Some years ago, I was at a party where the host introduced me to a stranger as "a business journalist who has been around for a long while now". I smiled and extended my hand, but before I could say any more, the stranger lit up and said, "Tell me, what's your take on crypto?"
I don't remember much else about that conversation. I probably mumbled something incoherent (crypto has never been my thing). But what stayed with me was how uncomfortable it all felt.
Whenever I think about the incident now, I think about how tightly we wear our professional identities.
So much of the time, we are not really presenting ourselves or being perceived as people in a whole sense; we are being equated with what we do.
I am Charles, the journalist. You may be Vinicia the techie, Rohit the baker, or Sunny the stay-at-home parent.
It's not entirely our fault; it's how we've been conditioned to think about each other, and ourselves. This hit home harder recently, when scrolling through my phone contacts.
What started as a casual attempt to delete defunct numbers quickly turned into a philosophical thought experiment. For each entry, I asked myself: "Is this name here because I care about this person? Or because of the title this person holds?"
This story is from the December 22, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Gurugram.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 22, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Gurugram.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
DSP: I was prepared for Kissik and Oo Antava comparisons
As long as you don't let success get to your head, you are not bothered by the outcome,\" says composer Devi Sri Prasad, also known as DSP, who is pleased with the reception of his music for Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Sparks of Trouble for Coldplay Gujarat gig!
Ahead of its highly anticipated India tour, British rock band Coldplay is making headlines again!
Aubrey's husband, director Jeff Baena, dies by suicide
Actor-comedian Aubrey Plaza is mourning the loss of her husband, director Jeff Baena, who died at the age of 47.
Rohit and Virat still have the hunger, says Gambhir
No one in the team will say it, but they are all surely thinking it.
Lebrun brothers, the French connection in Thakkar's rise
Manav Thakkar, India's No.2 male paddler, noticed how the Lebrun brothers, the French siblings who have taken the table tennis world by storm, would \"invent stuff\" after training sessions even as the others would wind down.
HIL route to making India return
Many sidelined from the national squad have bounced back via the league, Rohidas being a shining example
Shooter Saurabh rediscovers his touch at Nationals
For five years from 2018, Saurabh Chaudhary would hold his Morini pistol so steady and shoot with such precision that it was assumed the prodigiously talented youngster would win an Olympic medal for India.
SBI Steps Up Heat With Large Collateral-Free Study Loans
India's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has begun offering collateral-free study loans of up to ₹50 lakh for students heading to top foreign universities, entering an arena dominated by top private lenders.
Guj, Andhra, Delhi Shine As Key Performers In Logistics
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi have been identified as leading performers in India's logistics sector, according to a new report.
Foxconn Sees Record Revenue on AI Demand
Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, beat expectations to post its highest-ever revenue for the fourth quarter on continued strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) servers.