Let’s start this post by stating I am somewhat of a snob. I frown upon roadside food, prefer English movies, shop at metro for my shoes, talk to the majority of my friends in English, loathe tamizh soap operas and absolutely detest it when someone talks bad English. This makes me a "peter" or should I say "mary". I admit it makes my life a lot frustrating specially when am with some friends and family who insist on making fun of the same. Although what they don’t understand is that there are levels of "peter".
You have the absolute peters. The ones who hate everything Indian made. The ones who say i only shop at Gucci, drink only lattes and say " oh what a lame language Taamil is", pretend to have not heard of Thiruvalluvar. I have quite a few friends in this category.
The you have the total opposites. The ones who detest “Peters”. The ones who are the cynics. The ones who "try" hard to be one with the mass. The ones, who insist on travelling by bus when it’s easier to take an auto, contend that you carry out a conversation in tamizh, refuse to pay the auto man another five bucks and insist on buying a ten rupee movie ticket when clearly we can clearly afford something more. I wonder if we can give the folks in this category a name. What is the opposite of Peter? “Tamizhselvan?”.
And then there are the intermediate "peters" like me. Yes we like a certain standard of things, we cannot stand 10 rupee tickets, rarely converse in tamizh except to immediate family. But we love shopping on the platform , while at the same time enjoy a good kuthu paatu.
But you know what? We have the best of both worlds. I am much better at articulating myself in English rather than Tamizh. So it stands to reason i talk to some of my best friends or sometimes even my family in a language I am comfortable in. This in no way means I don’t know Tamizh or dislike it or my city. I love Madras. There is this conflict here between the invasions of the modern society and those steeped in the traditions of the place.
In the whole circle of people who accuse me of being a "Peter", I wonder if anyone has even read a single Tamizh novel. For the record I enjoy a good story, language hardly matters. We earn good money why not let those who cannot afford to use the Rs 10 tickets.
As for the friends on the other end of the spectrum, trust me nothing beats the Nair Kada Tea. You enjoy way more than what you would with your Rs. 80 Capuccino.
Let’s not put labels guys. Live together die alone right :).. You can still end up being friends even if you’re on opposite ends.
hey
ReplyDeleteWhy is the comment not posting?
ReplyDeleteam not able to post from my id. trying to stir the pot heh? attempt to make us kiss and make up? not happening girl. i lov gucci specially now tat i can afford to buy them. and i love hanging out at coffee shops. there are no creepy guys staring at us like at the bus or tea shop. we love you arts but your more open than us
ReplyDeleteGoogle id does not work. I would proudly call myself Tamizhselvan. Its a matter of principle, when i can pay Rs 10 and watch the same movie why would i pay more? And amam naanga ellarum 3 rupa koduthutu bus la than poge seruvom. And Renuka FYI, guys look at you whether your on the bus or CCD. But i think women have a paranoia about this.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you say you are a "peter" to the core babe. And no i refuse to kiss and makeup. And ithula Lost veraya? Arts i wonder what your brother and your cousin would say about this.
Yakove! inna peela vudra.we are this way only. inime enna koopudu CCD ku , like you will come.
ReplyDeleteOh Harsha get off your high horse. you watch way more english movies and sitcomes than most of us put together. You are such a douche sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWell said renuka. I agree. Lets fleece the guys one day, mocha polam then a movie. ill drag along my husband too. Like we dont accompany them on their stupid sojourns. and harsha get off your high horse.
ReplyDeleteWhere are all the men? arts tag your brothers. this is making my end of the bit unfair here.
ReplyDeleteArey oh sambhaa....appadiye 'maane thaene pon maane' nu serthu ezhudhi irundha na appadiye kavidha dhan...you say that nayar kada chaaya beats everything..how many proper nayar kada chaya shops are around your home?i guess you wouldn't know..have you ever eaten in a kai endhi bhavan..have you ever enjoyed the opening show of a rajinikanth movie...i feel you don't speak in english because you are comfortable with it..its because you want.you can easily ask "eppadi irukka?".instead you use the sweet sounding "hey wazzupp?".and its not a question of comfort here...its a question of attitude..and how many times have you justified by saying that 'speaking english is stella maris' style...and you say you can enjoy good kuthu paatu..'there is a song called 'naa saltu kotta..nee saidapettai'..hear that..i'm sure you wont like it after hearing to 'michael learns to rock'...you surely don't enjoy both the worlds.there are many things in the non peter world:-)..and one cannot be classified as peter just because one watches english movies...i watch english movies..but I don't use slang for my english like you do...i just say 'what?'..not whaaaatttt?..i never use WTF..whereas you do..classic attributes of peter:-)and you,even if you say you are in middle between peters and tamizhchelvan are more of a peter...what now?;-)
ReplyDeletegirl, who is this shankar? is this your brother? in that case does your family know you AT all? for your information your "sis" loves kuthu paatu. she even knows the song to otha sollala. do you know the words for every song that comes in tamil? secondly she is right when she says get off your high horse the so called tamilselvans. harsha not cool.you know arts. she is the most normal amongst us. unna mari ella.
ReplyDeleteall the girls are against me now? thanks shankar. saved me. of course arts is a peter in and out. i think amongst your friends am probably the only one who gets to talk to her in tamil. Ama etho oru paatu therinja periya vishayama. i can tell you the number of tea stalls around your house and i worked in t nagar for maybe 6 months. can you?
ReplyDeleteshankar there is so much you dont know about me. course its easier for me to say wazzup. do you the concept of learned behaviour. do it for five yrs in a row and you know how difficult it is to unlearn something. and why does is matter if i swear in tamil or english? i dunno swear words much in tamil. or is this the point of me swearing at all. but guys point taken :) i dont mind being who i am. its just my take on things.
ReplyDeletearts when do you back down from a fight? this is not right. me am "peter". i agree wholeheartedly. you know what the cruel joke is right. for all intents and purposes harsha and shankar may end up with such wifes.what do you say guys?
ReplyDeleteAnd for the record shankar, quoting you, listening to MLTR does not mean one cant enjoy tamil songs and enjoy all of it. there are so many things in the peter world that does not make you peter. just speaking in English is not one of them. harsha i have seen you try to pick up girls, appo tamizh la ya pesara? hypocrite.
ReplyDelete@arti: my bad...i shouldn't have spoken in a court in which I have little experience...you may even call yourself 'kandharuva thathai'...:-)but atleast among our cousins...you are the most peterest..
ReplyDelete@shank: in our family. i dont mind really. Like i said you have your opinion and its okay :). Just one thing though when you actually look for a girl think of this one thing, apart from being gorgeous and all that, think of what youd like, someone of discerning taste who will be a "peter" like me . trust me i know most types of tambram girls and they are a version of me and some even worse
ReplyDeletewow arts quite a lot of comments looks like. I wonder if ppl around you truly know you. sad. to me your the total opposite of "peter", because that is me. your right, you have the right blend, to survive the streets of chennai
ReplyDeletehey rt.. i guess am verrrrryyyyyyyyyyy late.. :) but i agree that u r the somewhere in the middle.. enough to earn the cool sis/friend from anyone.. ;)
ReplyDelete