The society's transition from conservative to modern is accompanied by resistance from conservative people. The conservative people innately indifferent to changes happening in society begin to question others. The questions generally begin with ‘why’. Whenever people deviate from conventional ways or embrace newer ideas they come under the scrutiny of these conservative people. It is these very people who constitute the Agony-aunt group.
The
Agony-aunt group consists of a large group of people in Kerala who
try to fix others with their constant questioning and useless
advising. They want conformist people. In common man’s terminology
they are called 'nattukar and veettukar'.
People
belonging to the Agony-aunt group are predominantly a set of people
who live in 1950s and whose mindsets had been shaped by the
happenings in the said period. Either they are ignorant of the
changes happening around or the very thought of opening up to new
ideas or ways of living makes them uncomfortable. The defining
characteristics and principles upheld by these group of people are as
follows.
- People should choose a safe and secure profession
- Religion and religious practices should not be questioned
- The sevenfold path to attain moksha according to agony aunts consists of the following- (i) secure good marks in exams, (ii) pass the entrance examination, (iii) get an engineering degree, (iv) get a secure job, (v) marry, (vi) have kids and (vii) Repeat the same cycle with your kids
- Never ask a person what he loves doing, but always advise him what to do
- They take pride in saying that their ward has a good job without realising that he or she might hate his or her profession
- Girls must be married of as early as possible
- They never follow the true principles of the religion they uphold, but always go to church and want others to do the same
- According to agony aunts, thinking about something other than engineering or medicine is a sin in the 21st century.
- They like people who live for satisfying society, but disregard people who follow their dreams.
- Pressurize people with expectation.
- Stereotype people, anyone who doesn't conform to their stereotyping is deviant.
- They love the agony of people who doesn't listen to their advice.
- They are unhappy to see happiness in the life of people who doesn't listen to their advice.
- Most importantly whenever one does something unconventional they ask 'why'.
