What Is The Point

Remember, there was a time when romcoms were the trend, and there were dozens coming out in batches every month? It didn't matter that the stories were repetitive or clichéd. They were feel-good movies that were entertaining as well. The good ol' days weren't they? Sadly, these movies quickly lost their turn in the carousel of trending genres and were eclipsed by action and adventure, then dark fantasy. Romcoms are sparse in the modern world, where viewers scoff at how unrealistic characters can be. Love? Ugh. What a waste of an emotion. Today's world is all about convenience and equal-pay partnerships, and usually short-term.  Why invest in a relationship when you can invest in trades and make money? Romcoms don't work in today's world because we don't see how putting someone else's needs before you helps in the long run.  How is giving up on opening a factory in a small town, helping the employment rate or the economy?  The town can still h...

“I’m going to be real with you guys. What you’re about to see is me in my actual habitat. I’m never going to lie to you. I have a big family, but now you are going to be my online family, and I am going to talk to you every day.” This is the hook most influencers use to bait people into following them and making them believe that they hold such an important position in their lives.  The scarcity of funny videos and loneliness leads many to feel like they are part of the influencer’s life. After all, the influencer is as natural as ever with them. They show their true selves on camera. Not a speck of makeup on them, and the lighting is always perfect.  They eat instant cup foods…just like us. They reach out for junk food and never gain weight. They love to cook but aren’t good at it. Every single moment is perfectly captured with the right angle, background, and sound.  The influencer is living the perfect life, and they are so humble.  It is easy to be enraptured by ...

It’s the festive season. There’s joy and cheer everywhere. It’s not the festival that’s being celebrated as much as it becomes about gatherings. Friends and families coming together to celebrate, that is what the festivals are about, right? Right? Nope. We were taught that is what the festivals are about especially from children’s books and family movies. We were told that it is family above everything else. That they are the ones who support you and will cheer you on, and can’t wait to see you and spend time with you.  But the reality is far from this. An invitation for any gathering is a prize for being popular. It is a form of validation that you matter to them enough to actually invite you.  The invitation is addressed to the family. But guess what? Everyone you are staying with is not regarded as such. There are politics involved, lack of communication, and oh yes, the never-ending popularity contest.  It’s almost as if in the adult world, festivals pushes our mental...

It’s been two five years already? Is she not over him yet?  It’s been a decade since your parents passed away; they are in a better place now. You should be moving forward, too.  It’s been twenty years, and you still miss your grandma? You mustn’t tear up at her memory, but remember her with fondness because she is looking down at you with a smile.  How many of us have not heard at least one of these confusing dialogues as we navigate through loss? Yes, quite a lot of time has passed since a loved one’s death, but no, the loss is still painful. But society demands you show how tough you are by getting over it quickly.  It’s almost as if it wasn’t a person who passed away, but a t-shirt that got tossed away in the garbage by mistake.  “You’re still thinking about them?” is wrapped with disingenuous words that are generic and supposed to offer comfort. Except they don’t.  Grief doesn’t have a deadline, did you know that? There are no rules (yet) about how muc...

Follow your dreams, they said. Chase your passion and the money will follow, they said. The question is... who is "they".  Are "they" descendants of an ultra rich family who have never worked a day in their life yet find it fitting to dole out real-word advice?  Are they sitting in their yachts, sipping champagne, and in any position to give anyone relatable, practical, and worldly advice? The answer is a resounding NOPE. Yet, because these are the words that give out impressions of hope and motivation, we swallow them up and use it as our life's new mantra.  If "they" can do it, so can we. Except, you're not the one with the million bucks sitting in your bank account. Your safety net isn't even a net. It's two strings attacked precariously together and under constant stress. One tiny movement, and it snaps! But we all dream anyway. We have aspirations. We always strive for a better life, and naturally, it includes a roof over y...

 It’s not our fault that we are fascinated with superheroes and have come to expect them to save the day. It’s the fault of those writers who make a living out of giving out false hope to impressionable minds, and then it is the fault of those who expose this material to you.  Superheroes came into existence much later than the proverbial Prince Charming . You know, the guy who comes riding on a horse after much of the trials and tribulations are overcome. He’s the one who serves the happy ending in a castle we never get to read about. If he’s riding about the woods and looking for princesses to save, does he even have a castle and any sort of royal duties ? But the better question is, what about the men? What of the distressed male who needs saving? Does a princess come get him on a horse or a carriage?  Perhaps it is this thought that prompted writers to create superheroes. Hey, men need saving, too, so let’s create these super beings that have superpowers . And not ...

Have you decided what you want to be when you grow up? You’re supposed to answer this when you’re barely five. You answer that you would like to be a teacher, doctor, astronaut, or own a chocolate factory.  The adult asking this question smiles and thinks you’re so cute for coming up with such innocent aspirations.  The older you get, the more serious your answers are expected to be. Owning a chocolate factory is no longer a feasible aspiration. You didn’t find a golden ticket or hit the lottery. You are supposed to pick the right kind of education that will lead you towards a career that will make you a lot of money.  But you’re not good at any of the sciences and can no longer see your dream of becoming a doctor come to life. And an astronaut? Are you kidding me? Heights give you vertigo.  Teaching isn’t a bad profession, but you don’t think you have the patience to handle a classroom full of students like you.  So, chances are your parents will decide to take...

