Get some education- Vinamra Advice. A tale of a hyper-educated mind!

By - Abhudai Pal

“Dude get some education”!

This was the classic dialogue, Vinamra learned in his graduation years.  His journey to reach this dialogue is interesting.

Since school days, he was outstanding in academics. A helping hand for everyone, teachers favorite and possessed all the qualities of an ideal student. He was having an average number of friends.

Due to his academic meritocracy, he managed to pursue his graduation from “India’s Best College” which is located in one of India’s metropolitan cities. He worked hard in college and maintained a decent GPA.

After completing his 1^st semester. He returned home and like everyone else. He too had lots of things to share with his family and friends. Everything was normal at this point.  

But, Next semester when he returned home, he changed a lot. His jeans were faded, hairs spiky and his small earphones turned into headphones. The guy transformed his looks. He was never into the “looking good” business but college has transformed him at least on a physical level.

Never-ending beginning of "Get some education"

So this time, when he met his school friends, he advised each one of them, without any reason to,

“Get some education”.

Once, His mother asked him to get milk from the Milkman. Then Mr. Vinamra burst suddenly. In the heat of the moment, he gave a long speech on the quality of the milk, explaining the dilution of the milk, and emphasized the unhealthy and unhygienic practices of local Milkmen.

He arrogantly suggested his mother to use packaged milk and explained the pasteurization method in support of his argument. Vinamra didn’t stop on milk. He went on to explain, why you should use “branded and expensive” items in everyday use.

Finally, when he stopped, he said to his mother too   “Mom, Get some education”.

Vinamra was enjoying his ultra elitist birth after 1^st semester. Consequently, the people who were his school friends whom he wanted to “get some education”  isolated him.

After losing his best childhood friends, Vinmara was still super confident in his learning to advise everyone to "Get some education”. The counter effect of this was, Vinamra had more cosmetics and faded jeans than books. But it was a tiny cost, which he was happy to pay for. After all, doing all this fetched him the status of an elitist, at least in his own imaginary world.

Well,  a year later. The novel virus COVID 19 hit the whole world, reducing the world’s pace drastically. In response to tackle the VIRUS, the govt of India imposed LOCKDOWN. Thus, Mr. Vinamra was forced to pack his bags, and move to his hometown- a town of uneducated according to him.

Vinamra and Lockdown

Things were fine for him until his sanitizer and branded soaps served him and more importantly his elitism. But once they get over and he couldn’t get them further. He burst, this time he blamed everyone from govt to soap factories and sanitizers. And as habitual advised them too to “Get some education”, but this time no one among his culprits was present before him.

In the process of mocking everyone by advising them to get some education. He began to be avoided by almost everyone. His friends deserted him even on video calls and explicitly telling him that “We are not educated to fulfill your expectation, please find some educated guys to be your friend".

Besides his friends, his family too isolated him in the lockdown from the family dinner, discussion, etc, because no one was either interested or able to match his “education level”.

The brutal retaliation from his family and friends pushed him to think about his behavior. And after thinking really hard for one day. He convinced himself again, “They will never understand him as they need to get some education”.

Groceries and Vinamra

One fine day, his family ordered him to get groceries from the store. At the grocery store, a shopkeeper charged more than the normal due to scarcity. Vinamra out of his habit advised him to, “Get some education”.

In response to his unsolicited advice, Shopkeeper gave him special treatment. He yelled at educated Vinamra and asked him to leave the shop before he hit him with an unsanitized stick. That day he came home without any groceries.

When his family asked him the reason to come back empty-handed he described the incident to his family. Everyone laughed at his brilliant decision of advising the store owner even in the pandemic.

This incident forced him to think for a couple of days, one more day than prior. This time he told himself, “THANK GOD, the shopkeeper didn’t use his unsanitized Stick for me. And, why should I worry? If my friends and family don’t understand me, why should I expect from a shopkeeper? Undoubtedly he too deserves some education”

Well, Vinamra always has reasons and logic to support his “Get some education” argument. He is still the same.

Whether Vinamra need to change his attitude or understanding of education? I don't know but, I have some questions for you to think about.

Questions for you!

Is Vinamra correct in his approach of understanding what education really means?  

Vinamra, a self-proclaimed educated guy. Does your education sound similar to what was Vinamra's education?

Like Vinamra, Aren’t you spending money extravagantly to call yourself an educated person?

Does your Education teach you to behave in a particular way, wear branded clothes, drink expensive drinks, to be called educated in real sense?

Education is meant for moving away from the stereotypes or entering into a new set of stereotypes?

Take a moment to answer the question for yourself. I know that in lockdown you have lots of time.

Practical Wisdom

The educated brain thinks. Education wants you to look for the reasons behind your actions. It is definitely non-imposing, open to ideas, and free from the pompousness of the world.