services is too high in other countries; this means one is on his or her own, quite literally. Companies in the US offer higher pay and lots of opportunities for self-growth compared to their Indian counterparts. There's also an excellent network of public transport which serves most of the European cities- buses, trains and trams; this isn’t the case with most of the Indian cities where the public transport infrastructure is pretty average. Due to the high population in major Indian cities, traffic and movement have become a real problem. This isn’t the case in western countries except for a few big cities. Healthcare facilities are better in the West but are significantly more expensive when compared to the same facilities in India.
All in all, we can say that more personal freedom and a higher level of public services are enticing for the young graduate.
Brand Names, better work quality and work culture
Brand names play a big part in affecting our perceptions in making career choices. Be it “MBA from Harvard” vs “MBA from IIM” or “MS from US Ivy League” vs “MTech from IIT”- it is obvious what strikes us as more appealing even before putting in thought about what choice might be better for our career goals, general life priorities and socio-economic background. This is not to say that many opportunities abroad are not better than the ones in India - in fact, the quality of the labour market in terms of exposure, quality of work and facilities, and a higher degree of importance that is given to a proper work-life balance makes the best foreign workspaces better than the best Indian workspaces. But our decision-making regarding the pursuit of foreign career avenues certainly gets biased due to the mentality of blindly finding big brand names more attractive - the same kind of mindset that brought most of us to an IIT in the first place.
Is the grass always greener on the other side?
Let us ponder upon the negative consequences of so many people leaving India and moving abroad. The huge outflux of talented people is a significant loss for our country. Had these people stayed here, they would have directly contributed towards the development of our country to a great extent. This leads to a shortage of innovative, important and skilled working forces in our country. Further, the outflux of citizens also creates a certain negative image of the prospects in our country in the minds of the following generations and, in turn, entices them to move abroad. Therefore, a domino effect begins where some people start planning to settle overseas as they might have seen their relatives or friends leave the country due to some benefit which they couldn’t get here. Thus, the investment made by our country in our citizens in the form of education, healthcare, etc. is utilised by some other developed nation, instead of accelerating India’s growth internally.
These are some of the ill effects of brain drain on the home country, but what about the ill effects on the emigrants?
Shifting to another country is no joke. It’s a complete change of environment, and comes as a cultural shock to many. Acclimatizing with the lifestyle, culture, food and even climate often takes considerable time, especially for first generation immigrants who do not have family or friends to ease their transition. Besides, being part of the minority of a country is never easy. There have been many cases of Indians having trouble getting along with the natives of the foreign country. We are often discriminated against based on skin colour, our dietary practices, religion, accent and many other things. So, it doesn’t matter how long you have been living there or even if you have citizenship of that nation; there’s still a possibility that the natives would have certain predispositions against you, which can lead to a feeling of alienation. Therefore, one would have a diverse professional experience but might miss out on having a diverse social experience.
Although now, with Indians being almost ubiquitous in this age of globalization and digitalization, it is significantly easier to find personal as well as digital resources to help you settle into your new destination seamlessly.
We have addressed the consequences of brain drain for India, but is it really all that bad or is there more to it than meets the eye?
Brain Drain Gain
People of Indian origin who are living abroad often act as ambassadors and faces of the country, internationally. This results in large investments in the country, both directly and indirectly. An example of direct investments are the wealthy alumni who contribute to the development of their alma maters. A lot of families also depend on foreign remittances that are received from relatives living abroad. Many people of Indian origin are now in senior management positions at Multi-National Corporations (MNCs), which leads to such companies investing in India by setting up operations in the country and providing employment to our citizens. Increasing Indian representation in the upper echelons of foreign governments also leads to stronger international relations and favourable policies. These are some of the far reaching indirect benefits. Most of the Indians abroad are appreciated and rewarded for their endeavours, and they in turn give back to their roots in their own ways. In fact, we also feel a sense of pride on seeing people like Sundar Pichai and Gita Gopinath, people like “us”, making it to the zenith of their respective fields. They serve as inspiration to millions of young Indians who dare to dream big.
Conclusion
The government does need to address the issue of quality education from the grassroots level, as the education system should be more streamlined towards knowledge which can be applied to industry and practical life. The NEP 2020 seems to be a step forward in the right direction, and we hope that it eventually plugs the ill effects of brain drain. From an individual standpoint, we need to re-evaluate our societal opinions and the definition of success, otherwise we will be disconnected from the highly dynamic corporate as well as social landscape of the modern world.
