Make way for the ‘Fauxites’!

Genuineness is considered so passé. No one has the time for real relationships, friendships or work associates anymore, especially if there is no personal gain involved.

Today, the world we live in is so quick to judge too. “Babes, I am going to Gstaad for the holidays. What about you?”

Beware, you will be frowned upon if you mistakenly respond that you are travelling somewhere within India.

“Oh Babes everything well at home? You know I am always there for you”. What it really means is: At the next ladies-only lunch at Wasabi, you will be the topic to bitch about!

To explore one’s home country may not be ‘cool’, yet these are the same society matrons who are the first to drop the ‘M’ word (Modi, for the uninitiated). And post a picture on Facebook and/or Instagram of themselves at a high profile wedding where the PM he is also spotted.

Globally, everyone has become so vanity-conscious. You have to be thin or fit to easily be accepted in ‘it’ groups. Who knew that the best place to get juicy gossip is at the Pilates studios and gyms, where it is the mouths that do the most running!

Everyone is so competitive about Insta likes and the obsession to be verified that there are a few ‘A’ grade international influencers who have got the ‘blue tick’ just by paying the big bucks. There’s a price for being on top, as they say.

Getting verified on Instagram is a sign of having made it in life. Not easily available and yet extremely coveted, you can actually pay a hefty price for it since brands today only want to engage with someone if their social media tractions and algorithms are ‘lit’ — which makes genuine people question how reliable Instagram is if everything is manipulated.

A society gal recently revealed in hushed tones that she routinely rents paintings at home whenever she entertains. “What’s the big deal yah? They’re original Hussain art works. So long as they’re genuine and people think I am rich” is all she’s bothered about.

No wonder then that most folks live a borrowed lifestyle these days just to easily fit in with the elite. There are even online websites where one can hire last season’s handbags, shoes and sunglasses for rent.

It appears the self-proclaimed eligible girls are usually the ones with the new money but confused as hell between class and money.

One lady has even made peace with her husband’s philandering ways so long as she can travel first class, regularly dine at Nobu, sit in the front row at Milan Fashion Week, have worldwide membership to Soho House and buy her diamond pieces! Her simple explanation — “Honey, so long as he pays the bills, I don’t care!”

Meanwhile, the men married to such wives usually hate their intrusion and find that they are best off on their business trips that usually involve pleasure in the bedroom than at the board room.

Whatever happened to good old values and traditions? And why have they disappeared? Sadly, they have become as archaic as a CD player in the new age world of iPhones and Androids.