Common Heritage of Mankind
I have pondered for ages over a definition for CHOM - a word that I use more times than most other words, usually in a derogatory sense, for the word cannot be used in any other sense. I've heard that this word arises from the abbreviation of Common Heritage of Mankind, another curious term in international law, that has nothing to do with what a CHOM is, or what a CHOM does.
In defining a Chom as someone who has that cultural background, value set and appreciation of the finer aspects of life of an average Punjabi Hip-Hop listener with eighteen hundred and three Rakhi sisters, two real ones and twleve thousand other sisters-by-conduct, one confines oneself to cultural, religious or geographical variables. The fact is that a Chom does not necessarily have to be from a particular place, time period or background, though they do usually have similar such parameters.
Most characters (I cant think of any outside this desciption in fact) in Karan Johar / Yash Chopra movies are within the broad framework of 'Chom'. However, it is not necessary that one needs to live like a Kuch Luch Hota Hai character (with the 'COOL' chain around the neck, and fake Tommy Hilfiger bag bought from Palika Bazaar) to be a Chom. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours). It must be stressed here that there are lovable characters from these movies, just as there are lovable Choms (a small minority though)!
Chomness, or Chomity cannot be a cultural stereotype (its not really even a stereotype, if you ask me), or even an attitude; its a state of being - a State of Mind!
What stays in the Mind in this state is unfathomable, but its results are evident for all of us to see - "O yaar, Rock the Party!"
posted by aandthirtyeights @ 10:14 AM
5 Comments:
are you a law schoolite?
funy post btw :)
I am a law schoolite. Are YOU a law schoolite?
not at nls.
But a law student, yes.
Actually, its because a CHOM thinks that the rest of the world is his common heritage, and he can loudly play Sukhbir's 'Gal Ban Gayee' while driving down a street in Dindigul in his new Skoda at 82 kmph and expect you to hand him a plate of idli vada whenever he stops. Which is when you ask him to pull over and give him one...
it is. it's a state of mind, even an attitude, that the swell of people that live beyond the Vindhyas tend, but not necessarily, to exemplify. what are the things we characterize as chom?
- the tendency to insist on slapping all humanity on the back, bellowing greetings in Hindi or its lesser known derivatives, regardless of the target's familiarity with either.
-the tendency to howl at the little people- waiters, auto-drivers, vegetable vendors, etc.
-the tendency to define feminine beauty in terms of light skin and pointed features.
-the tendency to be impermissibly wealthy and shockingly consumerist.
-the tendency to prefer brute force as a means of instruction
-the tendency to commute in herds
-the tendency to invoke very loud, very graphic nicknames for themselves, such as 'sexbomb666'.
- the tendency to be easily overwhelmed by cheap intrigue, ill-clad passion, blood-drenched suspense and painfully slapstick comedy
one could go on.
the fact remains, that while chom is neither a culture-specific, nor region-specific term; the cluster of humanity that tends to consitute what is broadly referred to as 'north indians', are more likely to display such tendencies, than are their counterpart 'south indians'. thus, while many 'south indians' can qualify as chom, the presumption is that they are innocent, until proven otherwise.
make no mistake, nothing personal.
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