INDIA in a state of Transit

Original Source

Growing up in a nation of mixed Economy and a state ruled by a communist party for 3 decades.I could hardly decide or rather understand the practical implementations of a capitalist or an communist economy. With the opening up of the economy in the 90’s and the markets flowing in with global brands and a Indianiased  Mtv playing day and night on the television we were in a hurry to catch up for the time lost in speculation.

With the entry of IT sector in the late 90s and a boom in the 2000s the purchasing power of Indians increased in leaps and bounds. Today India stands as the 5^th largest in retail industry. A nation with a population of 35% less than the age of 20 and soon be joining work force the future of retail Industry is golden.But this unprecedented growth has brought in a lot of complexities along. The country is still far from having the Infrastructural, tax structure to back up the same.

But my concern is whether the youth is matured enough to absorb the change. We are still a nation in transit not only in terms of economy but socio-cultural values. With a country still fighting poverty, farmer-suicide, dowry and female feticide the brands though doing well still are bringing a lot of complex problems along.

The parity of the income amongst different classes and is leading to a kind of complex situation which is and will prove fatal. While only a part of the population enjoying the cream portion the rest still struggling to make the two ends meet is not healthy for any society.

A country where supposedly public-smoking a punishable offense and drinking and pub hopping eyed as something not very moral we are from being open.The youth mesmerized by the shine of the malls and multiplexes still are caught between the socially accepted rules and a life they look for. For our politicians and some people who had voluntarily taken up the role of moral policing has made things worse.  A country hyped over IPL (an expensive affair) we can afford and dancing at discotheques gulping down tequila shots we have a long way to go.

This situation reminds of Louis CK saying “Everything is amazing but no one is happy” state. It’s a sate so favorable for the “Consumerism” to be on triumph but are we heading towards a state where our nation will fall from the state of worse to worst because we need Citizens not consumers and that one day we might have to think as famous American novelist Chuck Palahniuk had said “We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra...”