Powerful Illusion

Power. That single five lettered word can get you hard or crack your ribs, depending on which side of it you’re on. Somebody told me it isn’t the best thing in the world, but that certainly doesn’t make it any less desirable. The world runs on its mercy. If you don’t have it, lots of girls would rather have a puppy than have you. And this is what the end of the world looks like. People are so blinded by the desire to feel accepted; that all you need to show them is the illusion of power.

Everyone can’t have the real thing, there is too little of it in this world. But instead, what they can do is get people thinking that the thieves are the real owners. Hell even Bruce Wayne wants some nice shiny vinyl on his Bat Mobile before he takes it for a spin; because he knows exactly the things that attract middle aged superhero fans. Give it a whip, sparkle it up, get some shiny clothes and expensive shoes, some makeup and you are on your way to stardom. Sounds shallow? Careful what you say there because everyone does the exact thing every time looking for things new (and shiny).

Talk about irony, this piece is a perfect example. I could have written it with more substance and less bling. But then, I would have had research scholars with their thesis probes instead of a cooler and less geeky audience. Did I dish out more information? Probably not. Did I dish out something effective? Maybe. At the end, what finds its way is what lasts. Nobody gets to judge, because nobody can.

Victory

“Yes, at last, victory is mine.”

Funny how I have said that a hundred times but even then, life seems such a failure at times. Doesn’t victory mean that you have won, undisputedly and eternally? Well not so. Seven hours into my most recent conquest, I still could not help but bask in the glory (read illusion) of my greatness.

When I dug a bit deeper into my psyche, I realised that it felt familiar. Stopping made me feel, that the thought of victory puts me on the same loop of pursuit. The repeat button was turned on, doing the same things all over again.

Nothing is cozier than to be in a bubble of success. For us, anything is better than failure, even if it means being on a treadmill all our life. Whatever kind it may be, we find a sense of purpose in victory – It completes, makes others like us, and makes us indispensable. We find the answer to our existence in it. We choose to do what is familiar- go to the same shops, eat out at the same diner or stay with the same person.

For a hurt ego, second conquests are a great escape. Not good for somebody aspiring to lead. The prize is not for the optimist or the pessimist, a realist has a good chance at it. Reliving shows us our inner pessimist; with an attempt at the optimist while sarcasm smiles from somewhere out of sight. There is sarcasm if you want to see. You do it to tell yourself that you’re finally capable; you hope you remain so, but instead you prove that you are scared of failure.