Oxymorons reflect the ironies of life.

Q. Oxymorons reflect the ironies of life. Growing up, I often heard the tale of Krishna and Sudama - the two friends living in different realities materialistically, yet their bond was equal and eternal on a spiritual level. The statement "oxymorons reflect the ironies of life" connects to the same concept, that is, life is best lived going through numerous experiences which makes one feel the complexities of nature and the world. In this essay, I will be showcasing different examples to present the ironies of life. The Constitution of India which is one of the biggest democracy in the world, provides fundamental rights and Equality to all.

However, it faces societal challenges, wherein people still face Untouchability practices and unequal treatment. India has come a far way since the abolishing of caste based discrimination, yet it is still practiced and followed in many regions of the nation. This can be tackled by further stringent surveillance of such practices, and bringing a change in the mindset of the public. This will reduce the societal inequalities while maintaining India's integral Constitutional Equality. Similarly, technological advancement also showcases a potential risk of unemployment due to lack of skills. Innovations in the field of Artificial Intelligence [AI] poses a threat to the uneducated citizen of India leading to unemployment. The government of India has introduced many platforms like SKILL INDIA, that provide upskilling at nominal cost or free to prevent and reduce unemployment. The platform provides various courses which are relevant to current developments in leading industries of engineering, science, technology and much more. From an economical standpoint, the nation's approach to growth is using the trickle down methodology, wherein the state provides more support to leading industries which then further trickle down to the lower economic sections of society. While this may seem unfair, capitalism and growth of leading industries help build a foundation for the nation to grow on, which ironically supports the lower economic sections through government schemes and rations.

One of the largest ironies that can be seen in Indian society is how women are treated. In India, traditional households restrict the growth and development of females by not providing them education in her childhood, yet they same households will pray for good education to goddess Saraswati in Hinduism. Similarly, in Hinduism practices, goddess Durga and laxmi are symbolised for protection and prosperity respectively. However, ironically, daily women face with atrocities from their surrounding environments due to rape and sexual assault and/or 'dahej' that is dowry demands from their in-laws. This has been gradually changing and improving in India with the help of liberalisation, education and development of the mindset of society.

Social Media has brought the access to every nook and corner of the world at the touch of a button with the help of globalisation. While this has strengthened long distance connections and accessibility with ease, it is a double edge sword. Contrarily, social media has also largely isolated due to overstimulation and accumulation of information and connections, leading to high risks of depression, mental pressure and anxiety. Social media trends of "living in the moment" are also captured, which are often staged and shot multiple times to get the perfect content. The Government of India has provided various helplines related to suicide risks, mental health issues and many Non-profit organisations [NGOs] also provide further help by counselling sessions and guidance on how to balance the double edged sword, that is, social media.

With great power comes great responsibility. The statement reflects how freedom and power it is crucial to lead life as a responsible individual. Power might bring money and materialistic satisfaction, yet an individual can still be dissatisfied in their personal life. Contrastingly, a person with an economically weak lifestyle who does not have any materialistic desires or attachments might still be happy in personal life as they are free of such desires, and pressures of providing and having such responsibilities. This is a reminder to be grateful and have gratitude of whatever experiences life may bring to you, yet to continue to strive for better out of sheer curiosity and learning through more experiences. The same concept can be reflected in the story of the monk who sold his Ferrari. A similar thinking can be seen in Plato's school of thought; who believed that the Philosopher King and Guardian class should be free of materialistic desires and on the opposite, the producer class should have materialistic attachments like having a family and a property. The irony here is the higher an individual climbs up the ladder of power, the more they are void of having materialistic desires. This is because Plato believed such desires can be distracting for the Guardian class and especially the Philosopher King, making them weaker and potentially risking them as an easy target. With such material desires gone, according to Plato the Philosopher King and guardians will be more focused on protection, enrichment and prosperity of the State. Additionally, it is the parent who nourishes the child and as they both grow older, it is the child or adult who then looks after the parent in old age. This irony is faced by almost every human being in the world, which is such a bittersweet moment. A personal reflection related to the irony of life is when I left home to pursue my further education. While being away from home was tough, the childhood memories and values taught by my family carried me through this experience. Leaving home with a heavy heart was necessary for my individual growth. The irony is that life can only be learnt from and mussed upon by retrospecting and reflecting the past.

To conclude, all life experiences can largely be summarised into this one statement "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, But today is a gift."