Are you serious?

How often we hear this remark these days. Anybody tells us something about someone or something we say this. Anytime we hear something out of ordinary, we say this. But don’t you think the phrase has lost its real meaning. I mean am I serious?

Most people who know me will say ‘are you serious’? Poornima?  serious? She is so bubbly, enthusiastic, outgoing, fun loving. How can she be  serious? But do you think a person is considered serious only if they remain silent most of the time, refrain from making noise and appear to be calm. Or are seen talking about books, politics or some intellectual topic. By this criterion, most men will be serious as discussing politics is their favourite past time. I will be counted as serious too as I love discussing politics. But strangely when I discuss politics, men in my circle look askance at me. As if I have invaded their private club.

When I first requested my editor to give me politics as my field, he looked at me with a patronizing smile and said’ are you serious’? When I wanted to change my job, the first question I was asked was, how come you did political journalism.

But I think I am loosing my tangent here. Being serious has changed its reference I think. In my eyes, I am a very serious person. But people perceive me as non-serious. If a person is upbeat, positive and optimistic, does that mean they are not serious? Or if they sing on the karaoke and crack jokes at the drop of a hat, they are not serious?

I have asked this question to myself for a very long time. Do I have to stop being enthusiastic, social and cheerful in order to be taken seriously? Or considered as serious?

I am not championing to be taken as a serious person but I am really baffled about the issue of seriousness. Is it a trait or a habit? Is it a façade or nature? What do we mean by serious? A person who remains silent, appears to be calm and stable but makes no contribution intellectually is serious or a person who brings great value to the group but apparently not ‘serious’ is really serious?

Give a thought to how serious you are and send me your feedback. Till then be serious

So be it!!!