India Must Recognize the Moment

China knows it. The West knows it.

In India, people are often praised for managing everything (work, family, etc.), but the cost of functioning in a numb and burned-out state is overlooked.

A recent survey of first-year students at IIT Delhi revealed significant insights into student life. About 20% of students felt disillusioned with campus life compared to their pre-admission expectations. A majority (70-80%) struggled to balance academics and extracurricular activities, and personal well-being was a concern, with many students missing meals and getting insufficient sleep. Despite the pressures, 58% of students reported strong social bonding, particularly in their hostels. Many students also expressed competitive dynamics within their friendship circles, with 70% finding this competition healthy. The survey, conducted by the Board for Student Publications (BSP), covered a range of aspects including academic interests, personal well-being, and peer relationships. It revealed that students often take certain aspects of their environment for granted, like subpar education quality or higher suicide rates, which remain normalized within the academic setting but are not widely discussed.

Language is not religion, urging that all languages should be viewed as cultural meeting grounds, not as tools for division.

In Delhi's Chittaranjan Park (CR Park), a neighborhood with a large Bengali population, fish vendors were asked to shut down during Navratri, a Hindu fasting period. The problem arose because the fish vendors, who cater to the Bengali community's food culture, were told their business was too close to a temple. This situation reflects how majority religious practices sometimes overpower the traditions of minority groups, making them feel left out or pressured to change. It shows how the dominant culture can sometimes suppress the cultural identity of smaller communities, especially when it comes to things like food choices.

This clash reflects a broader sociological issue of cultural hegemony, as proposed by Antonio Gramsci, where the dominant cultural norms and values of the majority are subtly imposed on minority groups.

Cultural hegemony

Hatred is being mistaken for nationalism, and the idea of India as a tolerant, diverse civilization is under threat. - T Singh

In earlier times, people like Ramesh, a small-town farmer, relied on joint families and caste networks for support during crises, but today, as these traditional structures erode, he turns to risky stock market investments through mobile apps, reflecting what Ulrich Beck called a “Risk Society,” where dangers are no longer natural but produced by human-made systems like finance and technology. This shift shows the process of individualization-where people must manage life’s uncertainties alone-and Giddens’ concept of disembedding, as individuals become detached from traditional social ties and embedded in complex global systems. Without strong welfare or community support, when risks backfire, people like Ramesh are left exposed and often turn to religious figures or godmen for comfort, illustrating Marx’s idea of false consciousness, where the real causes of suffering-like an unequal economic system-are masked by personal or spiritual explanations. Thus, India’s modern risk culture promotes freedom and ambition but leaves people more vulnerable, with fewer protections and growing dependence on authority figures rather than democratic solutions

- Sanjay, Professor at SOASUniversity of London

Risk Society means a modern world where we create our own dangers through development- and yet, individuals bear the burden, not the system that caused them.

Marx’s “False Consciousness” – people turn to godmen or charismatic leaders, misinterpreting the root of their insecurity

Recent demographic shifts in Catholicism indicate a significant migration of its population from Europe to the Global South, with over 72% of Catholics now residing in regions like Latin America, Africa, and Asia. This shift contrasts with the early 20th century, when 65% of Catholics lived in Europe. The Catholic population is growing most rapidly in Africa (3.3%) and slowly declining in Europe (0.2%).

Due to Reasons like Declining religiosity in the West due to secularisation, Enlightenment rationalism, state-religion separation, and rising ‘unaffiliated’ populations.
Scandals (like clergy sexual abuse) have caused disillusionment in Europe and the US.
In contrast, the Catholic Church in Africa has integrated local traditions and offers vital services like education and healthcare.

Jingoism is nationalism in the form of aggressive and proactive foreign policy, such as a country's advocacy for the use of threats or actual force, as opposed to peaceful relations, in efforts to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests

The education system needs reform not only in quality but also in how it treats children- especially the poor- as human beings with rights, not statistics or potential threats.

China is facing a serious problem: fewer babies are being born, and more people are getting older. In 2023, around 240 million people over age 15 were single. To fix this, the government is trying to encourage marriage and family life. One interesting trend that has come up is livestreamed video dating, where people join online group dates hosted by matchmakers. This is especially helpful for shy or introverted young people who find it hard to meet others in real life. From a sociological view, this reflects structural functionalism, where institutions (like family) serve important roles for society, and the state tries to maintain stability by supporting them. It also connects with symbolic interactionism, as dating apps and livestreams change how people see love and relationships. Finally, it shows state intervention in personal spheres, which reflects Foucault’s idea of biopolitics, where governments try to shape people's private choices to solve national problems like falling birthrates.

True ahimsa (non-violence) is not inaction, but courageous action to protect justice.

95% of gig workers in billion-dollar Indian start-ups belong to Dalit, OBC, or minority groups; founders mostly from upper castes-reflects deep structural inequality.

Caste is a more significant determinant of life outcomes than poverty alone.

The corporatization of the artisan space refers to big companies taking over traditional craft sectors that were once run by local artisans and communities. For example, a weaver who once made and sold handloom sarees in their village market now works under a corporate brand that controls the design, pricing, and sales, while the artisan earns only a small wage. Sociologically, this shows Karl Marx's theory of alienation, where workers lose control over their work and become disconnected from the product of their labor. It also reflects Max Weber’s concept of rationalization, where traditional, value-based practices are replaced by efficiency and profit-driven methods. While corporatization can bring market access and higher demand, it often erodes the artisan's independence, undervalues traditional knowledge, and turns cultural heritage into a commodity controlled by profit-seeking entities.

https://www.sociologygroup.com/irawati-karve-anthropologist/

By Shilpa