In Pakistan “burger” is a catch all, slightly derogatory term used to describe oversensitive, overemotional and overprotected/ive families whose fear of the world infringes on their enjoyment of daily life. It presumably originated with the idea that “burger families” would always eat at hamburger restaurants and eat Western-style food at home, so their little darlings wouldn’t suffer the alarming effects of chilli or questionable hygiene standards.
Being a burger baccha in a fast food place in Lahore
I’ve held debates in classes before about whether children (“bacche”) nowadays are overprotected, and whether this “protection” from the dangers of the world is harming their experience of life’s highs and lows. Yes, protection of children is important, but do we really want to raise a generation of hapless robots who experience only a sanitised version of reality?
As someone who loves to live and experience, I refuse to allow fear or discomfort to dictate how I live, especially when “burger” complaints usually pertain to simple facts of life. I’m not one to say “be a man”… but sometimes we need to live a little! Here are my favourite burger complaints;
“It’s too hot to go out”
“This pool is too unhygienic”
“This food is too spicy”
“This road/city is too dangerous at night”
“Shaving with a blade is too dangerous”
“The city/bus/train is too crowded”
“This bus is too crowded”
“Fasting in Ramadan is too difficult”
“The people on this bus are too low class”
“Riding a bike/motorbike/scooter is too dangerous”
Intrepid travels… no burgers here!
This made me laugh and then not. I used to be the same, thank God i was raised the opposite of the “burger” way but now i have kids, i’ve been using a bit too many “burger” lines :((( oooops i think i’m becoming a burger parent. Thanks for the wake up call. “Kids! tomorrow we play in the sun!” lol
Hahahahahah! Well… there’s nothing wrong with looking after our kids… but they still need to experience life! I’m also glad I wasn’t raised in the burger way! :p
to be fair, sometimes the food IS too spicy!
that’s true – but you never get used to it if you don’t try it!
I am not a ”burger” and i feel good about it. Protecting the kids is great but raising a ‘Poultry’ type generation who can’t even run when someone tries to catch them is inappropriate. Because at the end we have to live in this world which gives us different experiences to deal everyday!
True true! Thanks for reading!