Are we living in interesting times? Yes, absolutely! To say we are living in anything but difficult times is an understatement. There are problems everywhere. Any person in India can name at least a hundred things that are wrong with our country.
But despite these overwhelming challenges, we, in India, are probably much better off than the rest of the world. And maybe, we need to be grateful for that — a little at-least. The world is absolutely unstable and on the brink of war Most of our neighbours are in a very difficult situation.
Bangladesh is struggling to come back to normalcy after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. There are perennial problems in Pakistan which is on the verge of economic bankruptcy for the last two years. China is slowing down and facing a severe real estate crisis.
Sri Lanka is facing tremendous issues after anti-establishment protests in 2022. The Middle East has been on the boil for the last one year after Hamas’ attack on Israel last October. Russia and Ukraine are fighting everyday for the last two years without an end in sight.
The Republican nominee for President, Donald Trump, has had two attempts on his life in the last month. This is the new normal, unfortunately. Thankfully, India, although not perfect has been better placed.
Politically, the climate is still stable despite most of our neighbours in total calamity. We are not in the middle of war and that is a luxury. Society in the western world is collapsing ‘Trust’ is at an all time low in the United States and western democracies.
According to research by Edelman, the western democracies are split into camps and both think the other person is the enemy. Trust in the western media is at an all time low. Trust in politicians is consistently declining.
According to a recent poll by The Center Square, 2 out of 3 Americans believe America is headed in the wrong direction. Not too long ago, the UK was burning in the wake of a stabbing rampage at a dance class that left 3 girls dead. Any conversation in the western world turns into a culture war.
War over gender. War over guns. War over trans people.
War over climate. War over food. Even war over who pays the bill on the first date! Not to mention the issues of homelessness, law and order and complete decay in some of these countries.
In the UK, the NHS is struggling to keep up with demand. According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, nearly 1 in 2 people were unhappy with the NHS. Not to forget the perennial strikes that happen regularly in Europe.
Remember the rail strikes? At least in India, most of us can go to a doctor when we want. In case my wife has to visit a dentist, she can go in a day or two and not wait for months like in some of the western countries. And most of us can speak to the other person who may belong to another political ideology without wishing them total destruction.
The perennial debate of quality of life There has always been a perception that the quality of life in the western world or Dubai is much better than in India. For starters, there is clean air, better pay and infrastructure. Some of it is still true but the gap is probably reducing.
India hasn’t had a cost of living crisis like the western world has had. We don’t fret over interest rate increases the way the western world does and the impact it will have on their household spends. Food and clothes are relatively affordable in India.
Not to forget, we have access to domestic helps and a good social circle. We don’t leave our elderly to fend for themselves. In terms of statistics, the number of graduates from IITs and IIMs heading for the western markets are consistently reducing every year.
True, some of the rich are moving out to Dubai to avoid high taxation but that number is still small as an overall percentage. Most importantly, there is a sense of optimism in most people that this is the country and the place to be in over the upcoming decade. No other place has this kind of optimism.
Are we perfect? Absolutely not! To say India is perfect is absolutely wrong. Women are unsafe — especially in North and East India. The rich are getting richer and the poor are not moving up.
Most of you reading this piece belong to India A (the top 15%) and we have no idea about how difficult life is for the remaining people. We have one of the most toxic work cultures in the world. There is a mental health epidemic.
Air in NCR is bad. Infrastructure in Bangalore is crumbling. All of these are true.
But despite these, if you see the world around, we are still better placed. In fact, much better placed. Most of us have access to ‘roti, kapda and makaan’ and some degree of freedom.
The majority of the world probably doesn’t have it right now. And maybe we need to be thankful for that. The glass is more than half full in our country.
Unlike in the rest of the world..
