On Taste

The human is a complex creature,

Surprising even the cleverest, with its every feature,

Sometimes being brutal, sometimes kind,

Reflecting the unpredictable nature of its body and mind,

The only creature that studies itself,

Doing both right and wrong, yes, but wanting to amend oneself.

While evolution in nature occurs across species,

Here it is within each person, who transforms in several layers,

It is not mere adaptation to a condition,

It is evolution by choice, by decision,

Defining one's own self, breaking barriers of genes,

The human defines its own persona, and lives by its own means,

Acquiring distinct tastes - some simple, some of a complex nature,

Changing, evolving as one matures,

Some by virtue of one's innate qualities, desires or perhaps genetic,

And others, from curiosity, companions or merely force of habit,

Each human develops in such unique ways,

Defined by its life, its actions or sometimes what it merely says,

But such acquired tastes do remain,

Contributing to defining our person in ways known or unknown,

They are studded in the creature in a manner unseen,

Some revealing themselves when one is alone,

When our person is involved in deriving pleasure,

Usually at times when one is devoid of pressure,

Such tastes could be similar across people, even creatures,

Sometimes drastically distinct from each other,

Some could be simple activities, while others may seem strange,

Tastes vary with infinite possibilities, bound by no range,

Even the pattern isn't bound, with some things liked by many,

While others appreciated by hardly any,

Some like doing things others don't,

While others simply do what others want,

But the human's faith in what it does is so strong,

That it watches what another does, judging if it is right or wrong,

Some impose their ideas on another,

While others choose simply not to bother,

Today, things are different, society sees no good or bad,

Merely looks at another's life and feels happy or sad,

But there's more, with the human learning to accept, even empathise,

And eventually accepting others' tastes,

The greatest gift of mankind is to be able to agree to disagree,

Becoming fiercely honest beings, nurturing true respect for comrades.

Written on 9th June, 2016 at 10:32pm, at B001, H13, IIT Bombay