It's a sunny afternoon at Goregaon station's foot overbridge. The train stopped a bit outside the platform.

The herd mentality

It's a sunny afternoon at Goregaon station's foot overbridge. The train stopped a bit outside the platform. Several commuters craning their necks down the side railing trying to get a look at something. Curious and expecting to hear the worst, I ask one, "Kya hua?" "Pataa nahi," he said, "Sab log dekh rahe the toh main bhi dekhne lagaa." I couldn't blame him. I was doing pretty much the same.

Oh, I am curious about everything. Almost as curious as the next face you see in the local commute. Why is the garbage outside the station still there this morning? Who's that new face staring down at me from the banner? Isn't that ugly man flexing his muscles on the poster worried that someone might catch him with his clothes on? Are those 'before' and 'after' pics for real? And why would a regional party's banner use the title and tagline of the very film they spent a week bashing verbally and physically?

Piles and piles of curious questions. I want them answered because it's fun. We're herd heroes, it's what we do best.

I ask because everyone wants to know the answer. Once I know, I'll probably tweet my finds or update my Facebook status to something more relevant than a rehashed version of the useless OMGFacts that really can't be verified. Everybody's posting a link to that really funny YouTube video. And so I am. But do I find it funny? Does it matter?

Why are you following @iamsrk or @priyankachopra? Is there a chance in hell you'll ever get a 'hey' or 'hello' -- some sort of acknowledgement? Oh, but you will follow them nevertheless. I am following them as well because I am just as curious to know if they will. To know if they are who they say they are. Where do they find the time?

And really, for the majority, they don't want that question answered. They're better off not knowing. And to make our mundane existence a little more exciting, we'll even follow a few, slightly more interesting, definitely more affable 'openly fake' celebrities, who say they are impostors and revel in the fact that people will still
follow them.

Oh look, I just hit 300 friends / 120 followers. Do I even know half these people who've added me on or I've added on? Do I want to? Will Buzz force me to?

More piles upon piles of curious questions I want answered. Why? Because it's fun. We're herd heroes, it's what we do best. I'll still tap your shoulder asking what you're staring at and wonder why you don't know. And someone will do the same to me. Waitaminnit, what was the point of doing this? Isn't everyone else with an opinion doing it anyway?

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