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In praise of the 9 to 5

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The GenZ and millennials have better and more diverse career options than any other previous generation ever to live on Earth. Professions that could not have even imagined are now popular among millions of teenagers and young adults. A profession like travel blogger or professional mukbangers (those who stream themselves eating food) or making 10-20 seconds reels for a living would be a joke for the people of previous generations.  The GenZ and millennials seem to have killed the 9-5 jobs; the mainstream jobs of an accountant, doctor, teacher, lawyer, driver, and many others. The internet has provided us with the infinite leverage to scale up niche activities and interests and form communities. However, I believe that this notion around niche professions and a soft contempt for the mainstream professions, especially among teenagers and young adults is completely misplaced. And covid-19 lockdowns have made my task of proving it easier. When the lockdowns were imposed the entire...

Liberals fail to understand the Indian Problem

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The term ‘liberal’ or ‘liberalism’ is undergoing a transformation in recent times. It is not what it meant a couple of decades ago. Today in India, liberal is associated with a wealthy lot who discuss poverty in Starbucks at Khan Market. More or less, they are left-leaning and dislike the BJP and the Modi government.  Unfortunately, like how India has skewed the meaning of critical terms like secularism, even ‘liberal’ or ‘liberalism’ is understood, some would say differently, but I would say wrongly in India.  A liberal is someone who stands for principles like substantive equality, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, etc., A liberal by definition is someone who is open to ideas and discussions and most important, evidence. Unfortunately, the ones who are associated with liberalism in India act contrary to the fundamental facets of liberalism and some even call themselves liberals though they are not.  And in India, we miss this point. We fail to understand the meani...