At the end of the day, we have to acknowledge that an individual has complete autonomy over their life choices. “Brain Drain” is one such multifaceted choice, which is a lot more than just a simple outflux of talent and resources from India. It is a complex and often symbiotic relationship, which has the potential to benefit all parties involved. So it may be perceived as just a one way ticket abroad, but India continues to rake up the flyer miles!
Contributors: Aayush Garg, Amogh Gawaskar, Alok Ranjan, Lovesh Gupta, Vipul Ramtekkar
Saying Grace
With Insti seemingly far away, and most of us locked down at home, one reflects on a bounty of experiences and resources we had access to from the erstwhile healthy period. This magnified perception of the value of these amenities makes one appreciate (or curse) Thomas Fuller’s quote, “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” ‘Amenities’ has been used as an umbrella term for a multitude of resources, both material and sentimental. What follows is an amalgam of thoughts regarding said amenities, from Insti, back home, and even in nature.
Campus Sentiments
The aesthetic side of our campus has always kept most of us gripped. This virtue has even convalescents of the supposed toxic culture (Stay Tuned) wishing for a return. A visit to our lakeside to become one with nature and the starry sky (A starry sky between 6 A.M and 6 P.M, odd) or looking at the skyline drawn on the backdrop of high-rise structures from the top of VMCC or DESE/ESED building or watching airplanes disappear into the sky, with the lake and lights still in view from the H13 terrace, or just the arduous yet rewarding journey to the top of Sameer Hill, to name a few spots.
Having some of your best mates within a few steps, one possibly in the same room for a lucky few and spending countless hours doing or talking about the most random things in our rooms or our eateries and canteens at the oddest of hours, at times accompanied with an elixir of sorts.
While widespread video conferencing has helped soften the blow, plans for activities and outings, unfortunately, remain plans, potentially unfulfillable for some. The lack of options to stay connected with the fauna of our campus is excessively unsettling for most.
For some students, a week without attending or participating in an event is an aberration. With a rather exceptional chunk of events being infeasible, even with the new normal kind of events, the shoes to temporarily fill are far too big. Some major flagship events of clubs and bodies might have to skip an iteration or take up alternative platforms and media, like Insight’s Print Media. With this hiatus in events having been and inevitably continuing to be bitter, one can’t help but draw a parallel to Passenger's Let Her Go.
General amenities in Insti
With
our
activities
campus that
concentrated
have
now
been
with
a
variety
impeded,
both
of
facilities,
leisure
and
there
work.
are
For
too
some
many of
us,
unlimited access to a high-speed internet connection is something only attainable there. Ease of access to most any sport is a luxury that likely no student has near home. Even just the ability to play a sport without middle or old aged opposition is
a
dream
for
many.
Also,
assume
sports
to
be
a
metaphor
for
most
leisure
activities in Insti.
The library is another structure whose absence, a rather characteristic section of the student populace must be enduring. While remote access has been provided to some library resources, the adapted comfort and atmosphere associated with the
library
are
hardly
reproducible.
This,
coupled
with
other
inaccessible
library
resources, makes for a not-so-smooth sailing for this characteristic section.
Project and research work, which is usually accentuated during the summers but still
fairly
common
throughout
access
to
laboratory
server
or
information
position, have
had
someone to
perspective
shift
and
one’s
access
needing
focus
the
for
their
something
temporarily
prior
cursing
summoning by an advisor.
