We live in the era of tweets and hashtags; a new hashtag for every problem. Be it #metoo or #notallmenaresame. Recently came a new member in the world of hashtags – #talktoamuslim. But seriously, are these hashtags actually building a utopian society or kind of making our lives more entrapped in the virtual world.

The #metoo turned out to be quite a good venture with people of all ages coming to a social platform and talking about sexual harrasment ; talking about scarring incidents of molestations and groping without a fear. Not only women but also men opened up and talked about their share of sexual harrasments which is laughed at in a country like ours ( making guys namard ).

But what about #notallmenaresame and #talktoamuslim. Are these kind of hashtags actually conveying anything?

Citing a sardonic comment from the much praised ‘COMICSTAAN’ – Women are so dumb that we don’t know that all men are not sexual predators. Now, say you almost drowned in maybe X swimming pool, you now will obviously be scared of swimming for a while. Imagine how silly would it be to hear, “hey, you drowned at X pool but this is Y why are you scared.” Just like that we too know that not all men are the same but some incident in the past has left us scarred and scared. So, thank you but this hashtag not all needed , rather is just a sign of chauvinism.

Now, comes the #talktoamuslim, first started by Swara Bhaskar. How is this hashtag a revolution is something which is quite hard to comprehend. Be it a muslim, a hindu or a sikh, talking to someone from a different religion doesn’t bring about a revolution.

Agreed if you want a change, be the change, but shouldn’t it be a change worthwhile ?

What is it that I wanna hide ?
What am I running from ?
Truths or the people that lied ?
Or the pain that is always along ?
Faking smiles always done right
Hoodies worn to cover up slits.
Palms with scars that feel light
Making the pain a little less hard.

Is it my fault that I get attached,

Give too much into relationships?

Go to all lengths possible

To keep my friendships?

Am I at fault for expecting

Reciprocation of love ?

Losing all fights

And being the peaceful dove ?

Am I responsible for the anxiety

The bouts of insecurity I get ?

Is it me who makes me vulnerable

And for no apparent reason I fret ?

What is love ?

Is it what we read in Nicholas Sparks books or the kind we see in Me before You ?

Or is it something like what is seen in The Fault In Our Stars with a Hazel never giving up on you ?

Is it something like Ross and Rachel’s “we were on a break” thing or something as Mike and Phoebe’s rat babies ?

Or something as intense as Christian Grey’s fantasies.

Maybe something as cynical as Wallace described it to be.

Or maybe finding a forever like Belle.

Perhaps it’s nothing that far fetched, that quixotic.

Just finding a home that is simply exotic.

Every other teenager these days is messed up. Be it anxiety , depression, a bad breakup, bullying or whatever most of us are broken. Our elders may think of it as a sham or maybe just an overdose of 13 Reasons Why. What they dont know is that it is the story of every other teenager now. Some give up some don’t.

Now comes a question as to why are teenagers so pained. They have everything yet why. Well most of it is because of their peers – making them feel alone and not good enough. Mostly it is the idea of I DONT MATTER. The idea that they have that if they give up no one would care, the pressure of not being good enough, the anxiety to meet or talk to people because once ever someone did not care.

This is for the hundreds of teens out there who think they don’t matter. Mate, YOU DO MATTER.

It is completely okay to take time, be scared but never okay to give up. If people don’t love you love yourself, make yourself happy. There is always someone out there who loves you.

Someone may have made fun of your face, remember they don’t have the vision to see your beauty. Someone may have called you fat, they don’t know you are recovering from steroids. You may have been called a slut, ignore them as they don’t know your story. You may not matter to 10 people but you mean the world to 5 and you matter to them.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton