Sunday, February 03, 2008

That's how it is...

"That's how it is"; is the answer for everything. We accept things because "that's the way it works". What's the point in cribbing cos "that's the way it is".

Chaos just got over (the festival at IIM-A) and I just have too many things to complain about. Where do I start.... cribbing about the money minded management geeks or the screwed up judges or the fact that looks sell...

First of all, designers are not considered participants in the fashion show, models are. Consequently, we have to BUY passes worth Rs. 100, which is, by the way, a discounted rate for NID, to see OUR OWN creations on stage.

Out of 5 colleges, 4 are selected for the finals and one has to leave. Why single out just one? Have the organisers thought how that ONE college would feel about not making it after so much hard work, especially so, when the judgement is absolutely unfair according to the spectators? It's not talent and hard work, but just an outer appearance that sells. Who cares if it's all hollow? Looks good... sells.

Finals, ya ok, we win. Although our college is considered "a class apart" by whoever was witness, we have to share the first position with someone with a very materialistic way of thinking, who takes stuff off-the-rack and presents a funky collection that we cannot even connect with the philosophy of the theme. Yes, I will not keep it in my mind; I'll say it. We do find it insulting to share the same pedestal with someone we think is less deserving, but really, who cares, "you are first, you shouldn't complain..." Added to that, the management guys cleverly eat up the second prize money.. hello, when you have two people in the first place, you cancel out the second because you include that prize in the first. Very clever, I must say. Totally business minded. It is people like you who make great businessmen.

Finally, topping it all, it comes back to designers not being considered as participants. Yes, that means no participation certificates. So we slog for 3 weeks, day and night, leaving other more important academic stuff... and the pretty ones come, walk and take away the credit. That leaves me bitter.

And my dear friends tell me, "it's just a certificate, who cares..." but let me tell you, it's not about some A4 piece of thick paper with my name written on it, it is a tiny little representative of how life is and how it is going to be. It is looks that sell. It all comes down to the aesthetics of the human body, in an evolutionary sense.
You're tall, slim, pretty, people know you. You work for the tall, slim, pretty, who are you?
What makes me feel worse, is that I am a part of this mentality. I notice good looks and appreciate them. We, as a race, have evolved to a point that it is not physical beauty that is important for survival of the race. But what is going to change the way we think?

I will not learn. "life is not fair", people say. And I say the same. But there's a tiny little point in my heart that says, it is fair. That tiny little point seems to be vanishing far, far away. Am I growing up?

I cribbed about it for a day, slept over it and felt much better. But I had to write this. For myself. So that I don't forget what I felt. I am moving on leaving this stupid little "college days" incident behind. It is insignificant compared to what lies ahead. But thanks to this post, I will remember what the world wants to see.

10 comments:

Vishal Grover said...

Chaos is purely and simply a branding exercise, footage for the institute and the sponsors, valuable CV points for the organizers. It is not a competition. It is a show.

Your anguish over those business minded people apart. "That's the way things work" is a way to deal with things you can't or dare not change. Even if you could change things, would it be better? Better for who? How?

Life is not fair. What do you mean by fair? Is socialism fairer than capitalism? Is random selection fairer than selection based on ability? Isn't evolution all about selection - unfair by definition? You don't have to accept the rules, you can change them. It won't make things better or fairer.

Shivani Gakhar said...

Chaos must be a show for IIM guys. But how would you feel if the show was not a success? Similarly, we feel bad about not being recognised for our work. It is different points of view for us as people who made the garments etc and the people who saw them. Anyway... i just don't know how to deal with the fact that life is not fair.....

Vishal Grover said...

I can understand what you feel, its something we've all been or would go through at some point. Being denied what is fair. You can either say "that's the way it is" and move on OR you could learn from it.

Vishal Grover said...

I am just playing the devil's advocate here. I have never been enthused by the college festivals. Nothing personal! Just that the values that we were brought up have become increasingly irrelevant in the "real" world. Fairness is just one of them.

Shivani Gakhar said...

true. totally agree. the real world is another set of learnings.

Siddhartha Joshi said...

interesting to read u guys talk on this...

but i guess ur post works for me because its rather well written! I remember getting a certificate last year for chaos for a crazy act on the ramp...and i was quite shocked and didn't care a bit abt it! in fact i have no idea whr its lying now.

funny, but sometimes life gives things to some ppl who dont even want them, while there are many other deserving ones who want them with a lot of sincerity, but still dont get! its so odd...and sometimes really difficult to comprehend (and maybe even accept)!

Shivani Gakhar said...

good to know someone on the other side can relate to it. anyway, i'm kinda over it now.... wat next :)

Oyster said...

>>I will remember what the world wants to see.<<

it will soon want to see more of YOU than the models.... wo to aate jaate rahenge
just like on the ramp
they come n go
ppl want to see them...
but hardly anyone remembers
the designer comes once
just once
wo bhi last mein... sab khatam hone ke baad
but he/she is the one ppl clap for.... ppl stand up for.. ppl remember

(ye IIM waale bhi kya cheez hain? ek din yahi log khud pass khareedkar tera show dekhne aayenge.. mark my words)

Anonymous said...

i have worked with IIM guys and they are kameenas. just obsessed with making money. they will get multi crore salaries when they pass out, and they are the ones running the big corporations and screwing up the planet. but they wont want to spend a paisa on design.

Shivani Gakhar said...

@ Anonymous: u wouldn't want to generalize and say something nasty like that.. i'm sure there must be some people who really do care about the better things in life...