Some of my friends, whenever they happen to find me listening to English music, would react as if I am doing something insane. They would say, “ye kya angrezi gaane sunta rehta hai. Kuch samajh mein toh aata nahin hai.” And there are others who would react the same way when they find me listening to Hindi songs or in their terms old Hindi songs. What I do not understand is this simple fact, what has the quality of music got to do with language and time. If it is good then it is good, whether it is English, Hindi, pop, rock, classical or hip-hop. How does that matter?

Everyone, it seems, have circumscribed themselves with some ideas which they consider fixed and rigid. They just do not want to experiment or be adventurous. What’s wrong in trying new things? Those who only listen to, say English music, are only depriving themselves of melodious voices of Mohd. Rafi, Kishore Kumar or more recent KK, Sonu Nigam, etc. They do not even realize what they are missing out, which life has to offer them, because of their pre-formed rigid minds.

Same is the case about movies, they would say, don’t watch English movies or don’t watch this movie or that movie or of that language or of that actor or some more restrictions. But I do not understand this, how does it matter if it is of any language or actor. A good movie is a good movie, as simple as that. Humans are humans only and everyone is capable of making good movies regardless of the language they speak.

It is not only about movies or music, what it really is about, is the prejudices and mental blocks that people form in their minds during the course of their life. Their egos, biases, and selfish interests would not let them try new things. They just do not want to.

Take this for example. One of my friends’ IE stopped working due to some unknown reasons and as a solution I suggested Firefox to him. But, he wouldn’t like it and cited many trivial reasons for that, such as it does not give me that feel, font is smaller, etc. Yes I accept that there are going to be some differences and fair enough if you do not like something as per your interest (which again is a debatable topic), but you should judge yourself properly because you may throw away a wonderful opportunity of finding and learning new things.

I consider myself a very shy person, but still there have been many instances when I have seen myself much more open and communicative with new people than those of my other friends who are otherwise usually very chatty. May be not so open, I am, when it is a matter of girls, but that is not the point, the point is that people do not want to try new things, new ideas, or listen to others.

And, yes one more thing I have seen. People just do not have the patience to listen to others thoughts. They just want to say and say while not allowing others to speak and thus unknowingly depriving themselves of the knowledge they might have gained.

I just consider myself lucky and give many thanks to the almighty for setting me on a path of being open-minded and liberal, for making me read different types of literature irrespective of religion, nationality, for making me listen to different types of music and for making me watch and admire different types of movies.

And, thank you for giving me the patience to listen to others so I may learn from them as well.

Thank you for giving me the patience to listen even to the adversaries and people having different opinions.

Thank you!

And, I pray to Him that May I one day really become liberal and open-minded.

P.S: Listen to everyone but you always have the option of choosing what you want to take. Do not deprive yourself.