A comfy Catastrophe
A Verse On Excruciating Capacity Of Humans To Transmute Comfort Into Curse
Harshal Sinha, AIS Vas 1, XI D
“Look at her all snuggled up in my blanket again. Give it back to me right this instant, you sleeping not-beauty.”
There, now, your daily dose of comfort catastrophe, live from my house. Agree or not, we have all had such conflicts over comfort with our family and friends. The blanket, the TV remote, the best bed, the last bite… you name it. Howbeit, in a world constantly in pursuit of comfort and calm, it’s almost comical how the things meant to bring us bliss often lead us to the quagmire of chaos. From the humble act of filling our bellies to the sports-induced adrenaline rush, all of these have, at some point, entangled us in the web of war, crime, and casualties.
A buffet of blood
The Spice Wars of the 17th century that lasted for nearly 200 years, for instance, were a real clash of flavours - the European, the Dutch, and the English powers battling for control over the lucrative spice trade. Hundreds of thousands of lives gone, just to have the spiciest tikka masala in town! And zillions more, courtesy - El Paso Salt War (mid-19th century), Ottoman Wine Wars (16th century), Pastry War (1838), and Dutch-Portuguese Sugar Wars (16th century), to cite a supplemental few. If you thought they would let you water this harsh truth down your throat for free, you are in for a colossal shock, mate! From the Egypt-Sudan-Ethiopia dispute over the waters of the Nile to the long-standing disagreement between Israel and Palestine upon the Jordan River, the world has been an unfortunate witness of several contentions over water.
Threads weaved into turmoil
History has time and again proven how the allure of clothes and shelter has the potential to ignite the flames of conflict. Take the plush silk trade, for example - a trade that drove empires to war. Or more recently, the tensions between EU and China due to disputes over synthetic fibres. Who isn’t familiar with the Israel-Palestine conflict - the tale of two nations locked in a property dispute, killing over 19,000 (as of Dec 15, 2023) civilians in its most recent chapter. India too has seen several infamous territorial disputes over time, with the Indo-Pak dispute over Kashmir functioning as the ultimate showstopper.
From stadiums to strife
As we revel in the thrill of entertainment, be it sports, cinema, or even music for that matter, hoping to seek refuge from the arduous reality of our existence, we realise we cannot escape conflicts even in these realms. Take the notorious Football War of 1969 between Honduras and El Salvador for instance; this 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier incited a brief but intense military conflict, claiming the lives of some 900 El Salvadorians and 2000 Hondurans. The Vancouver riots of 2011 had a similar story to tell, when the Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, critically injuring 140 in the process. The Olympics, meant to be a celebration of players’ achievements, has too seen boycotts and controversies, making it yet another platform for political relay. Cinema, too, with its potential to influence minds, has played a significant role in shaping narratives and opinions. The ban on Pakistani artists in Indian films, and vice versa, illustrates how entertainment meant to construct a cultural bridge, can convert into cavalry in no time.
As we thus contemplate these bizarre occurrences, it becomes apparent that we are skilled at turning every comfort, be it the lure of exotic flavours, a pull towards fine fashion, or captivating entertainment, into a curse. Perhaps it’s the irony of human nature - how we compose our tragicomedy, and even though armed with knowledge, tend to repeatedly fall into the pits of our follies.