We the Crabs

Some people are so good in making others look bad. That is not a gift, that is a sickness. Strong people bring out the best in others. Weak people build themselves at the expense of others. So be strong, not weak.

Francis Kong

Most of us have either used or heard the term crab-mentality. When crabs are exported, it is crucial for them to be fresh for savoring an exquisite taste. Thus all along the route the lid of the box is kept open. In order to run away towards freedom and not in the cauldron, the crabs have to simply crawl over the box wall and move out. However everytime a crab starts to crawl, it is pulled down by another one still in the box. This leads to the entire lot well packed against each other and ready to be served fresh as dinner, with exotic garnishing. This is crab mentality, where because you may not be winning, just to make the refrences correct you pull the other one down too.

Crab mentality is visible in its full ecstasy in our society. Earlier it used to be restricted to personal foul games in homes and offices, but now the horizons have expanded. We no more acknowledge our own sorry state, but relish that the neighbors are getting worse. We elect our leaders not because they are visionaries, but because the other one is called out silly names. We do not empathize with struggles of women, but reduce and kill the conversation with “not-all-men”.

But everytime we think that probably this might be the last nail on the coffin of our rationale, there comes a blow of yet another hammer on to it. The latest victim of crab-mentality has been the “Sadak 2.0” trailer. The video has been disliked so far by 8.1 million people. The reason not being that it is outrageous but because “it is a product of nepotism”.

The debate of nepotism in Bollywood was encouraging and enlightening. It was a voice raised for equality. But what it has turned now is abhorrent.

All this while it cannot be negated that the fire to the fuel was given by none other than Kangana Ranaut. A strong and opiniated girl, but lately who has turned out to be one of the most toxic influencers. She has been giving verdicts on other people’s lack of abilities based on their families and status, coming out with crass verbal spats against her colleagues etc. It is hard to find the concept of equality in the words of “Queen” Kangana anymore, the Queen reference owing to one of her best films with the same title. Any rational movie-buff can see the irony here that while Kangana may or may not be “Queen” but the answer to Kangana being “Judgemental Hai Kya” is a big YES!!!

चमन में इख़्तिलात-ए-रंग-ओ-बू से बात बनती है,
हम ही हम हैं तो क्या हम हैं तुम ही तुम हो तो क्या तुम हो ॥

सरशार सैलानी