From Stability to Survival: Delhi Man’s Viral Post Exposes the Middle-Class Makeover from 1970 to 2025

A Delhi-based entrepreneur’s viral LinkedIn post has ignited a nationwide debate by contrasting the secure, linear life of India’s middle class in 1970 with the relentless pressures of 2025. Himanshu Kalra’s post, now widely shared, paints the 1970s as an era of stability—college, one skill, a steady job, home ownership, marriage, and raising three kids meant you were “set for life”.

 

Key Highlights:

 

•⁠  ⁠In 1970, a single skill could last a lifetime; today, skills become obsolete every two years, demanding constant upskilling.

 

•⁠  ⁠The modern journey begins with fierce competition for college seats, followed by education loans, job market uncertainty, and both partners working to afford even a single child.

 

•⁠  ⁠High inflation, low appraisals, and mental health struggles now define middle-class reality, despite the so-called “booming economy”.

 

•⁠  ⁠Social media users are divided: some mourn lost stability, others see greater opportunity but acknowledge the overwhelming pressure and shifting definition of success.

 

Outlook:

Kalra’s post has struck a chord, forcing India’s middle class to reflect: Has economic progress delivered a better life—or just a faster treadmill? As the debate rages on, the true cost of “keeping up” in 2025 remains a question that resonates far beyond nostalgia.

 

Source: Hindustan Times, NDTV, India Today, Business Today, Republic World