Here is a little story for you. Once upon a time, there was a city. A city filled with people. People with extraordinary ideas, talents and skills. People who came together, to share their expertise, they exhibited them and received recognition in the world stage. It was they, that made this city the haven for all artistic creations, for unconventional thoughts, for supreme innovations in music, art and culture.

But then it ended. The people left the city. Some died and with them died their legacy. Others moved to far away places in search of a better life. The city of intelligentsia was now no more. It was left with people who were ordinary and simple men and women who were clueless about how to fill up this void.

The story has continued ever since. It starts with college. Schools press upon a disciplinary code which is hard to break, and has that presence which guards the innocence and the simplicity. Once it ends, the beginning of a new world is upon us, the social interactions increase to greater heights, and the need to be in the control seat is greater than never before.

The basic idea is to differentiate yourself from the mass. In trying to be classy and chic one must constantly try to impress upon others that they are completely ignorant about the exclusive and refined facets of life. Music, art, cinema, books, philosophy — anything that you can lay your hands upon is a weapon. The “I” matters the most than the “You” in any form of conversation. Speaking rather than listening is a common feature.

It is here, that people like me who get snubbed, rather royally. That is the fun part. People have ideas, they have talents, they have thoughts and they have their interests. They need to socialize,  either through the traditional means or through the world wide web. Do they need to share their interests and thoughts?  I think Not. In this game of One-upmanship, there is only one winner. The one who has the most refined tastes of all. He who admires Nietzsche and he who has read Plato, the one who loves Franz Liszt and the one who adores Humphrey Bogart  would be the odds-on favorite. Although, the explaining bit isn’t a part of the exercise. If you were interested and genuinely curious about such exclusive interests, I am afraid the door never allows you to step in. The truth is that on the other side of the door lies the terrible void, which can never be filled up with pretension and affectation. But even pretension is an art, and pseudo-intellectualism a profession in this city and for people like me, a back seat is all it takes to enjoy the carnival.