Adda as a Way of Life • Hacker News Board

Re: Adda as a Way of Life

#31

Post by MisterBastahrd » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 9:02 PM UTC

I'm not seeing it as a unique thing. I have distinct memories of my grandparents, great grandparents, and their neighbors hanging out together on my great grandparents' screened porch and talking for hours into the evening after supper time. For people born in the early 1900s and earlier in the South, it's just what you did, because the wind moved better outdoors than indoors and the matriarch of the family just spent a couple hours warming the house up in the summer time with her cooking. The men would sit in rocking chairs with cigarettes or cigars and talk about sports, politics, how their crops were doing, etc, and the women would sit together on makeshift outdoor couches with dinner mints or desserts to discuss their kids and the local gossip.

Even today, my friends and their families will get together for game nights twice a week at different homes, just discussing whatever comes to mind while playing board or card games.

Re: Adda as a Way of Life

#32

Post by vishnugupta » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 9:07 PM UTC

asimjalis wrote: post #27

How is an adda different from a normal conversation that people have? I feel like the article did not explain this sufficiently.

Speaking as an Indian, what sets apart adds is that they can go on for hours together and they happen at regular frequency.

Say you are bored (I know it’s a rare thing now a days) then you know that if you go to the usual hangout place you will invariably find a few people, some of whom are your acquaintances/friends, gathered aimlessly conversing.

The group is very fluid, random people join and leave and when you are sort of done you too leave. There are no rules as such but people usually don't cross personal boundaries.

It is an essential part of being in a community. One is implicitly expected to take part in such addas from time to time. This is how small towns/villages operate. Or at least did, I don’t see it around me anymore.

Re: Adda as a Way of Life

#33

Post by pm90 » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 9:18 PM UTC

gunfighthacksaw wrote: post #6

shmde wrote: post #5

Brings back memories of my grandpa. We used to roam around the streets of Kolkata and surprisingly he had a tonne of friends nearby. Just a walk with my grandpa to the local tea store would take 2-3 hours. Because he would be busy with adda. Topics used to range from why Buddhadeb (Chief minister of West Bengal, India ) was not working upto the mark to why Tendulkar is the greatest cricket player alive. Things also u…

Your grandad sounds like a legend. I think this social norm is a good way for people to be more engaged with their community and probably helps in old age too if you have a stream of buddies to chat with, who enjoy your company. Better than just ignoring everyone or being seen as nuts, as is the case in NA cities.

Dense urban areas where residents have to walk rather than drive probably helps in creating such a culture.

Re: Adda as a Way of Life

#34

Post by nine_zeros » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 10:00 PM UTC

barrucadu wrote: post #26

nine_zeros wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Adda doesn't need to be fun. Addas are usually unplanned. It often involves stumbling upon an acquaintance on the street and just catching up on the side of the road. Imagine a spontaneous conversation with an acquaintance at a grocery store but at any random place, without any capitalistic purchases required during the interaction.

Isn't that a normal thing? Where isn't this done? If you bump into someone you know do you just greet them and then leave?

It's not the same. Usually American interactions are small talks. Adda is literally stopping in your pace, talking and hanging out for hours. HOURS. Completely unplanned.

The closest thing to adda in America is college dorm/fraternity/sorority life. Mindless chatter for hours after bumping into someone. Or maybe like a night at the bar. You're hanging out for HOURS.

In India, you don't need a social setting for that. That bear-like hanging out will literally happen on the streets. Perhaps one of the reasons why the country appears so crowded. People hang out outside far too much.

Re: Adda as a Way of Life

#35

Post by rajup » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 10:01 PM UTC

vishnugupta wrote: post #32

asimjalis wrote: post #27

How is an adda different from a normal conversation that people have? I feel like the article did not explain this sufficiently.

Speaking as an Indian, what sets apart adds is that they can go on for hours together and they happen at regular frequency. Say you are bored (I know it’s a rare thing now a days) then you know that if you go to the usual hangout place you will invariably find a few people, some of whom are your acquaintances/friends, gathered aimlessly conversing. The group is very fluid, random people join and leave and when you ar…

So kind of a physical Clubhouse?

Re: Adda as a Way of Life

#36

Post by nine_zeros » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 10:06 PM UTC

ghufran_syed wrote: post #28

nine_zeros wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's very rare in the US. Adda is quite literally wasting time on conversations. It cannot thrive in an environment where time is money and money is sacred.

The subjects of this article would probably disagree with you: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-barber-shops-salon...

This is close enough but the big difference between an adda and a salon is that the salon is still a commercial establishment.

Adda is such gatherings anywhere. On the streets, rooftops, temples, parks, local tea stall, something called as a clubhouse (yes physical clubhouses without pay for play).

A friend's favorite adda was a fuckin commuter train. People would text each other to catch the same train and just chat for 40-50 mins of the journey.