Middle Class mentality... What is it?
I think irrespective of which class we belong to we would have heard this term "Middle Class mentality" for sure. This post will just try to discuss what elements i think constitiutes middle class mentality. This is just my personal opinion and should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Element 1:
"Academics shouldn't be sacrificed at the cost of anything."
I am not saying that focus on curricular and extra curricular activities is not there.
But nothing at the cost of academics. You may counter argue this saying that almost the entire Indian cricket team is from middle class, but i think you yourself will realise that for every Sachin Tendulkar who is Std XIth failed there are atleast 4 cricketers who are qualified engineers.
All other talents (if you have any) can only be pursued till the extent that they don't effect your studies. And i am forced to think like this now when i see people around me who can play the keyboard are typing on the keyboard ; people who can shatter windows with their sixes use windows to write code and the bottomline is they are not happy doing it either. Mebbe just mebbe if they followed their passions ......
Element 2:
There is a time for everything
We(middle class) have always been told that their is a time for everything. When we were in school we were told its time to study, when we got into college we were told its time to shape your career. After college time to find a good job. Once in job for 2-3 years( 1-2 years for girls) time to get married. I ask why is there a time for everything and why does that time apply to all individuals.
I wanted to get married at 18 :):) not now. I think one should be allowed to do whatever one wants to do whenever one wants to do atleast once after he/she becomes an adult.
Element 3:
Living life by comparision
My mom's brothers daughter is studying in Stanford, USA and my dad's sister's son is working in Microsoft and me i am just a humble software engineer in Infosys, Bangalore. I have heard this comparision endless number of times. Comparision with our relatives and friends make a part of our life at every stage whether we admit it or not.
I wish middle class will some day understand Better Life doesn't mean being better than others.
Element 4:
Marriage is sacred at all costs
Divorce is not a solution at all as far as the middle class is concerned. Even the most rational souls are not willing to accept the possiblity that two absolutely wonderful people individually, couldnt result in a wonderful couple. I mean why has there to be a stigma attached to a divorced person. Why should divorce mean that either one of the two ppl was at fault.
I mean why is not divorce considered an amicable solution to a problem.
I think couples spending their lives together not loving(in some cases hating) each other are no better off than ppl who get divorced.
There are more such elements but i am just too bored to write any. I think if you belong to middle class u will identify with all of these.
A good exercise here would be to blank your mind and read only the elements in bold and not my arguments. I will bet that you will at some level agree with the elements if not my arguments.
Element 1:
"Academics shouldn't be sacrificed at the cost of anything."
I am not saying that focus on curricular and extra curricular activities is not there.
But nothing at the cost of academics. You may counter argue this saying that almost the entire Indian cricket team is from middle class, but i think you yourself will realise that for every Sachin Tendulkar who is Std XIth failed there are atleast 4 cricketers who are qualified engineers.
All other talents (if you have any) can only be pursued till the extent that they don't effect your studies. And i am forced to think like this now when i see people around me who can play the keyboard are typing on the keyboard ; people who can shatter windows with their sixes use windows to write code and the bottomline is they are not happy doing it either. Mebbe just mebbe if they followed their passions ......
Element 2:
There is a time for everything
We(middle class) have always been told that their is a time for everything. When we were in school we were told its time to study, when we got into college we were told its time to shape your career. After college time to find a good job. Once in job for 2-3 years( 1-2 years for girls) time to get married. I ask why is there a time for everything and why does that time apply to all individuals.
I wanted to get married at 18 :):) not now. I think one should be allowed to do whatever one wants to do whenever one wants to do atleast once after he/she becomes an adult.
Element 3:
Living life by comparision
My mom's brothers daughter is studying in Stanford, USA and my dad's sister's son is working in Microsoft and me i am just a humble software engineer in Infosys, Bangalore. I have heard this comparision endless number of times. Comparision with our relatives and friends make a part of our life at every stage whether we admit it or not.
I wish middle class will some day understand Better Life doesn't mean being better than others.
Element 4:
Marriage is sacred at all costs
Divorce is not a solution at all as far as the middle class is concerned. Even the most rational souls are not willing to accept the possiblity that two absolutely wonderful people individually, couldnt result in a wonderful couple. I mean why has there to be a stigma attached to a divorced person. Why should divorce mean that either one of the two ppl was at fault.
I mean why is not divorce considered an amicable solution to a problem.
I think couples spending their lives together not loving(in some cases hating) each other are no better off than ppl who get divorced.
There are more such elements but i am just too bored to write any. I think if you belong to middle class u will identify with all of these.
A good exercise here would be to blank your mind and read only the elements in bold and not my arguments. I will bet that you will at some level agree with the elements if not my arguments.
posted by reshu at 3:57 PM
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