We are all born with a clean slate, absolutely nothing on our mind. So much so that the age group between zero to seven is often referred to as ‘The Imprint Period’. Just as the sponge goes on soaking in as much as it can, we humans too do the same in terms of life during that phase. At this point, the question arises: how and when do we humans get ourselves a ‘mask’, behind which we hide our true self.
Author Pushpendra Mehta through his book, Observe to Unmask: 100 Small Things to Know People Better, has reached closest to the other side of the answer: Understanding others better with an art of looking behind the mask or at times completely unmasking the person, we are keen to know in a better way.
As a reader, you realise that the book lays emphasis on going much beyond what is otherwise not easily visible to you. According to the author, in order to do that one must examine, observe or study the first 18 to 21 years of a person’s life. Mehta feels that by doing so, one gains lot of valuable insights about an individual.
As you move from one chapter to the other, you realise that things that you already know, but have forgotten over a period are brought to the fore. It serves like a wake-up call. Were we not told to be observant towards an individual’s conversations or the company he or she keeps, in order evaluate the person? Of course, we always knew this. The harsh reality is that in the process of enforcing ourselves upon others, we ourselves wore a mask and decided to ignore masks that others wore.
Right at the start of the book, the author makes it clear that as a reader you are welcome to accept, condone, reject or condemn his observations. Like, I strongly disagree with one of his observations that social media feed is a mirror that reflects the individual’s true self. No, it can never be the case. Moreover, it is debatable. However, as you keep turning pages, you realise that in some instances you had been there, seen it and done it all too. As you go deeper and deeper into understanding how to unmask an individual, you realise that during this journey, you, as a reader, have shed your mask too.
Observe to Unmask has a universal appeal. From a non-professional to a student or a Life Coach, this book has something for everyone. You only need to remove your mask, before reading this book in an attempt to unmask others. Sincerely hope, the author has done the same before penning this down.
Book: Observe To Unmask
Author: Pushpendra Mehta
Publication: Independently Published
Pages: 128
