Oh, we object? But, who's listening?
What is personal can happen at the level of a group. Vice-versa too. In fact, what happens at a personal level is why it happens to a group. Again, vice-versa too. Meaning if men seek esteem, collectively, groups do it too. At a greater aggregate level, you can say nations do it too.
Nations seek to display their importance through symbolic acts. Its a national display of ego. And as a trickle-down, it helps feed the psyche of its people. For example, yesterday broadcast news channels feverishly screamed via 'breaking news' that India has 'regretted the air strikes by US-led coalition and called upon all parties to abjure use of force and resolve their differences through peaceful means.'
Wow. Admirable, I guess.
But then, who's cares? The last I heard, no one heeds us. Now if our response is strategic, I hope to God Gadhafi doesn't fall. Because if he does and the rebels take over, we're in big soup. At least with the Libyans. Me thinks at such times, its better to stay mum than mouth opinions. That way, no one knows who's side we are on.
In the consumer world too, groups play out their need for esteem. A group of girls telling you they shop for skin-stuff at BodyShop means they are stating their group status as much as telling you what they buy. And if a girl in the group can't keep up, my guess is, she's booted out. Keeping the non-conformist means downgrading group status.
Esteem means as much to us, as to nations. So we and nations play out our exaggerated grandiosity by sporting brands and making statements. Wonder where it 'really' gets us both? Plus does someone actually care?
Nations seek to display their importance through symbolic acts. Its a national display of ego. And as a trickle-down, it helps feed the psyche of its people. For example, yesterday broadcast news channels feverishly screamed via 'breaking news' that India has 'regretted the air strikes by US-led coalition and called upon all parties to abjure use of force and resolve their differences through peaceful means.'
Wow. Admirable, I guess.
But then, who's cares? The last I heard, no one heeds us. Now if our response is strategic, I hope to God Gadhafi doesn't fall. Because if he does and the rebels take over, we're in big soup. At least with the Libyans. Me thinks at such times, its better to stay mum than mouth opinions. That way, no one knows who's side we are on.
In the consumer world too, groups play out their need for esteem. A group of girls telling you they shop for skin-stuff at BodyShop means they are stating their group status as much as telling you what they buy. And if a girl in the group can't keep up, my guess is, she's booted out. Keeping the non-conformist means downgrading group status.
Esteem means as much to us, as to nations. So we and nations play out our exaggerated grandiosity by sporting brands and making statements. Wonder where it 'really' gets us both? Plus does someone actually care?
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