The Desi Condition

The Desi Condition

The Desi Condition seeks to fill the gap in our emotional education by exploring the aspirations, conflict and emotionality of the Desi and human condition through the eyes of history, sociology, and personal accounts. This podcast explores various topics in mental wellness and how our history and sociology often serves to exacerbate mental health conditions, jeopardize wellness, and delay progress and treatment. The Desi Condition is about creating a sense of relatability, community, and togetherness. By listening to other people's stories, we eventually find we're all one and the same.

  1. 11/22/2023

    Episode 5.04: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents; Book Review and Actionable Steps (Part 2 of 2)

    The hosts Tanushree and Anu delve into the profound impact of emotional immaturity within South Asian families. Building on their previous discussion, the overarching questions guide the exploration into the depths of emotional immaturity, specifically how it manifests in South Asian parenting. The hosts dissect cultural collectivism, enmeshment, and the intricate dynamics within mother-son relationships versus those with the oldest daughter. They unravel habits ingrained in South Asian parenting, referencing unsupportive social emotion strategies, such as suppressing emotions for the sake of harmony. They further scrutinize emotional incest, the choosing of favorites, and the lack of privacy between parents and children. They ponder the definition of emotional maturity versus immaturity, and explore the concepts of true self and role self within the context of culture. Key traits of emotionally mature individuals are highlighted, providing actionable items for listeners to identify and foster emotional maturity within themselves and those around them. The hosts address the challenge of breaking family patterns, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between relatedness and relationships. They wrap up with a powerful conclusion, urging listeners to detach from expectations and see their parents for who they truly are, freeing themselves from the chains of emotional immaturity.

    1h 1m
  2. 11/15/2023

    Episode 5.03: Emotional Immaturity in South Asian Parenting, An Origin Story (Part 1 of 2)

    In this thought-provoking podcast episode, we delve into the complex world of emotional immaturity and its profound impact on South Asian families and their children. Drawing inspiration from Lindsay C. Gibson's book, "Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents," we explore the history, cultural context, and real-life stories that illuminate the struggles and triumphs of individuals raised by emotionally immature parents. We delve deep into the intricate world of South Asian parenting and uncover the roots of emotional immaturity within these families. Our leading question takes us on a journey through cultural norms, historical influences, and the impact on the wellness and socialization of South Asian children. Our exploration begins with a critical look at South Asian parenting through the lens of emotional availability and connection. We question the essence of "good parenting" and the extent to which emotional needs are acknowledged in this culture. We examine the significance of emotional intimacy in parent-child relationships and dissect what successful parenting looks like in South Asian households. The legacy of Partition in 1947 casts a long shadow on mental health and emotional expression in South Asia. We explore how the upheaval disrupted healthcare services, and the silence of mental health professionals had lasting consequences. We introduce the ancient Sanskrit text Natyasastra and its "rasa" theory, which forms the basis of the Indian approach to emotions. Shifting our focus to parental emotion socialization, we delve into strategies used by South Asian parents, ranging from problem-focused and emotion-focused reactions to non-supportive methods like punitive reactions, minimization reactions, and distress reactions. We contemplate the profound implications of these emotional dynamics, including the development of internalizers and externalizers in adult children. Sources to publications referenced in the episode can be found on tdcpodcast.com

    1 hr
  3. 10/15/2023

    Episode 5.02: The Love Commandos, with Mansi Choksi

    We chat with Mansi Choksi: Dubai and Mumbai-based journalist, author of "The Newlyweds: Rearranging Marriage in Modern India" and one of the brilliant minds behind NPR's new season of Rough Translation, titled "The Love Commandos." Mansi writes about crime, gender, identity, opportunity and pop-culture and serves as the guest co-host of Love Commandos. Mansi joins us to talk about what happens in the aftermath of when young Indian couples choose to marry for love. Her work on “Love Commandos” draws on years of in-depth reporting in India by NPR correspondent Lauren Frayer and investigations on the enigmatic, controversial figure of Sanjoy Sachdev, founder of non-profit organization The Love Commandos. Mansi also discusses her preconceived notions on love marriage shaped by Bollywood depictions and media portrayals. While doing so, she highlights the stark contrast between her previously held beliefs and what she learns over time to be realistic consequences that South Asian couples face when questioning the stronghold of arranged marriages in India. In our conversation with Mansi, we discuss her book, “The Newlyweds” and have an open and honest discussion about how India is raising a generation with distorted views on their sense of agency in regards to choosing their partners. Mansi's work can be found: mansichoksi.com Instagram: @mansi_choksi NPR's Rough Translations: https://www.npr.org/series/1195777940/rough-translations-love-commandos

    53 min
4.6
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

The Desi Condition seeks to fill the gap in our emotional education by exploring the aspirations, conflict and emotionality of the Desi and human condition through the eyes of history, sociology, and personal accounts. This podcast explores various topics in mental wellness and how our history and sociology often serves to exacerbate mental health conditions, jeopardize wellness, and delay progress and treatment. The Desi Condition is about creating a sense of relatability, community, and togetherness. By listening to other people's stories, we eventually find we're all one and the same.