All essays
Everything I've written so far, newest first.
Patriarchy starts at the hospital
When my wife and I had a baby girl, everyone at the hospital assumed it was a boy. The subtle, unconscious bias toward male children starts right at birth — and it seeds patriarchy in our society.
To let (Non-veg only)
Nobody bats an eye at "Veg only" rental listings, but "Non-veg only" is treated like a joke. Discrimination based on food habits is real — and it runs far deeper than the vegetarian divide.
Our actions run the world
We reach our destinations safely because a thousand others obey the rules. We're all connected, and our actions directly or indirectly affect the lives of many — whether we know it or not.
The baby pressure
As soon as you get married in India, people ask "when is the good news?" They don't realize how pressuring that question is. Fall in love first. When you're at your happiest, think about having a kid.
Traditions change with time
Societal and traditional values change with every generation. What was considered wrong or taboo is now considered normal. As humans, we value convenience — and that ensures our traditions keep changing.
Society makes us feel guilty for spending our money
Coming from a middle-class background, an imaginary guilt stops us from buying what we want. If you've saved enough and have your safety nets in place, go buy the thing you've wanted. Buy it today.
The wealth that powers life
We obsess over physical appearance and material wealth, but never talk about mental maturity. Our society has no scale for it. The result is a world full of immature adults who never had to measure up.
Everybody is selling you something
Parents sell us God. Friends sell us love. Society sells us marriage. We're always sold on ideas and buy them without questioning if they're really for us. Build your own school of thought.
Don't assume what's good for your kids
When I was thirteen, my parents took me to a psychologist because I flunked my exams. They never asked what was wrong. Talk to your kids. Understand them. Don't surprise them with a psychologist.
Choose happiness over sacrifice
My mom never joined us for meals — she'd eat after we finished. She was conditioned to believe sacrifice is a woman's virtue. It isn't. Happiness shouldn't be conditional on what someone said a thousand years ago.