  Hey, do you remember the time in school, kindergarten, was it? When did we learned about being kind and respectful to one another? There were songs, too, that we had to learn and sing for assemblies.  But as we graduated to higher classes, we no longer had to sing these songs or give exams on whether or not we comprehended a lesson on kindness. Because by that time, it was supposed to have been etched in our minds that this is what humanity is like. We must show respect to other human beings.  When we went off to college, we didn’t have to be reminded that, by the way, that person who just fell down, maybe just ask if they are okay. Because all of these sympathetic feelings stem from humanity. We all have it. We are supposed to act humanely towards each other.  But now that we have social media, and every aspect of our lives must be posted and analyzed, suddenly, these basic manners have become a feat.  It’s not a simple act of kindness anymore. These acts hav...

You have your popcorn ready, a cold soda close to your hand, and the movie on and playing the opening credits. You've heard such great things about the movie and can't wait to see what the hype is all about. The studio names attached to the movie are still playing, but by now, you've finished almost half of your popcorn. The movie finally begins, and minutes into it, you realize you were duped into thinking this was a watchable movie. It sort of is if you have a strong stomach. But remember all the popcorn you chowed down while the credits were still going on? One of the gory scenes comes on, and you feel some of the popcorn coming up your throat. It’s graphic, and the camera zooms in on every single disgusting detail.  Your hand pauses, hovers above the popcorn, waiting for the scene to pass before you can eat again. But by then, more guts, blood, and slime are splattering on the screen, and your appetite is gone. Your stomach clenches and lurches at the same time. Then it...

I'll be your idol. I'll be the one you look up to. The one who influences you. The one who takes space in your mind. And since you bought my album or movie ticket, you believe you have access to me 24/7. Hold up! When did it become mandatory for a celebrity to give in to all of your demands? When they sign contracts, do they also check a box that says they are public property now? In recent news, there are plenty of stories about celebrities, especially music artists, who have been attacked at their own concerts. It's either the fans throwing stuff at the star or them running on stage to get their one minute of fame and a selfie to post on their social media. Disturbing videos become viral online of fans pulling celebrities or jumping on them and manhandling them. Since when has it become acceptable to treat another human that way?  There was a time when fandoms were about discussing the attributes of a star, glorifying their achievements, and celebrating their ...

  It is with deep regret that I must inform you that so-and-so celebrity has passed away. Let’s look back at their life in pictures.  Except…wait a minute…did that celebrity just send out a tweet about enjoying ice cream at the beach? Has social media turned into a tool for ghosts to communicate through? Nope. It’s yet another example of reckless journalism, driven by the pressure to be first instead of being an authentic news source. It’s all about TRPs and getting enough views and likes for posts about celebrities who have just passed away. But of course, they haven’t, as evidenced by their recent posts or statements from their families and friends.  Death hoaxes have not been invented recently. In fact, it goes back to decades when famous writer Mark Twain was reported to be dead, only for him to come out and state it himself that he was very much alive.  Many famous celebrities have been 'killed' on the news, deceiving viewers who rely on these channels for relia...

  There must have been a moment while watching a romance scene or a movie, where you must have scoffed at the character for making such a fuss after being dumped. The character is completely devastated, and all you can think of is: just move on already. What’s the big deal?  Sitting on our high horses, we look at displays of affection and care with contempt. We like the idea of being with someone, but true love? The kind of love where you are ready to make sacrifices, and drink yourself to death, and not be able to even move? That kind of love is for the storybooks.  As long as you are practical about it, your heart will never break.  Except it does. And it’s not because you fell deeply in love with someone. It came when you poured your time, energy, and effort into something or someone, and in return, ended up with nothing.  It could be for a job you worked so hard at, but were casually dismissed. The reason for that dismissal is something so trivial, like you ...

Want to join our loyalty program ? It has a fancy name. It’s thanking you for your continued support of their business. There is a promise of discounts , freebies , and possibly a gift on your birthday.  So, of course, you sign up. Everyone is so nice at the store after all. They are being polite, helpful, and assisting you in filling up forms. Everything is going swimmingly well for you, because this is your favorite store and you have just become an exclusive member of a club that guarantees you returns in some form or the other.  Excitedly, you share your number, address and email, ready to reap in the rewards. The staff is all smiles and you feel like you’re some sort of celebrity.  Your first few purchases go well. People are nice, the procedure to collect points is simple, and you’ve already received a coupon for some off-brand headphones . But that’s okay. Even if you’re not going to use it, at least you know the rewards are coming.  Weeks later, after receiv...

  Writing is considered to be a powerful form of communication. It is supposed to be informative, descriptive, invoke emotions, and enrich the lives of those who read.  Yet, this powerful tool is often suppressed.  Now writers have to take permission in order to write anything that many people could possibly find offensive. It is no longer about hiring a good editor to check for grammatical mistakes or developmental issues. It is about getting the PR involved to make certain that the writing will be approved by the masses.  The writing, be it in a novel, or essay, or a social media post, all of it needs to be approved before it is made available to readers. There is a lot to get offended about after all.  For example, why does the novel only have a particular race of characters? Why are they not more inclusive when it comes to race, age, and orientation? Why did the writer insert their political views into fiction? It doesn’t matter that the political views are...

"I'm done hiding, now I'm shining, like I'm born to be...." The song Golden from Kpop Demon Hunters has received 3 Grammy nominations! It's not much of a surprise, considering the single has spent several weeks on the top of the charts since its release in July 2025. KPop Demon Hunters is the not-so-surprise hit of this year, well-received by critics and audience of all ages.  Its story and soundtrack resonated with the audience, making it one of the top movies of Netflix for several weeks. In fact, it is still in the Top 10 list on Netflix, making it the most watched movie of all time. The movie boasts of a clever and peppy soundtrack, easily integrating into the movie without breaking the pace.  Admittedly, Golden was not my favorite song from the movie. I liked the musical arrangement and beats of Your Idol. It can be very much labeled as a horror song based on the ominous lyrics and the video. It took me some time to relate to Golden, but by th...