India is getting more and more unaffordable. A decently clean residential locality is unaffordable. Healthy organic food is unavailable. Clean water is luxury. Clean air is a thing of the past. Coming into this metropolis as an outsider, life does not seem worth living. Suddenly a clean & healthy place, instead of being natural and free, comes with an unaffordable price tag. Suddenly all one thinks about is money!
I had a friendly casual discussion with few youngsters of age group 17-20 in Mumbai and below is an excerpt. My question to them was "What is the meaning of money in your lives?"
Student Anushka (name changed):
"How much money do you want?"
"Loads"
"That doesn't answer my question. Okay share me some of your important goals on your wish list that money can buy"
" Ok. I want a car"
"Cool. A Nano? Or Swift"
"Lamborgini" (2-5 crores rupees!!!!!)
Next student Dev.
"What about you Dev?"
"I want enough money for 2 world trips for my parents"
"Define world for you"
"Europe, USA.."
"Thats it?"
"Australia, New Zealand….Antartica."
"Thats it? No Africa, South America?"
"NO. Oh..yes - Rio!!"
"Why Rio?"
"I want to just get away from this chaos of Mumbai"
"So why not Himalayas, or Leh or some other place if you just need to go to a peaceful place?"
"So why not Rio?!!"
I stopped the conversation there.
3rd student- Sonam
"I want 100 crore rupees"
"Why?"
"I want a house in Colaba and a Ferrari"
"Cool. How long do you think you would take to earn such an amount in reality?"
"10 years maybe"
I didn't understand anything from this.
4th student- Rajesh.
"I want 30 crores to start a business and I can earn it back in 4 years"
"Ok. What have to done so far?"
"Well at least I have thought about it!"
5th student- Vaishali
"I want a flat in LA" (in american accent)
"Why?"
"I want to gift my mom"
"Is your family american?"
"No"
"Does she travel a lot to LA"
"NO"
"Have you folks ever been to USA"
"NO"
"Then why do you think she wants a flat in LA?"
"Don't know. I just think she would be happy"
"Do you know that a flat in LA would be expensive even for an average american citizen?"
"Don't know"
I was speechless.
This seems to be the wishful desires of many youngsters in India - to dream to possess exceedingly expensive materials outside of India.
- to dream to gift things to their parents that they couldn't afford in their lifetime
- to dream to be a billionaire before earning the first salary.
I hope the government listens to this and creates an India for the youth. Or am I wrong? Is the responsibility on the government or does the youth just have a bunch of super idiotic and baseless ambitions? Please leave your comments.
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