The Chain Reaction

This is not the Chain Reaction that we had all studied in Physics. It’s the one that happens in every house, in very city. This reaction goes on from generation to generation and is carried on by the human mind. You’ll understand better with an example.

Parvathi’s dad abandoned his family when she was 8 years old. As she grew old she assumed that had her mother been watchful she wouldn’t have lost her man to another woman. Parvathi got married at 17. Her husband was a man who was neither considerate nor smart enough to understand his wife’s problems. She gave him food, took care of the family, so he was satisfied with it. She knew that she could never love this man who was no way a match to her. She only tried to control him and treated him like her pet. She took great pride in that; after all she doesn’t want to repeat her mother’s mistakes.

She gave birth to a baby boy a year later. She had all her hopes on her son Karthik. He too lived up to her expectations. He was good at sports and academics, but Parvathi’s overwhelming love had spoilt him. He grew up to be an arrogant and selfish man. After school he got an engineering seat in merit. Since Parvathi never respected her husband, Karthik too didn’t bother about his dad.

After landing on a good job he was married to a timid and not-so-bright Vimla. As Karthik saw his mom bossing his dad all the time, he thought his wife would do the same if he listens to her in all aspects. So he did exactly the opposite of whatever Vimla suggested and never gave even slightest ear to her desires or interests. To top it all, Parvathi and Vimla couldn’t get along because of their extreme characters. Karthik was too busy to settle their disputes.

Years rolled by swiftly, and one fine day Vimla was shattered when she found that Karthik was having an affair with his secretary. When she complained about this to Parvathi she casually replied telling why was she making a big fuss of this.
Vimla tried by all means to talk him out of it but in vain. He was too stubborn to accept that he has made a mistake and that too why should he listen to his dumb wife? He was very much in love with his secretary that he couldn’t even see his teenage daughter’s life being crumpled.

His affair did not influence his career until the news reached the boss’s ears. He politely asked Karthik to resign. But that did not make him change his lifestyle. He continued to shop and spend like before. All this resulted in enormous credit card bills, which he was unable to repay. Hence he had no other option than to go to his dad for the money. Parvathi’s husband didn’t have a slightest clue that his hard earned properties will have to be sold for the sake of his son. He was very hesitant in the beginning but Parvathi and Karthik had to emotionally blackmail and push him to sell the property. Since he didn’t want to change his lifestyle now his family is compelled to do so!

What can you notice in the above story? A person’s problem takes a new form or avatar in the next generation and affects other people. The chain reaction started by Parvathi’s father has passed on like a disease to four generations including Karthik’s daughter. She’s in square one and tomorrow will turn out to be another Parvathi! The effect of any mistake that you make while you are single is magnified many times when it is made after you have family. This story is a classical example.

People like Parvathi, her husband, Karthik are being looked upon as both physically and mentally healthy people in this society. On the contrary they carry diseases on their minds. Of course you can argue telling that Parvathi was a poor victim but in this kind of chain reaction victims turn out to be the next murderer!

Now you still have a choice to go ahead and bring up a psychologically healthy citizens or start a chain reaction. Take your pick!