From Surprises to Common Place

Imagine you're on a world tour, and in a foreign city, you unexpectedly run into an acquaintance. It's a delightful surprise, a chance encounter that leaves you astonished. Days later, in another country, you cross paths with the same person again. This time, while you're pleased to see them, the surprise has faded.

Why? It's because the initial surprise of encountering them unexpectedly had already occurred. This phenomenon isn't limited to chance meetings; it applies to various aspects of life. When an unusual event repeats in slightly different ways, it gradually becomes ordinary and ceases to surprise you.

Reflecting on my past, I once held strong moral beliefs about relationships, insisting they should only lead to marriage. My friends perceived me as a moralistic preacher, which strained our friendships. It took time, but I realized that love isn't always calculative. I've since become more accepting of different relationship dynamics.

This shift in mindset came through exposure to diverse experiences. Today, I view this as a normal occurrence, but a decade ago, I couldn't.

In a series episode, I encountered an intricate story involving an extramarital affair between two parents, whose children were also involved romantically. The episode concluded with the couple, not their children, marrying. The title? "And They Happily Lived Ever After."

What was once deemed progressive or unethical at one point in time often becomes commonplace.

The normalization of surprises isn't limited to affairs; it extends to all aspects of life. Bribing voters during elections, once offensive and secret, is now normalized. Officials in government offices are expected to accept bribes. Corruption and criminal charges no longer disqualify politicians.

In my student and early days as a teaching professional, Saturday afternoons off and long vacations were the norm. When I changed my first job, I had to stay till the evening even on Saturdays and sometimes even on Sundays. Midterm and annual vacations have reduced to a considerable extent. It was a great pain in the beginning. After few years, this lifestyle has become quite normal due to repetition.

To sum up, here's a recent incident: My principal called me one Saturday to organise a talk show for a former news anchor turned politician's event the next day. The program was at 7:00, and I was expected at 6:30.

Working Sundays was no longer surprising. I arrived at 6:35 to an empty campus, save for some students playing cricket. Calling the principal, I said, "Sir, I've arrived at the campus. Where are you?"

Surprisingly, he replied, "The program is in the evening!"

My acceptance of institutional norms led me to think differently.