Underdogs

Who need most attention?
Underdogs.
Who will respond enthusiastically?
Underdogs.
Whose victory spreads most joy?
Underdogs.
Who have potential that hasn’t expressed itself yet?
Underdogs.
Who make it to the headlines fastest after achieving?
Underdogs.
Who remember your support?
Underdogs.

Obviously then, any worthy underdog has the potential to be my ‘jug’ or world or inspiration or lifeline or everything that my mind ever yearned for. It could be a cricket team in the World Cup, a presidential aspirant, a first book by a writer, that friend in college or school, or even a word waiting to be felicitated. For me, my underdog is a word that hasn’t made it to the top in the Oxford New Words. And let me add that my thoughts need not necessarily always revolve around a human attachment. My jug or my world for now, let me say again, is COULROPHOBIA, the word that didn’t make it to the sought after Oxford list of new words as the word of the year this year. ‘Post Truth’ beat it hands down.

Words too have a life, you see. They live to regale you with their creative usage. They make you laugh, go wild with excitement, aim for higher truths, get goal-oriented, get blinded with rage sometimes, murmur like a lover, or even go out to chase a dream. Words are powerful. Yes, as powerful as your better-half. As honeyed as your girlfriend. As wily as a Bollywood villain. They give a body to your thoughts and, therefore, need some love. Oh! And, by the way, they can be the clowns that bring a smile on your lips when you need it most.

Coulrophobia, let me add, means having ‘an irrational fear of clowns’ and I have opted for this word as my jug because more than half the majority in the biggest and the most powerful economy have finally got over it. Their election result says it all. Most of the Americans are no longer plagued by an irrational fear of clowns. And this is good news for the rest of the world. Coulrophobia is now poised to make it big in the human world as a word with many talents. Coulrophobia is definitely my jug for now.

Look at the way it is going to win anywhere in the world. Educated and professional people in London will point to rural England and shout: ‘Come on, get over your coulrophobia and say you reject Brexit. Let the EU clowns fly in. Holiday season is so dull without them.’ The opposition in India, even without using the word, is asking Mr Modi to stop having an irrational fear of clowns and roll-back the demonetisation that he has introduced. I guess even the NATO might ask the Syrian civilians to bin their coulrophobia of the IS jokers and stand up to them. The French understand coulrophobia well and keep ousting one president after another. The Chinese intuitively market fake iPhones because an irrational fear of a clown called Apple doesn’t bother them. After all, the American public is now leading the way, isn’t it?

Coulrophobia is a charmer. I think this could be because it has an innate ability to make one realise the implausibility of irrationality… and the worth of clowns, of course. Clowns aren’t evil though Stephen King and some Hollywood flicks have tried their best to portray them as humourless psychopaths. Their exaggerated facial features and body parts may force some timid child somewhere carry a phobia all his life… but this is hardly any reason for anyone wanting to brand them as a psychiatrist’s favourite. But then I am an Indian accustomed to having hundreds of clowns making and breaking laws all the time… so coulrophobia is almost like a big chunk of dark chocolate in my mouth.

I am so fascinated by this word that despite the irrational rejection by the Oxford dons, I’ve decided to call it my jug, my world, my fascination, my infatuation, and… well, my inspiration to finally write a complete post on it. Coulrophobia is similar to Alia’s ‘Jug’ (Shahrukh Khan) in the movie Dear Zindagi and articulates the abilities of a true friend. An underdog for sure, but a winner in my eyes.

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Coulrophobia is similar to Alia’s ‘Jug’ (Shahrukh Khan) in the movie Dear Zindagi and articulates the abilities of a true friend

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I am writing about Jug in my life for the #DearZindagi activity at BlogAdda

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Arvind Passey
18 November 2016