Why millenialy hungry and they do not follow their example
A Life / / December 19, 2019
Gaayathree Jayaraman (Gayatri Jayaraman)
Writer and blogger from India. He drew attention to the hungry young men and try to explain their behavior in this article.
In an underground dance bar in western Mumbai, I saw a performance of the former member of the national beauty contest. I was told that she started to work here, dreaming break into Bollywood. To get a role in a movie, she had to appear on the red carpet and at parties. For this needed chic dresses and high-heeled shoes.
Attempts girl to become a star failed one after another. But the dances were so profitable that gradually became the main bar of her work place.
I know one a specialist in the field of marketing, which spent their entire first salary to buy a car on credit. Rental apartments and mortgage payments were my friend can not afford it, she began to starve. Now she sleeps in the car. I do not know where she parked, but, thank God, in Mumbai it is safe enough for such feats.
Some time ago, my younger colleague, the journalist began to appear less likely to work. And noticeably lose weight. She insisted that lost weight through regular morning run. When she began to skip lunch and all day strain the cup of cold coffee, I guessed what was happening. I could not help but pay attention to what was happening to her, because once done the same thing.
I threw her a message in WhatsApp. Only in this way it was possible to communicate without prying eyes. I asked if her enough money for food. At a young journalist I did not have them. She explained to me that special evening waiting to go to Le Pain Quotidien and buy a sandwich there for 200 rupees (about 200 rubles). It turns out that after six in the cafe operated discounts.
She could not wait for the evening and at any time to have dinner in our dining room at an affordable price for themselves. But it was important to maintain the image of a man who can afford to eat it at Le Pain Quotidien.
Here's a she, the urban poor. Compared with most of the population of India, these people do not live in poverty. Often, however, they do not have a penny in his pocket. They are simply starving.
This twenty-year residents of the metro, succumbed to the pressure of society and who spend most of the earnings to maintain such a way that, in their opinion, is required for their income.
And it seems that the increase in spending is justified. Clothing and cosmetics, office parties and dinners, taxis that have to call, if you work till late night, coffee that is purchased in Starbucks, because coffee shop closest to the interview... without this to do?
When in the middle of the month the account suddenly turns money, young people acknowledge that perhaps somewhere miscalculated. However, they do not leave hope that in the end all will be adjusted. For example, when the profit of the enterprise will increase when they are promoted, when the Pope will send a little more money.
It is not difficult to understand what inspires them. Everyone knows the stories of entrepreneurs who have managed to quickly grow rich, So much so that now costs recouped instantly, and not once.
These young men and women have heard of the richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani (Mukesh Ambani), who inherited an empire and built their wealth on a huge house. But it would be worth to be inspired by his father's story, Dhirubhaya Ambani (Dhirubhai Ambani), who lived in a small house and created this empire.
They know that Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif (Katrina Kaif) spends about 5 million rubles for the fact that her hair dyed in a certain way. They learned that in order to make money, first you need to spend a lot.
To get into a good college, we spend on coaches. That we have a decent job, we are renting the GMAT and get an MBA, which also pumps out of our substantial cash resources. To get promoted, we buy expensive suits.
We dress as if already working at the desired location with a higher salary.
The media do not get tired to advise us what to eat, how to dress, where to relax, what kind of car to drive to be successful... The list is endless. But no one says, Where is the money for the execution of these instructions.
As a result, we are surrounded by many young people, desperately trying to leave behind roti and subji (cakes with stewed vegetables), to go to the more upmarket burgers and Coke. Then, with the same zeal they seek to replace burgers to cheese and champagne.
When 15 years ago I had just moved out from her parents and began an independent life, I received a total of 10 thousand rupees (about 10 thousand). I paid four thousand a month for housing and nurseries. The remaining two thousand went to travel and electricity. Money for food I do. In addition, I was only 25, and his son - a year or two, and sometimes I would like an ice cream, go to the movies or just to unwind a little. And all this, I also borrowed money. By that time, when I was taken to a higher paying job, I almost exhausted the limit credit card. I spent all the money that was supposed to save.
I quickly realized that after each increase in wages and rising costs. At my first job I missed three shirts and a pair of jeans. Higher positions demanded more serious clothes. I was told that I must "grow up." Then have lunch here, "happy hour" out there, meeting in expensive cafes and so on.
As a result, I started to work hard on ourselves to confront the conditions push young people to the financial bankruptcy. Every day I count in advance if I can afford certain expenses. At the bar I took only one beer and slowly devastated her throughout the evening.
Now I can easily compute the people who are about to be left without a penny in his pocket. This is a "vegetarian" who refuses the first dish, "teetotaler", drinking only water, a colleague, who says, "No, thanks, I've already eaten." And when, after all this, someone without a second thought offers to pay for half a dinner, it is easy to see how the brood their faces.
Once upon a time I was so.
You do not refuse the offer to go somewhere, not only because it would upset you. Are you afraid that you will consider the poor. For the same reason you are ordering drinks and snacks, which at first did not want to take.
Later, you try to scrape together in a pocket at least some small thing. You climb under the sofa and happily discover there one rupee. You wait for all disperse to discreetly jump on the bus.
Now I find myself obliged to address in time to a colleague and ask: "Do you eat today? I can get you some coffee? You go home on foot? Do not throw up? "Sometimes my interlocutors try to keep a stiff upper lip and refuse my suggestions. But there are days when the masks are falling and people nod.
Parents are given to understand that young men and women that for the happiness of the children they do not feel sorry for any money. Now, when my father asked on the phone, do not send more money if they respond that everything is fine, do not need money, everything is under control.
"Yes, to eat enough. Yes, all is well at work "- so they say. A whole generation has been brought up by parents who have sacrificed everything for the comfort of children, learning to endure the inconvenience of silence.
Those who manage to survive these times, commonly called strong. Be strong - means to restrain and sobs quietly starve. Most of the time I think for me it's all in the past.
Recently, during a business meeting colleagues, to whom I addressed, interrupted me and, laughing, she said: "Baby, even my driver's phone is better than you. For God's sake, buy the iPhone itself! "Now I dress better. I have my own house. Have your bank account. But the feeling of humiliation washed over me so fast, as if he did not have these ten years. As if nothing had changed.
A month ago, I started to post tweets about this special kind of urban poor and has received a flood of responses. It turns out that many are faced with the same problems.
One young man confessed that all three years of life in Germany, he ate only one tomato. So he saved his money, then to bring the family chocolate. Another mother lied to on the phone that he had all good. He was ashamed to admit to the contrary, because once it has sold expensive bracelet to get money for his son to move abroad.
I have heard of young marketers who starve all day to evening to buy a coffee in a five star hotel. Of his father, to work without leave for 13 years, to be able to pay for training his son abroad.
Someone was sleeping on a mattress and hid under a desk sneakers to walk eight kilometers evening from work to home. Someone called them miser because he did not go there in the cafe.
In a country where many people are forced to go hungry, so the behavior of young people is a consequence of lifestyleThat they have chosen themselves.
Somehow we have created a culture in which the image is attached such great importance that we are more likely to spend money on something to look well-fed than food itself.
The famine affected the lives of different people in different ways. Someone he barely touched, and to someone came to take up permanent residence. With someone just to play, but someone talked seriously. Someone visited only once, but to someone coming back again and again. But if you're ever faced with it, you will not forget this.
He devotes all you people in the clan who understand what happens when one day someone stops eat in the dining room and begins to bring lunches from home, lose weight, stay the night in the office, to avoid traffic expenses. Faced with starvation, even if it did not last long, even if it was for a long time, you will notice it everywhere.