Saamaaj aur Baazaar

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Society and Market

What makes a network of people, society and what makes them a market. The answer is simple - relationships. 
When my mother would make a pickle for me in the summer sourced from mangoes dropped in the wind - that was in the realm of the society. 
When all of us people in the village would gather around our pond to celebrate a festival of water, desilting the pond, repairing our houses with silt - that's society.
When I would go out play cricket with friends from my village / colony - that's a society. 

Water, drinkable directly from ponds and streams - society.
Grinder, shared by a whole neighbourhood - society.
Children learning from elders - society.
Friend taking care of another in illness - society. 

But alas, society is encroached upon. Society is no longer needed. Because markets' taking over. 

Pickle - easyday, buy one get one free - chemical-rich, plastic-ridden.
Ponds - buy (export quality) water from pipeline, tanker
Cricket - Download Dream11 and play on your smart phone
(a lot of remaining real cricket is a runway to wealth - race not many can win)
Drinking Water - made scarce, buy a plastic bottle for just 20 bucks
Grinder - Amazon offers you best deals
ecctera 
An what about the relationships?
The only relationship we need to have is one with our smart phones. Rest let it manage (including the one with ourselves). 
If you don't believe me, watch the Zomato ad. - that serves you Mummy ke haath ka khana delivered at your doorstep. 
It will be the biggest lies if you tell yourself that you are still a member of a society. You are just a buyer or a seller in the marketplace. 

Marketeers know it. Our leaders know it. You better break your dream.

Photo: Google

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