Middle Class Musings

Managing new social, economic order lies in addressing aspirations of India’s ‘new’ middle class by ensuring bold, inclusive economic reforms to sustain it in our holistic economic growth perspective, writes Pradipta Mohapatra

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SHEKHAR Kapur’s 1998 period film ‘Elizabeth’ was one of the five best films in the world to be nominated for eight Oscars.

“Does that mean you might get another job?” Asked his father, who was immensely proud and equally concerned if this would enable his son to finally manage to get a stable job. “I am so middle class,” says Shekhar Kapur sharing this heartfelt anecdote, "I continue to carry the burden of being middle class.” The poor bleeds poverty, the rich exudes affluence and in the middle of nowhere is the anxious middle class. It is always awful to be in the middle of the road and breathe heartily in the midst of uncertainties. Such is our middle class, with its obsessive sentiment and overwhelming predicament and fascination for service, salary, security and social stability. An insane inclination to money over matter for subsistence, weighing success by salary, a month long toil and the month end perks buying happiness and impactful living for the always aspiring middle class. Not just that, it is stability, social identity and social standing for the man in the middle, betwixt and between the poor and the rich.