In the urban jungle of Bangkok, there is a unique species that can be found sitting comfortably in his office when he’s not wandering between the living room and bedroom (but never the kitchen) at home.
Meet the Indian dad, beloved for his penchant for sharing yesterday’s news today and working hard to provide for his family. He sacrifices tirelessly, even pretending to listen to his wife when she complains about what the maid did, yet again.
But despite all his accomplishments, the Indian dad is not known to be very expressive in the realm of phone texting. In fact, he manages to convey all his thoughts, feelings, and opinions through one very simple word: OK.
Even with the extra-large font he has on his phone to read easily, the Indian dad gravitates towards “OK” as his preferred reply to everything. It doesn’t matter if you are messaging him birthday greetings, complimenting him, or announcing that you have been elected president of the world. The answer will be the same: OK.
Now, there may be nothing wrong with receiving an “OK” reply because technically, it expresses agreement or acceptance. It was your choice to type out a long, thoughtful message to send to an Indian dad, but that doesn’t mean he has to reply the same way.
On the other hand, there are better words to convey stronger feelings when messaging. “Thank you,” “great job,” or “congratulations” are short yet simple examples that come to mind. However, it is perhaps for this very reason that the Indian dad prefers the “OK” reply, as they may have grown up in a time when men didn’t express any emotions. It is also the same reason they say “OK” when you ask them if the dinner you spent hours making is tasty, because saying “excellent” would require too much emotional energy.
Along with not talking about feelings, the Indian dad is also known for his practicality and action. They prefer to know your plans for the future, your test scores, your business goals…not if you’re feeling red, blue, or green today. That’s why the letters “O” and “K” are the best choice for them because it is placed right on top of each other on the keyboard and don’t require much effort to press.
Now you may be wondering, if the Indian dad only has to type “OK” when he texts back, why does he take so long to respond to your message? This could be because he is actually a deeply feeling man who is processing and internalising your words, all of which he will show you through “OK” when he finally replies three days later. The Indian dad may be a man of few words, but there are certain times when he would love the same reply. For example, do you know what he would like you to say when he tells you to study hard to become a doctor, or not to stay out late at night?
OK.