Desi Millennials: Lost in Translation
As I sit watching the Friends Reunion for the umpteenth time, I catch myself gazing out of the window and thinking about the impact it made on my life. For one, it clearly expanded the generation gap between me and my parents’ generation. Two, drinking coffee in a café and chilling with friends was, the new cool! The final big one, I associated myself more with the American way of living than the current Desi one.
The generation gap has always been jarring for all generations, and one often is in knots with their parent’s cohort. However, the Desi Millennials experienced the new wave of ‘Liberalization’ in the 90s, which, the previous generation had not been exposed to. While generation Z, has always had their eyes open to the world, we the Millennials were breezing through the new west winds that opened up our options in media, food, and fashion. The daily soaps which were largely family-oriented, had few takers in our generation, for the sheer lack of coolness and repeatedly killing the grey matter in our brain. So obviously, we gravitated towards ‘Friends’ and other American content which was cooler, grittier, glamorous, and gave us a glimpse of the free land.
The movies that the Desi millennials were exposed to, were based on heroes saving the world from bad men and alien attacks by men in tuxedos, dressed to kill, and rom-com based in a cool New York City with an even cooler high school. So it was obvious, that when the parents wanted to give an exposure to the cultures and practices, we naturally curled up like a tortoise. Back then, most Desi Millennials would challenge every notion on cultures and tradition. I too challenged every notion because I saw these as tools to domesticate women and limit them to their household and duties to God (not that we were overly religious). But then as a teenager, if you did not rebel, how could you put your claim to the holy verse of teenagers, “that I am different, and the world doesn’t understand me?!”
The tug of war for the Desi Millennials continued and probably is still ongoing. The parents of these Millennials were exasperated by their refusal to follow the family traditions and newfound ideas of living. The pull of an independent living, and having options clearly defines these Millennials, and probably also the reason why it stresses them. There exists a no-mans-land between the two generations, with the two eyeing each other and egging the other to take the leap and come over to the other side. The tussle still continues today, when the parents of Desi Millennials still see them delaying marriage, kids, and social responsibilities. They hope that someday we would change and would follow the rightful course, and absolve them of their duties. On the other hand, the Desi Millennials hope that their parents understand that the newfound living is not all fun and frolic, and the pressures of the changing world are reasons for the new way of living.
If you think this makes for a good sob story, then things are about to change. There seems to be a rise in the new breed of Desi Millennials who are aware of their respective traditions and culture, the new changing world, and its demands, yet balancing the old and new. I also say this from my own personal experience, while I still am, my free, independent, challenging the ideas spirit, I also make an attempt to understand the reason for certain customs and traditions. For starters, I know the difference between religion, astrology, and social customs (which are devoid of religion) and do not confuse them with diktats from the Kumkum laden deities.
It is an interesting road ahead, trying to bridge the long followed customs to science and logic, which was lost by the continuous invasion and destruction of this country. But there is hope! The new Desi Millennials and Generation Z are up for this task, as they break the chain of western influences and define their own new which is more original and endearing.
So move aside, I am going to meet my friends over a cup of coffee but as I leave my house, I smile and inspect the lamp that I lit, and check the incense stick that I burned in my home temple, after chanting my mantras.
