Delhi man's LinkedIn post comparing life in 1970 and 2025 triggers debate: 'We are not building...'

A Delhi-based entrepreneur's LinkedIn post comparing the life of a middle-class Indian man in 1970 with that in 2025 has sparked an online debate, raising questions about whether India's economic boom has come at the cost of personal stability and peace of mind. Binoloop founder Himanshu Kalra wrote in his post that in 1970, a middle-class life followed a relatively safe path. “You go to college, get a degree, learn a skill, get a job, good pay, nice house, get married, have three kids, raise a family of five. “You are set for life,” he wrote, summarizing the journey of a middle-class person in the 1970s.

But in 2025, Mr. Kalra highlights a very chaotic life, where you compete with millions of others to go to college, only to start adult life with education loans. Then you get a degree and learn skills, but they all become obsolete within two years. Even job competition is stiffer than ever. On top of all this, there is high inflation, low appraisals, as well as constant upskilling. You get married, have a child, and both partners work just to make ends meet.”Mental health? Figure it out for yourself," Mr Kalra wrote. "Sure, the economy is booming," he concluded.

Mixed reactions

"You are absolutely right, but there is another factor that has contributed to this situation and that is the growing population. I think everything is linked to high population. That is why there are entrance exams for almost everything nowadays, be it a job or getting into college," wrote one user.

"I see both sides of it every day. Yes, there are more opportunities today, but there is also more burden. There are more choices, but less clarity. There is more access, but also more anxiety. What strikes me the most is how flexibility has replaced stability as the modern currency. In the 1970s, success was linear. In 2025, it is iterative. We are not building a life, we are rebuilding it skill by skill every 2-3 years. This is why I believe career guidance today is not just about jobs, it is about capacity building for a world that never stops changing," another explained.

"A never-ending cycle of upskilling, inflation and mental health struggles? That's the reality for many today," a third user said.

"Yaar, if you learn to invest your money properly right from your first salary, your life will be easy in any phase... Mental health is easy, no need to take any kind of stress. Just relax and be cool. Life is not a competition. It is for us to enjoy our limited time on earth," commented a user.

"And yet boomers will say, oh, you have it much easier than us. We used to do X after much difficulty. Empathy happens only when both sides can understand each other's struggles. You forgot the unhealthy lifestyle, stress, constant dopamine boosters everywhere, adulterated food, polluted air and water. There’s so much more I could say,” another wrote.

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