According to Google, killing is an act of causing death, especially deliberately.
All these years, we were taught that killing is an act of violence, and that it involves bloodshed. We were even instructed that killing or taking one’s life is a crime and you might end up in jail for such an act.
I believed all of this to be true until a week ago. I discovered a set of people who are responsible for disrupting/destroying hundreds of lives and are still roaming freely. Who are these people? Where do they live? How exactly do they ‘kill’ people? Let me explain one by one.
Who Are These People?
‘Passion killers’. A ‘passion killer’ is someone who succeeds in lowering the morale of a person (for instance, someone passionate about their hobby or work) so much so that they gives up their passion.
Note: It’s not the person who is killed here. It’s their passion.
Where Do They Come From?
They come from a place of ignorance. Unlike the serial killers of the previous decades, passion killers can be easily spotted in the crowd today. Especially in the 21st century, it shouldn’t be a problem because they more or less constitute an entire crowd. Too much generalisation? I guess so.
How Do They ‘Kill’?
After carefully observing multiple ‘passion killers’ over a span of three years, I have formulated some key patterns.
Note: Assume yourself to be a person having a passion for writing or sports or anything else.
1. As soon as they get to know about your passion, they make you a pseudo-celebrity for a while just to let you know that they appreciate your passion.
2. When you are around other people, the ‘passion killers’ take immense pride in boasting about your passion which makes you feel that they are promoting your passion. But actually, they are not.
3. Next, they want you to do everything they do and also encourage you to pursue your passion – all at the same time. The most important trait of a ‘passion killer’ is that they assume that you have 24 (+5) hours in a day.
4. By the time you end up doing everything they ask you to, you are exhausted and you give up on your passion on that particular day.
5. Slowly and steadily, it becomes an everyday routine.
6. Cut to two years later, you are found saying “you know, I used to write” at parties.
Given below are a few excerpts from a conversation between a ‘passion-seeker’ and a ‘passion killer’.
Conversation 1:
Passion killer (PK): Hey, you there?
Passion-seeker (PS): Yes man, tell me.
PK: What’s up? You free? If you are free, do join us at this (insert event) at this place. It will be awesome.
PS: I don’t think so. You guys go enjoy.
PK: Why?
PS: I think I’ll study for my UPSC exams.
PK: Aye, come na. I know you will crack the exams. Don’t do this drama.
PS: No man. I have to study. Exams are in the month of June.
PK: You still have two months! Come for two hours. Nothing will happen.
Conversation 2:
PK: Bro! We are playing FIFA at my home. Be here in five minutes.
PS: Bro, You could’ve told me earlier. I have to submit my script tomorrow.
PK: Don’t do this. Come!
PS: I really want to complete this. I think I can’t.
PK: Okay, do one thing. Come here and write. I will provide a copy and a pen.
PS: Bro…
Why Is It A Big Deal?
It is a big deal not because every passionate writer is going to be the next Salman Rushdie or every passionate athlete will go on to become a Virat Kohli, Srikant Kidambi or PV Sindhu. It is important because this world is driven by passionate people – and it is they who will take the world forward, culturally.
Should You Care?
If you are one among the ‘passion killer’ brigade, definitely you should. I won’t tell you to stop ‘killing’ passion, but do find your passion and be a member of the passion-seekers’ brigade. The doors are always open.