Recently, I came across an ad for a brand that sells packed curd. The ad copy says "busy with work, family, children, relationships etc? Don't have time to make curd? Here it is - {brand name} curd". Many years ago, I was buying such packed curd every week. But ever since I learnt how to make curd, I ask myself why the hell didn't I learn this simple procedure earlier. It's not rocket science.
But the food industry wants to project that you are a busy person with umpteen number of commitments. That spending a few seconds to mix a tsp of curd in a bowl of milk is not worth your time, they say. (I had written a detailed post earlier about the things I started DIY in my kitchen. If you are interested, please take a look)
The food industry likes to remind you repeatedly that you are a busy person in order to sell quick solutions that are loaded with preservatives and chemicals.
I have ranted enough about processed foods. But the purpose of this post is much beyond that. Why do we like to remain busy? Even if we aren't, we want to attach ourselves to the "busy" tag. The question "how are you doing?" often gets a response "busy" these days. Is it a way of showing that we are important?
I wonder why some people act so busy in their lives and at their workplace. You ask for their time, they come to you and their body language demands that you better be short and crisp. In a meeting, you try to voice your opinion or ask a basic question, they immediately check their watch. They pride on the fact that they eat late lunches or have skipped breakfast that morning.
A question that all of us need to ponder - Does being busy translate to being productive? Do we take a step back to reflect upon how our lives are going, how our time is getting spent, what are our priorities etc?
"Unexamined life is not worth living" - Socrates
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