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Queue For Anything Free

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by HariLakhera, Nov 3, 2019.

  1. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    QUEUE FOR ANYTHING ‘FREE’

    In our society, there is always some good well-meaning individual or group of individuals. There are a few such groups in Chitragupta Park, where I used to go for my morning walks almost every day. One distributes free green tea and fresh watermelon juice. People can be seen queuing up for ‘free’ tea and juice. Another one distributes some fresh ingredients in the form of sprouted seeds with green leaves for the treatment of sugar and high blood pressure. There is a queue here also because it is ‘free'. One gentleman puts some eye drops for ‘free'. There is a queue here also. This gentleman started ‘free' sugar checkup and there was a queue. Once he started charging Rs 20/- there were few takers. Another one started ‘free' blood pressure check-up and there was a queue. He also started charging Rs 20/ and there were few takers.

    As you might have already guessed most of the morning walkers come from middle-income groups (the poor have no time for such luxuries and the rich have their gardens). They can afford tea or juice or whatever but just because it is ‘free' they do not mind waiting and standing in a queue. The moment the service becomes ‘chargeable’ they simply stay away. (I am one of them).

    It seems we are a country of ‘freebie’ lovers-both rich and poor. Barring a very few, not many have surrendered their quota of subsidized cooking gas cylinders. Till yesterday, many did not install water meters because their consumption was high and the rules said they will be charged the minimum of 20 KL. No sooner Government started the scheme of no charges up to 20 KL, they have started installing meters.
     
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  2. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Shri Hari lakhera, ,As usual you have dealt with ease the subject matter'free' .I enjoyed reading it.

    There used to be a joke that women don't mind spending in thousands if they get even a small a kerchief for free,
    When we got supply of milk from the milk vendor women never failed to ask for 'kosuru' or kosuru karuvepillai and kothamalli from the vegetable vendor.All the pazhamuthir Solai shops in Chennai give a lot of karuveppilai free to attract customers.

    It is a marketing strategy to dispose unsold products as free ( though a definite price is attached).The concept of 'free talk time', free hours of internet, free calls,buy two,one free,stay for two nights and a day in a travel package'.( A famous silk shop announced buy four and get 5 free silk sarees).

    How many fill their stomachs to the bursting full with the 'free' breakfast given in big hotels and avoid a big chunk of expense for the rest of the day.

    Athithi Satkar ,even in Tamil sangam period included 'free gift' of the house owner's wife for a day or two to the guest.That was not considered dearth of chastity and women willingly had agreed to the practice.There are several versions of the story of Ahalya.One of them states that Indra was a guest to sage Gauthama and as per practice prevailing those days .he asked Ahalya to keep company to Indra.Of course they give other explanations to giving curse to Ahalya to turn into a stone --with the good intention of giving salvation to Ahalya from the hands--nay--feet of Rama.
    From Gods to sages, human beings to animals and birds -every one is going after something 'free'.I don't know whether it is in the genes of Indians alone or all human beings ,in general.I have studied in history books that Britishers took advantage of this attitude and started providing free passes for railway travel for specified number of trips ( always extended by manipulation), free accommodation to Railway employees ( operational side) with tiled houses near the stations and very luxurious fully furnished homes to senior railway officers with a spectacular garden ,swimming pool etc.Many Engg graduates those days joined Railways for these benefits and even after retirement they get around Rs 60 to 70 thousands as pension.
    Students upto 12th Std in Tamilnadu get everything free-notebooks, books, cycle, lap top and a free meal.We are fully aware that the intention is evidently the building of a political image rather than the development of the state or nation .

    The phone bill was exceptionally high. Man called a family meeting to discuss.
    Dad: This is unacceptable. I don't use home phone, I use my work phone.
    Mum: Me too. I hardly use home phone. I use my companies phone
    Son: I use my office mobile, I never use the home phone.
    All of them shocked and together looked at the maid who was patiently listening to them.
    Maid: "What? So we all use our work phones. What's the Big deal??

    The human creation itself is such that it has an inbuilt mechanism ( a free gift of God) for automatic metabolism, absorption and assimilation., and a non stop 24x7 working machine, the heart, until the time to depart arrives.

    While we accept everything that comes free to us in the form of material pleasures or divine blessings or luck or fortune ,we never accept one thing--A THOUGHT FREE MIND.

    jayasala 42
     
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  3. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Thank you very much for your widening the scope of discussions. Yes, as the saying goes, there is no free lunch. There always a motive attached to the temptations. It is not India specific, thankfully. In USA where I live now, I have seen well to do seniors, accepting social welfare benefits like food coupons by showing not enough income or no one to help. The worst is they sell these coupons. The locals get disturbed when they see 'poor' migrants buying
    beer with those coupons. I do not know how it works but it is so.
    As for traditions of serving guests in so unimaginable way as you stated is rather gone for good.
    As for Thought Free Mind, that will be some sort of upheaval. Firstly it is not possible and secondly it will be counter productive.
     
  4. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Hariji,
    Tempted by the word "free" is universal. It may take many forms but basic pschyology is the same. Mental abberation it is....a little twist in the mind. From business point of view they first get addicted to it and then charge more to make up for the losses. When first internet has come into existence advertisement was first one month free. They know after that one month they get addicted to it and the company has a lifelong customer....for ever.
    Syamala
     
  5. Amulet

    Amulet IL Hall of Fame

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    Saw another forum post that was just short of mentioning a twofer. A funeral that dovetails a wedding, for a bride or groom who had probably sworn to get married, using the phrase "even if it kills me":tonguewink:. And likely found a deal where they could be totally dressed up for the wedding, and also for the funeral.
    Of course, we must pay heed to Abe Lincoln:
    upload_2019-11-4_20-57-43.png

     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2019
  6. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Hari Sir,

    The higher the wealth, greedier we are! The line for things that are cheaper or free is larger. We all know the lines that form the night before black Friday here in the US, sometimes causing stampede throwing the precautions not to hurt anyone else out the window. It looks like our mind is wired to see for something that is free or if we buy one, the second is free.

    Shop-lifting is still a major source of concern for the security measures in retail outlets. Cameras are everywhere watching the activities inside the retail stores besides the security at the door to ring a bell when someone walks without paying for an item.

    Foreclosed homes are at risk of looting unless the banks make precautions to take control of the foreclosed homes immediately. We have seen the height of such activities from 2008 onward when the sub-prime market resulted in many losing their homes in the US. Since the banks can't hold these homes for a long time, they sell these homes at a ridiculously low prices resulting in a set of investors buying these homes at a bargain price, renovate and resell for an extraordinary margins. These investors thrived out of many mid-income families' misfortune.

    Greed appears to be a legitimately acceptable social norm and not considered as ill-gotten money.
     
  7. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Syamalaji,
    It is sort of human weakness for 'free' and business people take advantage of it. I was told JIO has taken full advantage it.
     
  8. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    So futuristic Lincoln was!!!
     
  9. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Reminds me of a book I am reading currently.
    "I want to make money because when I die, I want to be able to afford the price of admission fee to enter the heaven"
    We all know that in any sale deal, it is the seller who is profited. In some cases they hike the prices and then go for buy one get one free.
    The pleasure of free lunch is unsurpassable.
     

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