Rebels Without A Cause — What It Takes To Swim Against Society

Disclaimer: This piece was originally a note to self… and a critical one at that. It might feel like an attack. And I’m here to reaffirm that IT IS

Farhan Quereshi dreamed of being a wildlife photographer. He was forced inside an engineering college. His father wanted him to be an engineer, enter the corporate, earn lots of money, have a big home, a car, and all the luxuries possible.

A typical, middle-class dream.

India, shortly after its independence:

a poverty-stricken third-world country where people had to toil 12+ hours a day to have a roof over their heads and 3 meals a day.
A few lucky ones could afford a vacation once a year and the unlucky ones not even 2 meals even after surplus toils.

These people soon had kids and had 1 sole aim — To secure their kids’ future, to make them afford more than 3 meals and 1 vacation.

Does it sound like a bare minimum, average lifestyle? It is. We all want more.

80 years after those times, we have the resources to be extraordinary and a relatively progressive society that understands not everyone wants that old lifestyle and is more welcoming of our dreams.
We can now carve our paths and follow our wildest dreams.

But something else happened.

Farhan hated engineering. He didn’t want a 9–5, a big home, a car, marriage, or kids. He resents his family and the society that has him under duress and coerces him to fall in line and settle for the bare minimum.
He wanted to quit engineering college.

However, there is no wildlife photography passion in the picture.
Imagine, you are Farhan’s father or mother. What would you do?

The society you complain about is often just your family.
And your parents are like investors. If you have a worthwhile way to lead your life, you can convince them and do your thing.
Even if you fail to convince them, you’ll still have the grit to follow your dreams and maybe eventually your drive will convince them of it.

Now, you become a Rebel; because you have a Cause.

However, for reasons like dilemmas, insecurities, and fears, many of us don’t have an alternative game plan to pursue.
We don’t have a cause to rebel for.

குறிக்கோள் இல்லாத வாழ்க்கை குழியில் விழுவதற்கு சமானம்

Then shouldn’t we at least graciously accept the blueprint that society has made, without any qualms?

We have become a case of Empty Vessels Making Noise.

Even during those heavily poverty-stricken, less progressive times, many people swam against the currents and created paths for themselves.
Because they had a sound dream, unlike all of us today whose only dream is to rebel and escape the so-called Control.

Rebelling against society, just because, only means we crave freedom without responsibility. Having people with a mindset such as this, society is not in the wrong to force us into the bare minimum.

Because every species on this planet works toward keeping its population alive, fit, and procreate far into the future. We’re no different.

I have an older friend, a man in his early 30s. He’s retired from work, intends to remain single, and has enough money to thrive till the very end of his life.
Originally a doctor, he built a crypto database ( pardon the lack of explanation. I don’t understand it fully xD) for the people in the medical industry that keeps generating money for him.
He spends his time traveling to universities delivering lectures, and offering training for research scholars for FREE!!

I asked him once why he wouldn’t get married. He said “ I have never felt the need for a partner. All my time is happily spent teaching and consulting people. I derive exorbitant satisfaction from it, that I don’t see a point in having a partner to feel needed or kids to feel like I have a purpose. I already have a greater reason to wake up every day.”

The average marriage-averse person hates it simply to defy society, or operates in fear, anticipates problems, and thus seeks an escape ( but also secretly needs people unlike my friend here) At a glimpse of the possibility of a happy relationship all of them would scamper towards anything that ensures the durability of the relationship which in most cases is only marriage.

This friend, has his life figured out. He knew exactly what he wanted, and had good reasons for all his choices. He swam against the currents, did everything different from what society taught, and still fared well.
He is a true rebel.

So, I hope it’s not wrong to say that if you want to rebel, have a cause. If not a passionate dream, at least a purpose that sucks relatively less than the place where you’re stuck in. Make choices that truly align with your character and not from a place of confusion. hatred or fear. If you want to deviate from societal norms, you better have an alternative option.

Because if you can’t decide for yourself, society will. Societies don’t care about individual wants. It only focuses on the collective need — To survive, if not thrive. If you don’t care enough about what you want, why should society?