- A LinkedIn post compared middle-class Indian life in 1970 and 2025, sparking debate
- In 1970, a middle-class life path was secure with education, job, marriage, and family
- In 2025, life involves fierce competition, education loans, obsolete skills, and inflation
A Delhi-based entrepreneur's LinkedIn post comparing the life of a middle-class Indian man in 1970 to that in 2025 has sparked a debate online, raising questions about whether India's economic boom has come at the cost of personal stability and peace of mind. In his post, Himanshu Kalra, the founder of Binoloop, wrote that in 1970, a middle-class life followed a relatively secure path. "You go to college, get a degree, learn one skill, get a job, good salary, nice house, get married, have three kids, raise a family of five. "You're set for life," he wrote, summarising the journey of a middle-class man in the 1970s.
But in 2025, Mr Kalra highlighted a far more chaotic life, where you compete with millions to go to college, only to start adult life with education loans. You then get a degree and learn skills, but they all become obsolete within two years. Even the job competition is fiercer than ever. To top it all, there is high inflation, low appraisal, combined with continuous upskilling. You get married, have one kid, and both partners work to just stay afloat. "Mental health? Figure it out yourself," Mr Kalra wrote. "Sure, the economy's booming," he concluded.
Take a look below:
Mr Kalra's post has triggered mixed reactions.
"You are a absolutely right, but there is another factor which has contributed to this situation that is rising population, I guess everything is linked with the high population. Its the reason now a days there is an entrence exam for almost every thing, let it be jobs or getting admission into college," wrote one user.
"I see both sides of this every day. Yes, there's more opportunity today but there's also more overwhelm. More choice, but less clarity. More access, but also more anxiety. What strikes me most is how resilience has replaced stability as the modern currency. In the 1970s, success was linear. In 2025, it's iterative. We're not building one life we're rebuilding it, skill by skill, every 2-3 years. It's why I believe career guidance today isn't just about jobs it's about capacity-building for a world that never stops changing," explained another.
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"The never-ending cycle of upskilling, inflation, and mental health struggles? That's the reality for many today," expressed a third user.
"Dude, if you learn how to invest your money well right from your first salary, you will have an easy life during any era... Mental health is easy, no need to take any stress. Just relax and chill. Life is not a competition. It is for us to enjoy our limited time on the planet," one user commented.
"And still boomers will say, oh you have it so much easier than us. We used to do X after so much difficulty. Empathy is only when both sides can understand each other's struggles. You forgot the unhealthy lifestyle, the stress, the constant dopamine boosters all around, adulterated food, contaminated air and water. I can go on and on," wrote another.
