For most of us, these needs follow Maslow's Need Hierarchy. Starting with the Deficiency needs (D-Needs) viz. Physiological, Safety, Social, and Esteem needs respectively, one moves upto the Growth Needs - Self-actualisation stage which is the apex of this model. Reaching this stage, not much desire is left in one to do something or be recognised for something one has done. it is more about understanding what one has been in their life.
However, there are people, a lot of them who are so obsessed being accepted socially that they just cant move on to the other level in their life... "It's important how I look, I should not be seen by them in my home wear"..."Look, I am telling you why I had an altercation with the auto-driver because I dont want YOU to think that I did not pay him or under-paid him"
Ladies and Gentlemen, Can you please explain why you think people would be thinking about you or your act? Everyone is so lost in their world that they are not concerned about how you dress up or act in a particular place or way unless it is totally unacceptable for you do to so. People will certainly mind if you turn up to a social gathering in your bathrobe but will cetainly not focusing on your outfit when you are doing the groceries.
I have known many people like these I mentioned, and I always seen that they are so obsessed with all this and being socially acceptable that they can never move on to the other level for a long time. To add to all this, there are these cosmetic companies and skin care centers who keep throwing light on how important it is for you to look good and for your skin to look fresh, else - Your husband will not notice you like he used to earlier.
Will common sense prevail over marketing+advertising or will the need to be loved and accepted socially win the battle?
Image courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/
2 comments:
Funny to see, this prevails more in India than anywhere else.
I can say this safely because i have friends and relatives who live abroad... They don't worry about the public or what they think. They dress up casually when they want to, and formal when they want to.. I know this for a fact because my cousin from UK bid farewell goodbye to his cousin sis on her wedding day in his shorts. It didn't matter to him that he was the talk of the wedding... :)
One always keeps thinking what others think about them... Funny, but true... Even i do... Its only for my dear ones, so that any action of mine does not hurt them. Any third person would be overlooked by me in this context...
I guess its one's mentality of dressing up, doing things according to occassions, more so in Indians... People love knowing what others are doing, talking about them behind their backs, what they were wearing, and how they can wear or do better than what others had done. Have you ever noticed how indian marriages are huge and rich affairs as compared to anywhere else in world? Simply said, its show-off... That's because its a rat race to being superior over the other in every context. People hide their true self to make others believe in something they are not.
Advertisements are made according to people in a country/place. Indian advertisers leverage on the Indian thinking and tend to be successful. They need not be blamed. Its one's thinking which needs to evolve over time...
Just some thoughts i had on this post... Feel free to comment back on my comment :)
Absolutely agree with you Megha. What makes it easier for me to elaborate on this is a post by one of my favorite bloggers http://buyerbehaviour.blogspot.com/2008/08/your-friends-who-you-are.html
I guess what people like this are worried about is their social image. However, all I can say is that, end of the day, people will forget about everyone else. We all have our own problems and issues to think of and no one actually cares except for the people whom we love.
I am sure that such people will only find sorrow and imperfection in everyone but themselves, all the time. The funniest part is that they will realise that everyone is actually fed of such people in the society...
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