Bangalore is increasingly becoming one more urban-corporate junkyard. Temperatures are rising. Tempers are rising. Incomes are rising. Values, alas, are fast vanishing.
The other day I saw a young corporate Turk in his fancy car berating an old couple trying to cross an impossibly chaotic road. All this rudeness for a nanosecond advantage before the next traffic pile-up just a few metres down the road. People are taking themselves way too seriously and always seem to be in a mad rush to nowhere.
People need to slow down. The International Institute of Not Doing Much I came across (courtesy Iain Tait) sometime back is just what the doctor ordered. An excerpt of the lessons follows:
- Drink a cup of tea, put your feet up and stare idly out of the window. (Warning: Do not attempt this while driving.)
- Do one thing at a time. Remember multitasking is a moral weakness (except for women who have superior brain function.)
- Do not be pushed into answering questions. A response is not the same as an answer. Ponder, take your time.
- Learn our Slow Manifesto.
- Yawn often. Medical studies have shown lots of things, and possibly that yawning may be good for you.
- Spend more time in bed. You have a better chance of cultivating your dreams (not your aspirations.)
- Read the slow stories.
- Spend more time in the bathtub. (See letter from Major Smythe-Blunder)
- Practice doing nothing. (Yes this is the difficult one.)
- Avoid too much seriousness. Laugh, because you’re live on earth for a limited time only.
(Image courtesy: fatboyke)
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