When I walk around in Chennai city and end-up in bars, hotels or restaurants, I look around the younger generation today and a lot of thoughts comes rushing to my mind....
Why current generation treats life like a "fast food"??? How much have the current generation parents have taught their children about cultures, family values, history of our land, etc...? How many younger generation people today know the history of India or their own state?
Unfortunately, all I see around is that everybody wants to party, enjoy life, have a rich life style... What is this resulting in? Higher credit card bills, huge bank loans and all other accessories which comes along with 'living beyond means'...
Whenever I go to Chennai on a break, I go to certain bar in Chennai city (not cheaper version and not the real high end) and see around... I can see very few people in their mid life all others are young crowd who might have just started their employment life... When I settle the bill, which is normally in the high 4 digits, I really ask myself "Is it worth spending so much money".... But, when I see the youngsters getting the bill, they don't even pay attention to the details of the bill (probably to impress the girls around them with whom they've been drinking) and just put their credit card to settle the bill.
Are we living in what I call "western life style"??? My definition of western life style is just live for today do not worry about future... From whatever conversations I've had with few of these youngsters, their credit cards are almost maxed out all the time and they mostly pay the minimum balance due or little more than minimum balance due. They forget the fact that almost all banks charge interest rate of about 45% per annum on the outstanding credit card balances.
Is it worth drinking and having fun at 45% borrowing rate? I don't think even Ambanis and Tatas of this world will borrow at this rate to party !!!!
Then, what's wrong with this young generation? Did we, as parents, fail to guide them in right path?
I have been fortunate (read blessed) to have beautiful parents. My father taught me quite a bit about life, money and other values of life... Today, fortunately, I'm in a position where many people envy my post, position, connections, earnings, etc... But what many forget is the sacrifices I've made to attain this level.
Did we fail as parents to teach our children the right path? What is "success" in many people's opinion? Many parents I've spoken to will react like this:
"I want my kids to be in a good job and earn a lot of money and be happy"....
Is earning a lot of money is sign of success?? Can money buy happiness? Why we as parents tell our kids that money brings happiness and success?
My above statement about younger generation spending a lot of money in bars without thinking should be "successful people" then!!!! The reason being probably they work for some high paid IT companies and hence they do not care for what they spend... Is this success?
What did all these IT companies and BPO's bring to India? Working all night and sleeping all day? Earning crazy money at the age of 22-25? And then does not know how to wisely spend that money earned?
What did all these high earning younger generation did to the society? Bought properties along OMR in Chennai and other areas at exorbitantly high price. This crazy upward movement of land prices ended up in most of the fertile OMR land being converted into high raise buildings. Due to this demand from these younger generations, normal regular land/house buyers and investors struggled and many have lost tons of money in this whole bubble...
Now, if we keep thinking deeply about this we will know that we have not just changed the life style of these youngsters but have caused a huge social problem.
Look at the amount of divorces in India now... Was this the Indian culture?
Look at the amount 'living together' arrangements happening in India.... Is this what our ancestors taught us in 'joint family' system?
The questions and frustrations are endless.... I am not the one who will always blame others for everything... Whenever I look at a problem, I always do a soul searching myself to see if in any way I'm doing such things. To the best of my knowledge, I'm not guilty in any of the above changes in younger generation's life style today.
What can we do to change this? My blog is not the solution and I am fully aware of it.
How do I contribute for a solution? I keep talking to as many youngsters as possible. I know many of us don't like advices. So, I give them examples and hardships faced by people in life in the hope that they will change. If I can change at least one person and put them back on right track, I think I would have achieved something big.
This week I had the opportunity to speak one such youngster here in Dubai and I sincerely feel he took all my talks and advices to his heart. If he changes, I will be more than happy.
This is the reason I believe all of us should know the roots from where we came from. This is the reason my blog contains history of Tamil language, inventions by Indians, etc... My mission to post many such past glory of India will continue in the hope that somebody reading my blogs will someday contribute in a way to get into such lists....
