|By Dhruv Ramnath
“Oops! I did it again!” sang Britney Spears once. And boy has she done it again. The Queen of Pop was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. What a pity! I thought she had changed.
But that does not mean one cannot enjoy one’s bubbly. Think about the fact that Anna Hazare wanted to beat up people for drinking. Mercifully, I was a good Tamil Brahmin boy then (my pronouns have ever been he/him) who did not drink. At least, that is what I told my folks every night—and morning.
This was when the former leader was taking to the streets to protest against corruption. Corruption? Are you kidding me? In India? Really? I have never heard of netas giving hooch to compatriots nor have I heard of them storing mounds of cash in their homes. At least, that is what I have been telling myself until… well… that is for my autobiography.
However, let us think of Britney for a moment. She is going through a hard time. We all have been through such times as people who believe in procreation (except antinatalists like me). People who want to get too high and lose themselves in a toxic pool of sorrow make their own choices. Period. Neither can we judge them nor should we condone them. They are simply drinking what they want to. And that is not a crime.
So I decided to think about Britney now because she has every right to drink. Drinking may be forbidden in the laws of the inner world (unless you are an aghori or occult practitioner) but it definitely is not a law in the outer world unless you live in Anna’s home. There are lots of such places.
You can drink to your heart’s content in a place where it is allowed but the moment you are behind the wheel and cause a death or injury to someone because you were drunk then that makes you a fool. I know people who drink every day—sips of their favourite hooch—but they stay where they are: on the backseat of their car.
Let someone drive you home if you want to drink and party till the cows come home or if you want to ruin your body. But when you know that when you are in a certain state and you have the wherewithal to let someone else drive you but you occupy the driver’s seat, then you are just as stoopid as our colonisers who had called us hindoos.
You can also be a smart drinker and have a little bit of wine every day and remain sane. But you still need to be safe so the message is clear: do not drink alcohol or do drugs and drive. The law is as simple as that.
This is where I believe the philosophy of antinatalism comes in. When you bring more people into this world you need to have a plan and be very careful as having kids is a huge responsibility. First, you need the money to look after your eternal bambino for this unnecessary project of many years. Second, you need to focus on your partner and provide for your family. Third, you will ever be worried about where they are, whether they will come back home on time, whether they are doing the right things, whether they have the right friends, etc.
It is best therefore to remain single and be at peace with oneself. The world is suffering too much. Heard of Gaza? Gen Alpha, are you listening? There is too much suffering even when God, who is supposed to be the ruler of this universe, puts on the dress of a human and tries to free us from the endless cycle of birth and death. Gurus too go through these difficult times although they remain detached from the happenings around them.
Britney is not an antinatalist. Sigh. She has two kids. Sigh. Why could she not set an example for her children? They must be crying seeing her do what she was doing. The moment you shirk your duty as a parent and have a “good” time only to result in a “bad” time, you do not get my sympathy.
Britney, are you listening? India has witnessed countless numbers of accidental deaths on our streets. We see cases where spring chickens are going behind the wheel only to end up facing the long arm of the law.
So, my friend, drink but soz, learn to know that it comes with responsibility—like having kids. Both take guts to do. Both are as demanding on the mind and body as any other duty. The only difference is, you can give up drinking but you certainly cannot give up your kids.
