Ages back one of the products that I promoted was ‘Supristol’ from German Remedies which had this slogan: LESS IS MORE. Of-course, the detailing talked about how LESS dose was getting results that were MORE efficacy… but the point is that those were times when everyone harped on ‘less’.

The ideas floating then, included:
Spend less, save more.
Waste less. Donate more.
Give more. Work more.

It was only when we entered the ‘wear less, show more…’ phase that people realised that there was MORE to this LESS IS MORE debate. The babus and the netas woke to this doctrine earlier than the rest of us and merrily converted the philosophical trends of life and living to: ‘GIMME MORE…’

The ideas behind the MORE doctrine included:
Give more, get more.
(This is probably how Radia got inspired to open Vaishnavi Communication)
Spend more, demand more.
(Look at the salaries today and all the junk that homes are stuffed with!)
Waist more. Eat more.
(Why else would KFC, McDonalds, and other such eateries survive?)

Despite this, I’d vote for ‘More’ and call it ‘More is Merrier!’ Why?

Mathematically (I left advanced math in X), this is much sounder. There are TWO reasons:
1. 2GIVE is good, but to 4GIVE is better! (Thus the more you give, better!)
2. 2GET is stressful and to 4GET leaves you purged! (…and you save yourself a visit to the psychiarist!)

Lets now reconsider the MORE doctrine:
Give more, get more.
(Let go…be free from material burdens to experience spiritual freedom!)
Spend more, demand more.
(Well, better sales lead to less cost… and even better availability. Money in almirahs and banks was why people like Haji Mastaan were created… smugglers simply fulfilled wishes and wants of a starved population.)
Waist more. Eat more.
(Why must waists be a benchmark for beauty or handsomeness? ‘Size zero’ is a crime, really. Specially when photoshop has given us the facility to air-brush our photos and upload trimmer versions on FB to make virtual neighbours and friends envious.)

Let us, therefore, fight for MORE. Isn’t that why MORE wisdom is simply being wiser… MORE happiness makes you merrier… and MORE disposable income makes you look wealthier? For the perennially satirical, let me also add that MORE corruption leads to a frightfully better PRESS!

I love MORE.

Arvind Passey
14 December 2010.