How I look at the Birthday

The annual awkwardness is around the corner. The birthday is here. I was not celebrating birthdays since by 10th grade. I couldn’t recall the reason it could probably to avoid the spotlight. However with passing years I find more reason not to celebrate it in the conventional way.

What’s the “conventional” celebrations?

1. Cake Cutting
2. Throwing party to your dear ones
3. Getting content with the spotlight

What’s wrong with that - a list?

Fake wishes thanks to social apps

Before the advent of Social apps, the birthdays used to be very personal. Only the people who really remembers my birthdays wishes me. Thanks to the reminder from the apps and social wishing it just compels us to wish the birthday. The wishes evolved into a chore.

At this point there is no way to differentiate between the people who really remember my day against the people who wishes me for the sake of it.

It encourages narcissistic behaviour & entitlement

The modern birthday celebration brings a narcissist outside. The birthday gifts used to be truely a surprise. Now, its becoming a fashion to request or passive-aggressively ordering the gift. Thinking about the self and feeling entitled doesn’t lead to good place.

Do I deserve it?

Just because I survived a year doesn’t mean I achieved a milestone. Truth is we should shun at the birthday as there were nothing achieved year-on-year and its one year reduced in the lifespan.

It’s not my tradition

We used to visit temple and distribute candies to the neighbors. Now the day is about cutting a cake. I’m not a cake person. Also, the money spent on cake doesn’t give me a sense of happiness. During my college days the cake cutting used to be the time to take vengeance. The trauma of people getting bashed is tough to come out of it. Wasting food (cake or rice) is not something I agree with.

Also, I’m not good with throwing parties or partying.

Then what do I wish for

1. It should be a normal day. Normal day might be boring for many. But for me surprises are not my thing.
2. Spend time with family or close friends give me more happiness than boozing and bouncing.
3. Gifts are soemething that comes unannounced. When we dig it further it is a surprise. So rather I would skip it.