Mera joota hai Japani,
Yeh patloon Englishtani,
Sar pe lal topi Roosi…
Forget that it was circa 1955. Forget that it was Raj Kapoor á la Charlie Chaplin tramp.
Forget that he was a penniless vagabond, content with the ‘small things’ in life.
Wipe off all pre-conceived notions and sing again; probably the image you will conjure up is that of a modern-day yuppie. That is today’s Indian for you.
He is a walking, talking advertisement for the latest brands.
He gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘brand ambassador’! Armed with a swanky mobile, latest four-wheel drive, and suitably decked in designer wear; he’s all set to take on the world.
Thanks to globalization, India has opened her floodgates to foreign companies and brands. With a burgeoning population of one billion plus and a booming economy, India is the market to capture. Consumerism seems to rule the roost. And no wonder. With the explosion of media, we are constantly at the receiving end of vigorous campaigning and advertising. And today, armed with a hefty pay packet, the yuppie has innumerable spending options. And surprisingly (at least for me), India has been pushed into the league of the most brand conscious countries globally. India comes at the third place in this survey, at the heels of Greece and Hong Kong.
A news channel recently termed this phenomena ‘affluenza’; and rightly so.
We are becoming richer…too soon; too fast. The filthy rich have the ‘got it, flaunt it’ syndrome. The flip side is the increasing tendency to gravitate towards brands. And woes betide you, if you don’t know the brands.
“Arma…what?” - and you will get disbelieving stares. “Gooki?”- (Gucci) and you will be ridiculed!
And that explains the booming ‘mall culture’. Everyone is out to grab a share from the ‘affluence’ pie.
“Niche is the new mass”, screamed the cover page of a business magazine.
Companies are targeting the ultra-rich in order to boost their bottom lines.
Profit by increasing sales volumes is passé. Premium pricing and exclusivity is in.
Limited editions, anyone?
And move over adults and teens. Tweens are the next big thing. “Catch ‘em young”, goes an adage and the companies are taking it to heart. Disney has already struck gold with Hannah Montana and High School Musical. The collectibles are selling like hot-cakes and has left the tweens gasping for more. Add the passing on of guilt money, and we have a recipe for disaster. Quality time not spent with kids is settled with ‘pocket money’, leaving children in the driver’s seat. They are far more aware of choices at their disposal, and now have the resources to indulge. Subsequently, consumerism has trickled down to the very base.
What is more disturbing is what eventually comes out of this- exhibitionism. Everyone is fixated with showing-off their priced possessions. Add to this concoction, the off-shoots of such a lifestyle. Now we even have something called Oniomania (A medical term for a shopaholic). Oniomania, can now replace diabetes as a ‘rich man’s disease’. What more can happen, only time can reveal.
Back to the song.
“Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani…”
I leave that for you to figure out.
Close
vinitha ...
things are not so dark as you concive it to be.. it is quite darker , the element of having that extra 110 rupees in your hand would empower your mind to spend it in the most fashionably ludicrous way its just how man is suppossed to perfrom he is constantly at war with his self created persona his social avatar..guess having some guys name on yur dress and being enthralled by the voyeursitic programmes on television is the 21st indian homo sapies avatar
Reply | | Report Abuse
Dear dukesekhon,
Thankyou for the (verryy) elaborate comment on the post. In fact, it has become a miniature blog in itself ! lol
'Today's youth know the price of everything but value of nothing'.
Couldn't have summarised it better. I am GLAD to get responses that re-affirm the futility of branded products. I mean, a bag is a bag....utility is more important. Who cares if it is Prada or not ?!
And as for getting mugged or not.....Save urself !!!
Grateful,
Vini.
Reply | | Report Abuse
The white man has left our "Kallu mentality" suffering from a permanent state of inferiority complex. To redeem ourselves, we feel compelled to ape the white man's every whim, fancy or stupidity, since we mostly lack the capabilities to aspire to what is actually worthy of emulation. Today's youth know the price of everything but value of nothing, as the apt saying goes. The brand names shot up the prevailing prices of similar quality goods manifold on their arrival in the country. And fools amongst us have exulted in welcoming the foreign merchandise to our fold wholeheartedly. Therefore, we pride ourselves being billboards for such products. In trying to prove superior to our brethren through the use of branded products, we are in fact displaying our inferiority complex. To be part of the hep crowd you must excel at and indulge in all the idiosyncrasies that define the worst in foreign eccentrics. Therefore, to support a disheveled look and get stoned senseless is regarded a superior trait to bandy around. If you haven't been to a 'rave party' and haven't done all that is forbidden and frowned upon by old fogies, you ain't seen anything man. Well, I stand a good chance of being mugged for all my pains!
Reply | | Report Abuse
Thank you Melody Queen.
We'll have to learn it the hard way, I guess !
Vini.
Reply | | Report Abuse
Vinitha
Nicely written.
With increasing disposable incomes, consumerism has made big inroads into the Indian psyche. Given our penchant for aping the west without stopping to think, I believe oniomania is here to stay. God help us.
Reply | | Report Abuse
Thank you Arju,
Glad you liked the use of the song (Given ur penchant for it!)
Cheers,
Vini.
Reply | | Report Abuse
Wow! I loved the way you used the Raj Kapoor song to infuse the element of nostalgia and sarcasm. And finally you have posted this, after keeping it in the pipeline for weeks! Good Goin
Arjun
Reply | | Report Abuse