This is a post about India's collective pride in our social system of living connected generationally in our joint and extended family system.
When we see Europe struggling with low population and their need for immigrants. When we see Israel and Palestine and Ukraine and Russia at war- all unable to solve their problems. When we see the left and right in the US at loggerheads over the assassination of divisive figure.
So, whenever we see any 'advanced' or 'developed' country with a much more "individual centred social system" flounder we feel like patting ourselves on our backs, right?
(As an aside : The more I see the senseless gun deaths in the US, the more I feel that I made the right decision in coming back from that country. Though my reasons for coming back in the middle oughts was the feeling of social isolation and home-sickness more than the 2nd amendment rights of every nutter who wanted to shoot random people down to fill up the emptiness in his heart. But, what can a country do when its very constitution gives the right to every one to bear arms, except suffer the way it does.)
Anyway - coming back to topic - Collective good based social system or an individual centered social system both have their pros and cons. In India, I feel that we are suppressed as a society - letting the collective needs reign while we ignore or repress the individual wants and desires. So, then, what makes for a wholesome life well lived? What makes for a social system that strikes a balance between the collective torture that is daily life in India and individuality based cultures in the west? Does such a system exist? If so, can I move there, so that the next generation lives in better harmony with themselves and others?