Hope is the only thing in life that keeps us going.... Let us hope for the best !!!!
Why current generation treats life like a "fast food"??? How much have the current generation parents have taught their children about cultures, family values, history of our land, etc...? How many younger generation people today know the history of India or their own state?
Unfortunately, all I see around is that everybody wants to party, enjoy life, have a rich life style... What is this resulting in? Higher credit card bills, huge bank loans and all other accessories which comes along with 'living beyond means'...
Whenever I go to Chennai on a break, I go to certain bar in Chennai city (not cheaper version and not the real high end) and see around... I can see very few people in their mid life all others are young crowd who might have just started their employment life... When I settle the bill, which is normally in the high 4 digits, I really ask myself "Is it worth spending so much money".... But, when I see the youngsters getting the bill, they don't even pay attention to the details of the bill (probably to impress the girls around them with whom they've been drinking) and just put their credit card to settle the bill.
Are we living in what I call "western life style"??? My definition of western life style is just live for today do not worry about future... From whatever conversations I've had with few of these youngsters, their credit cards are almost maxed out all the time and they mostly pay the minimum balance due or little more than minimum balance due. They forget the fact that almost all banks charge interest rate of about 45% per annum on the outstanding credit card balances.
Is it worth drinking and having fun at 45% borrowing rate? I don't think even Ambanis and Tatas of this world will borrow at this rate to party !!!!
Then, what's wrong with this young generation? Did we, as parents, fail to guide them in right path?
I have been fortunate (read blessed) to have beautiful parents. My father taught me quite a bit about life, money and other values of life... Today, fortunately, I'm in a position where many people envy my post, position, connections, earnings, etc... But what many forget is the sacrifices I've made to attain this level.
Did we fail as parents to teach our children the right path? What is "success" in many people's opinion? Many parents I've spoken to will react like this:
"I want my kids to be in a good job and earn a lot of money and be happy"....
Is earning a lot of money is sign of success?? Can money buy happiness? Why we as parents tell our kids that money brings happiness and success?
My above statement about younger generation spending a lot of money in bars without thinking should be "successful people" then!!!! The reason being probably they work for some high paid IT companies and hence they do not care for what they spend... Is this success?
What did all these IT companies and BPO's bring to India? Working all night and sleeping all day? Earning crazy money at the age of 22-25? And then does not know how to wisely spend that money earned?
What did all these high earning younger generation did to the society? Bought properties along OMR in Chennai and other areas at exorbitantly high price. This crazy upward movement of land prices ended up in most of the fertile OMR land being converted into high raise buildings. Due to this demand from these younger generations, normal regular land/house buyers and investors struggled and many have lost tons of money in this whole bubble...
Now, if we keep thinking deeply about this we will know that we have not just changed the life style of these youngsters but have caused a huge social problem.
Look at the amount of divorces in India now... Was this the Indian culture?
Look at the amount 'living together' arrangements happening in India.... Is this what our ancestors taught us in 'joint family' system?
The questions and frustrations are endless.... I am not the one who will always blame others for everything... Whenever I look at a problem, I always do a soul searching myself to see if in any way I'm doing such things. To the best of my knowledge, I'm not guilty in any of the above changes in younger generation's life style today.
What can we do to change this? My blog is not the solution and I am fully aware of it.
How do I contribute for a solution? I keep talking to as many youngsters as possible. I know many of us don't like advices. So, I give them examples and hardships faced by people in life in the hope that they will change. If I can change at least one person and put them back on right track, I think I would have achieved something big.
This week I had the opportunity to speak one such youngster here in Dubai and I sincerely feel he took all my talks and advices to his heart. If he changes, I will be more than happy.
This is the reason I believe all of us should know the roots from where we came from. This is the reason my blog contains history of Tamil language, inventions by Indians, etc... My mission to post many such past glory of India will continue in the hope that somebody reading my blogs will someday contribute in a way to get into such lists....
Hope is the only thing in life that keeps us going.... Let us hope for the best !!!!
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