semester,
experimental
to
of
a
has
facilities. project as
work
simple
something lab
taken While
as
is a
less
because
a
hit
due
likely
12V
in
an
the
just a
power
hands-on. of
to
someone
lack
of
requiring
comfortable supply
Really
abrupt
might
puts
into
unwelcome
Academics
For most of us, academics is not just about lectures or books or getting grades or anything that simple. Instead, it's more about the wingie who holds a doubt session at midnight before exams or the lab mates who, though after a lot of groveling, end up helping over last-minute calculations or the quiet mugging hours at LHC just a week before exams or the peer groups and group studying. We all would agree, maybe discreetly, that we also miss the going-to-lectures adventure in the mornings. Some room’s only real alarm is the door-banging by another wingie or the sight of wingies with a toothbrush in their mouth, but their eyes, struggling to stay open. Even in the mess, you see varying levels of urgency, with someone stuffing a few bananas in their bags to eat in class and someone else calmly awaiting their rather fancy omelet. Some might even miss the classroom teaching by some professors, while the extra-curricular part of the classroom experience is far more likely to be missed. The adrenaline rush and uncertainty, while chasing the deadline for some assignment or report submission, when a wing room suddenly becomes some sort of a battleground, when you can really feel the Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock of clock and vibrations in your hands, when you constantly check your phones, wide-eyed, with an innocent hope of getting some help or the deadline extended. The infrastructure, buildings, and hostel culture are inherent to the academics at IITB, and one cannot crib enough for the lack of these during the inevitable online semester.
Resources, Environment, Pandemic, and us!
If seen from nature’s perspective, this whole lockdown period has been a blessing in disguise for the environment. We had a much more quiet world outside, sans the haste, and much of the pollution. Taking a stroll outside, maybe along some river or sea, we all must have noticed how clean our surroundings have become over such a small duration as animals and birds took over the streets, while humans stayed inside.
But what’s the point in pondering over these now? Well, keeping this phase in the back of our minds and knowing what beautiful effect it had on the environment, we ought to be more generous towards the resources and somewhat less reckless in our pursuits in the future. Maybe this pandemic, which shook the world & had drastic effects on the economy, can be somehow taken as an opportunity to realize that we share this earth and all our natural resources with not only other humans but all other species. Maybe the next time we reluctantly load our plates with the food in the mess, we would remember this phase, when we saw people in our neighborhood or on television suffering, due to the lack of food and basic amenities. Maybe the next time we feel too lazy to find a dustbin, we would remember how clean and beautiful that place had been. Maybe we would learn that the way we regard ourselves as supreme and uncontrollable in our attitude towards fellow species and nature itself might be a mirage, and we need to calm down a bit in our profligacy. Maybe we would become more empathetic towards each other. Maybe...
Conclusion
Amenities at Home
A quote by Cynthia Ozick goes - “We often take for
It
granted
in insti as much, or one would think long and hard
the
very
things
that
most
deserve
our
would
before
gratitude.”
seem
that
ditching
a
one
plan
would
and
not
now
curse
think
Mondays
more
about
these little things that are magnified in the current This
lockdown
chores relate
to
the
important and
had
most
incessantly
we
nightmare
for
felt
day
survival
most
of in
it
as
us
was, a
helpless.
performing
day
out.
when
laptop, Some
certain
Some
might
something
needed
struggled
as
repair, to
find
context. The absence of the now luxurious, concept of
dining
one to
out
when
meet
in
with
is
something
your
that
hometown
some
of
your
or
especially even
closest
the
pinches inability
friends,
despite
them being a quick scooter ride away, really makes
help with essential services like repairing, cleaning,
you
etc;
daily
one’s lifestyle.
food
Maybe for some of us, this lockdown is more sweet
grappling
necessities. outings,
with
Going
just
cause
obtaining
out
when
you
felt
even
feeling
like
it,
basic low
now
or
seem
to
be
Regardless surely
of
made
services
and
all
us
the
negatives,
realize
help
we
the
have.
this
value The
of
toiling
the
way
has
essential
services
like
hospitals, banks, and security operated during such dire
times
deserve
due
respect
from
us.
When
most of us were safe at home and had the comfort of getting essentials delivered to our doorstep and other
utilities
operating
as
continued safety.
like
electricity
before,
servicing
Yes,
that’s
the
while
their
and
workers
job,
water
involved
sidelining but
that
supply in
their
doesn’t
this own
make
their efforts any less commendable. Thus we might adopt
a
different
than not
distant memories.
outlook
towards
these
services and not take them for granted.
usual
marvel
bitter,
so
at
the
but
lucky,
sudden
for
we
the
hope
change
that
unfortunate this
piece
can
bunch
and
befall
that
your
is
own
reminiscence get you through these trying times.
Contributors:
Alok Ranjan, Chaitanya Johari, Ojasvi Kumar, Shaunak Natarajan, Suman Mondal
Things I could cook
1. Coffee
2. Maggi